Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

Several years ago, Oklahoma received one of the worst blizzards I had ever seen in a state that sometimes has no snow fall during winter. As our community was plunged into a blanket of white with drifts of 3-4 feet deep, roads were impassable, and schools were closed. With days of wintery weather, I finally had the excuse I needed to sit and read. That Christmas I had received a copy of Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. As I took breaks from shoveling sidewalks and building snow fortresses with my children, I was riveted by the story of a man whose life story was inspiring. And Laura Hillenbrand’s seven years of research and writing produced a book I couldn’t put down. Unbroken has since been made into a movie. And recently, I discovered the audio-version published as an abridged version for adolescents. This past week, as my 13-year old son and I were heading out on a long road trip over fall break to visit family in Tennessee, we listened to the entire story together. The narrative was just as inspiring and moving the second time. As I thought about the lessons throughout the story, I wanted to share a few takeaways that may apply to your leadership and life: 5 Lessons from a Life of Resilience 1. The suffering of others keeps your own experiences in perspective. Louis (Louie) Zamperini’s story is multi-faceted. He was a troubled kid whose ability to run track in high school saved him. In 1936, that same passion propelled him at age 19 to Olympic fame. His dedication to running also provided him with a college scholarship. With the beginning of World War II and the cancelation of the 1940 Olympics, he was motivated to volunteer where he served as an officer and a B-27 bombardier in the Pacific islands. After surviving unbelievable combat conditions, the story turns to tragedy when Louie’s plane is downed on rescue mission. He survives in a rubber raft in the open ocean for 47 days where he suffers starvation, mental anguish, and loss of comrades. Just when you think his suffering as reached its climax, he is captured by the enemy. And the next 18 months of imprisonment, deprivation and beatings only increase his agony. His story of deep suffering brings startling perspective. No matter what kind of challenges you are facing, you may be able to see that from another perspective, your daily struggles may be trivial in comparison. It doesn’t mean your struggles are not important, but it does help to remember that sometimes we stress about temporary or trivial matters in light of the true struggles others may be experiencing. 2. Human dignity is one of your most valuable possessions As strong as Louie was in his suffering, the most brutal price he paid was the threat to his own personal dignity. Although he maintained an inner defiance and commitment to live, he was treated inhumanely by his captors. Frequent beatings, lack of adequate food, and forced slavery brought about incredible mental anguish. His suffering was helped by the quiet, supportive, and often defiant ways he and other prisoners were able to help one another, and he understood that starvation and physical suffering were often more bearable in comparison to the humiliation he suffered. Louie had also been bullied as a boy. In the process, he had learned to defend himself and fight back. But mistreatment in captivity meant he could not fight back without facing death. The indignities he experienced at the hands of one prisoner guard in particular haunted him for years after his release. As you think about those around you today, you may have no idea of some of the stories your students carry with them inside and outside of school. It may be difficult to understand the realities faced by victims of cruelty. As a leader, you have the responsibility and charge to preserve and protect the dignity of others. Stories like Louie’s are good reminders of the shared mission you have of creating a learning environments that ensures safety, belonging, and respect. 3. The hand of Providence is a reminder you are never alone. Even in his most profound moments of despair, Louie found ways to see the hand of God in the series of events surrounding him. He found glimpses of beauty, compassion, and relief in inexplicable moments: unexpected rains when he was at sea without water, and even the comfort of overwhelming beauty in nature while lost at sea. More than once he was comforted by heard voices of singing he believed must have been angels. He also found comfort in sharing with fellow-captives. As he looked back at his life later, Louis was able to see moments of grace even amidst the brutal suffering he experienced. Although he struggled with years of post-traumatic stress syndrome, this deeper perspective ultimately allowed him to find peace and express forgiveness toward his captors. No matter how much self-control you may have in the actions influencing your life or leadership, in reality, you are not always in control. The realization of God’s providence in your life leads to a profound gratitude. And that state-of-mind provides meaning and life of service to others. 4. Recovery from human suffering requires God-sized solutions and responses. Louie’s tragic story did not end when he is freed from captivity. The emotional recovery from war and imprisonment took years. At first, he turned to alcohol, and his addiction almost destroyed his family and newfound freedom. An encounter with God through a Billy Graham crusade caused Louie to come face-to-face with his own need for grace and forgiveness. And this newfound hope propelled him into a life of reconciliation and service to others. Living into his 90’s, the second half of his life allowed him to share his story with thousands of others. His indomitable spirit and unwillingness to break helped him survive war, but his acceptance of God’s intervention in his life provided him with strength far beyond his own. As you look at your service to others, you will inevitably face obstacles far greater than your own ability to solve alone. Don’t forget the power of God provides in surrounding you with grace and relationships to guide you through even the most difficult moments. 5. A life of giving provides others with hope, redemption, and a way forward. For the decades following his recovery, Louis dedicated himself to rescuing, teaching, and mentoring young men. He found his life’s mission in building a camp for boys and bringing troubled youth there. He would share his own stories of growing up as a reckless youth, running in the Olympics, suffering as a prisoner of war, and finding the grace to forgive. For the rest of his life, Louis was committed to redeeming the lives of others. You may have the blessing of living in relative peace, but your story has lessons of its own. And your story provides hope for others too. Let’s Wrap This Up As my son and I drove along the roads to Tennessee surrounded by the turning leaves of autumn, we paused the story of Unbroken and talked about the historical perspective of Louie’s life during World War II. My son surprised me by commenting on how impressed he was with Hillenbrand’s ability to catch even the smallest details in her descriptions. Stories often shape your understanding of the world. And stories like Unbroken help you think about your own resolve and resilience. Your experiences also shape you. And the pain can either tempt you to despair or motivate you to view others with empathy and compassion. Hopefully, you will never encounter suffering as deeply as someone like Louis Zampereni, but it is inevitable that you will experience trials and difficulties. As you do, remember how much you grace and redemption has influenced your ability to move forward. With that mindset, keep serving others, coming along them as they learn resilience, and providing them with hope as they face moments that try to break them. Now It’s Your Turn How have you developed resiliency in the face of hard times? How can you teach others from the lessons you’ve learned? Think about those in your care who may need encouragement today. What’s one way you can cultivate an environment that safeguards their dignity? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:130 Five Lessons in Resilience – Reflections from Unbroken appeared first on Principal Matters.

This time of year, I’m on the road a lot visiting schools across my state. As I drive across Oklahoma, trees and fields have been brushed with the red and orange hues of fall. Rivers are swollen with much needed rains. And you can feel the first hints of winter’s chill in the strong prairie winds. The change in weather also brings along a change in expectations too. Teachers and students are talking about fall break, Thanksgiving, and even Christmas. Just as our physical environment influences our feelings and attitudes, our school cultures also affect they way we feel about school. And as I visit with school leaders, I am hearing a lot of conversations about the importance of their school culture. Building strong school culture is a tall order but one that more and more school leaders realize is the foundation for building a community of learning. This past year, I was invited to participate in a committee of school leaders who are researching best-practices for encouraging strong school culture. During that process, we have discussed a lot of research that confirms why school culture matters. Heather Shaffery, a researcher from the K20 Center at the University of Oklahoma sits with me on this committee. Although the final report has yet to be published, I wanted to share a conversation we had as we looked closely at takeaways from the research. Specifically, we discussed research from The National School Climate Center (NSCC), which includes multiple case-studies for schools on ensuring positive quality climate and school culture. (See NSCC’s 5-phases for school culture). Heather’s Bio Heather Shaffery is a researcher at the K20 Center at the University of Oklahoma.She has a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Arizona University and a Master’s degree in Science from the University of Pittsburg. Heather was a teacher of middle school science in Oklahoma. Now she conducts research and runs professional development for science teachers. She is also a doctoral student at the University of Oklahoma. The following is an outline of highlights from our talk. Or listen-in to the podcast version for the full-conversation: School Culture & School Leaders What are takeaways for school leaders in understanding how they influence culture? Research confirms the importance of the leader in a building. If you want strong culture, you need strong school leaders. Strong school leaders have the the ability to encourage and share leadership. They do not operate in isolation or without input. Strong school leaders understand the importance of meaningful listening and valuing the ideas of others. School Culture & Teachers What are takeaways for teachers? Most teachers know what constitutes good culture. But the challenge is an inability or resistance to implementing or practicing what’s best. When schools practice shared listening with collaboration for leadership decisions, teachers feel empowered toward stronger instructional practice. When teachers do not feel like their feedback is valued, they will be less inclined toward risk-taking and innovative instruction. School Culture & Students What are the implications for students? Involving students in shared leadership, not just on leadership teams, but in classrooms, increases student learning and achievement. Teachers must explore these questions with students: What do they want to learn? What do they care about? How do you leverage their interests and input in their own learning? School Culture School-wide What’s the result for school-wide practice? As culture and technology shifts, bullying has increased in schools. But when schools practice strong growth in culture, the result is a decline in those negative behaviors. As students feel safe, secure, and accepted, the entire school culture becomes a place that encourages responsibility, trust, and achievement. Let’s Wrap This Up Just as daily weather influences our thoughts and attitudes, our school cultures matter for student learning. As we see shifts in Millennials and Gen-Z educators taking the place of retiring teachers, we also see a shift in teachers and students who expect and often demand inclusion and input. Schools must shift toward shared-leadership models in order to provide settings of strong culture and student-centered learning. As you make these commitments, you will see an environment that encourages leaders, teachers, students, and communities to become communities of belonging — the ideal conditions for strong student flourishing. Now It’s Your Turn What are some ways you are embedding shared-leadership practices in your school? How are you seeking and implementing input from teachers and students? In what ways can teachers solicit and value input from students for classroom instruction? What is one step you can take today toward encouraging an environment of belonging and safety for others? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:129 Why School Culture Matters – Interview with Heather Shaffery appeared first on Principal Matters.

How can schools integrate technology across all classrooms?Janalyn Taylor, Principal of Nance Elementary in Clinton, Oklahoma, believes that school leaders must be willing to model learning and teaching with technology in order to see teachers and students embracing its innovative uses. In a recent webinar conversation, Ms. Taylor explains how her school has embedded technology into learning, and how parents and community members are engaged with the lessons, activities, and products students are creating and sharing. Janalyn Taylor is Oklahoma’s 2018 National Distinguished Principal. She holds B.S. and M.Ed. degrees from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She has spent the last 11 years of her 36-year career as principal of Nance Elementary School, a rural school serving a diverse population of pre-K through first grade students. With 83% of students participating in the free- and reduced-price meals program and 29% classified as English Language Learners, Taylor’s leadership is driven by a fierce commitment to equity and her ability to rally teachers and staff to ensure her vision is realized. She will be recognized at the 2018 National Distinguished Principals Program Oct. 11 – 12, 2018 in Washington, D.C., To see her entire biography, visit the National Association of Elementary School Principal website list of National Distinguished Principals. In our webinar conversation, she shares lessons for principals who want to integrate technologies for student-learning in every classroom. You can watch the webinar here, or listen to the podcast version of the presentation. Takeaways for Integrating Technology Technology must be recognized as a district priority. From the top-down, use in learning must be encouraged. For Nance, this meant introducing iPads 1:1 across the entire school. Using funding from the OETT Grant, teachers and leaders were trained through the K20 Center at the University of Oklahoma on best practices with follow-up onsite and ongoing professional development. The school first introduced small groups by developing a model classroom so teachers could pilot and practice before implementation. By using a Continuous Strategic Improvement Plan, integration became part of the district and school’s core values. Administrators must stay ahead of or right with your teachers as they learn technology. School leaders must model, model, and model use of technology in learning. As teachers adapt new practices, it is important they adapt a growth mindset and maintain positive attitudes. Seesaw is one successful application Nance Elementary has used to virtually share student examples of learning with parents and community members. One father said he loves getting alerts while working showing photos and videos of his son’s assignments via Seesaw. As teachers train with other teachers, ongoing professional development is shared among colleagues. Janalyn’s teachers use the SAMR Model to guide technology use: S = Substitution or replacing current technology with a new one A = Augmentation or functionally improving tasks by using technology M = Modification or redesigning tasks by the technology that is used R = Redefinition or a task that cannot be done without the use of technology (See more about the SAMR model at schoology.com.) Let’s Wrap This Up Since Nance Elementary introduced Seesaw for sharing student work online, over 53,172 items have been shared with more than 42,108 parent views. Other applications Nance teachers are using include: FLIPGRID, Apple Classroom, Kahoot, Coding, Osmo, Nearpod, and Differentiated Assessments. To see samples of student work via photos, templates or videos, you can check out the webinar presentation. Want to learn more? You can connect with Janalyn via Twitter @JanalynTaylor or via @NES_Principal. The post PMP:128 Integrating Technology School-wide with Janalyn Taylor appeared first on Principal Matters.

When I was in high school and college, my brothers and I worked part-time diving for mussel shells in the Kentucky Lake area.We would sell them by the pound at local markets, and those shells would in turn be sold to Japanese markets. Apparently, the pearly-white cuts from those shells are unique implants for growing cultured pearls in oysters. One day I was climbing across the bottom of an area that was ten to twelve feet deep. The only sounds I could hear were the hissing breaths from my regulator. As I found shells, I placed them in a net-bag I had clipped to one side of my weight belt. Because of low visibility, we didn’t swim with tanks on our backs. Instead my compressor, tank, and filtered line all connected to my boat. I was connected to a 50-foot air hose taped together with a 50-foot line of rope, and my regulator line was connected by a clip-on-hook to my weight belt at one end and attached to the boat and compressor at the other end. As I worked along an even stretch of clay and mud, I swept the surface with my hands while pulling the boat along with me. Suddenly, I came up to a trotline. This was a problem. Above me somewhere, long fishing cords were stretched, weighted, and floating horizontally while in front of my face were the vertical lines interspersed with hanging hooks and bait. I didn’t like cutting these, so I tried maneuvering around this one instead. But a few minutes later, I felt a pressure pulling on my line. I tried to turn around to pull back at my hose in case it was caught on a root or stump, but I couldn’t move it any further than a few inches. As I strained at the line, I finally saw where a few hooks from the trotline had snagged it. For some reason I decided it would better to unhook my regulator so I could hold the line in front of me and take out the hooks by hand. This seemed like a reasonable option, so I reached for the clip and flicked it open. Wrong decision. In a flash, my regulator line jerked forward, and I was left biting my regulator’s rubber mouth piece as hard as I could while the line shook with amazing force. At the same moment, I also realized I couldn’t move forward toward my line because something was tethered to my back. Somehow I had been hooked in the back and my regulator was pulled away from me at the same time. If this is hard to imagine, picture standing in a room with two doors. You are standing with your back stapled to one door while your only source of oxygen is a mouthpiece connected to a hose and tank on the other side of the room by the second door. Someone opens that door, picks up your oxygen tank and is walking away. Only your teeth in that regulator mouthpiece will keep you breathing. Twelve feet under water, in a cloud of mud and clay, I was being pulled from two directions at the same time. With my free hand, I reached for my knife I kept sheathed around my leg and began cutting at any of the tangled trotline I could find. Soon I was free again. I reattached my line to my belt, breathed deeply again and followed the air-hose line back to my boat. 3 Lessons From A Close Call Just in case you’re wondering, I didn’t make lake diving my life-time career. I still made dives for year afterwards, but I realize now how lucky I am to be telling that story. My point is this: If I had not been prepared ahead of time for what do when under pressure, I could have easily never made it to the surface alive. How does this apply to your own school leadership? You may not face life-and-death situations on a daily basis, but you face amazing pressures all the time. Whether that involves managing student safety, resolving conflicts, directing personnel policies, or prioritizing budgets — you lead under pressure (sometimes handling many scenarios at the same time). I remember one day visiting with an elected official in my office. We were talking when I received a phone call that we had a situation requiring police presence and my supervision. I shook hands with my friend and headed out the door. Hours later I followed up with a phone call to thank him for his visit. But this was after I had helped investigate the situation on hand, interviewed students, contacted parents, issued school discipline, and written a police witness statement. For many school leaders, managing under pressure is the rule not the exception. What kinds of pressures are you currently facing? Do you ever feel like the weight of decision-making is threatening to drown you? If so, you’re not alone. As you face these pressures, here are three quick takeaways from my diving that may apply to how you can keep your head above water: 1. Anticipate pressures, practice for them, and lean on your training. Long before I had begun solo diving, my older brother Jesse had been given the task of training me in safety. His training involved having me completely suit up and connect while walking through demonstrations of my work on the ground first. After he was satisfied that I understood each step and what to do in case of emergencies, I was allowed to do test my diving skills. One important safety step also included wearing a knife strapped to my left leg, and practicing locating and unsheathing it while in full gear and underwater for trial runs. These practice runs very likely saved my life. As you grow in school leadership, you grow through the practice. Eventually, you may find some of your responsibilities carried out almost by second nature. But most commonly, you will rely on your training and the on your experience. With that in mind, when possible walk through difficult scenarios before they happen. Think about the kinds of crises you may face in school: an intruder scenario, difficult conversation, disciplinary action, or instructional coaching moment. Practice, drill, and debrief with others on these scenarios. Later when real situations arise, you will walk through them with more wisdom because you’ve practiced. For instance, one day we practiced an intruder drill at an unexpected time in my building — before the end of a lunch period. This exposed areas we needed to address better for the next time. And it gave everyone the opportunity to practice. Sometimes new situations arise for which you’ve never practiced. But these also serve as good experiences to draw from the next time you face a similar situation, and believe me, you will. 2. No matter what is happening, keep calm, and work slow and steady. When difficult moments happen, it is easy to begin losing your self-control. But staying cool under pressure is a big part of finding solutions. I remember having lunch with one of my school’s Army recruiters. He was talking to me about his own survival training where he was plunged into water in full gear. It was a controlled setting. Because others were standing alert to jump in and help, he knew he was safe. But when he plunged into the water wearing a hundred pounds of gear, he remembered his training. He was told that in intense situations, try to relax and work slow and steady. So keeping a cool head, he carefully unzipped his jacket, and piece-by-piece he methodically removed his gear and all of outer garments before swimming safely to the surface. Although I was terrified of losing my air in my diving experience, I had to gather my thoughts so that I could take the next best step. Sometimes the best response to intense situations is to slow down and take your time. When encountering a difficult conversation in your office, for instance, if you feel emotions beginning to rise, begin taking notes and put your thoughts in writing. Or if you are managing follow-up to a student conflict, have the students sit in separate locations, and require them to write out statements before their discipline is assigned. It not only provides important documentation but also it also reestablishes a sense of self-control. You can de-escalate a situation by simply stopping and slowing down the process in front of you so that you don’t miss out on important steps in finding a solution. 3. Gather appropriate tools in anticipation of possible scenarios. Procedures, processes, handbooks, emergency plans—these are all the school leaders tools in implementing the right response to a given situation. Sometimes tools may include form letters, Google Docs or Google Forms. At other times, your tools may be technology apps or programs for communicating like Mailchimp, Remind, Twitter, or Facebook. If you find yourself facing tasks that drain lots of time from your day, ask yourself if there is a more efficient tool for accomplishing this. One tip I’ve tried is setting a timer when reading emails. If you are working against the clock with a pre-set amount of time, you often can process much more thoroughly with this kind of focus. Having the right tools and strategies available before these scenarios arrive can help you successfully move forward under pressure. Strong teachers collect good tools for instruction, and we should do the same in administration. Let’s Wrap This Up After freeing myself from the hooks underwater, I swam back to the surface, climbed into my boat, and leaned back against the side with a prayer of thanks. School leadership also creates moments and scenarios of intense pressure. As you do, remember to anticipate and plan for pressures. Slow down your pace and keep your head. And then gather the right tools on hand. These may seem like simple practices. But it is sometimes the simple practices that save us in the most difficult moments. Now It’s Your Turn Times of pressure and stress are inevitable. What plans, practices, and tools do you have to help you manage those times when they come? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:Encore053 How Do You Respond Under Pressure? appeared first on Principal Matters.

Educators are talking a lot about students in trauma. Although you may not always know when students are stressed or facing a crises, research by the American Psychological Association, shows that today’s students have the same level of anxiety as psychiatric patients did in the 1950’s. Some of this anxiety is the result of increased expectations placed on students. Sometimes it is their unstable environmental conditions. At other times, it may result from unfiltered content they view via social media. As a result, today’s students need schools that provide places of stability and belonging. A first response to the growing number of students with anxiety is awareness. When you have a mindset of anticipating students face emotional stress, you can commit to building relationships of trust so that they feel safe in school. A second response is just as important: practicing social-emotional learning strategies that work well for all students. Interview with Tamara Fyke Tamara Fyke is an expert in social-emotional learning. She is an educator and creative entrepreneur with a passion for kids, families, and urban communities. As the creator, author, and brand manager for Love In A Big World, she equips educators with a social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum that is both research-based and practical. She also provides the supporting resources necessary to empower students to be socially competent, emotionally healthy problem-solvers who discover and maintain a sense of purpose and make a positive difference in the world. Tamara is also the editor of Building People: Social & Emotional Learning for Kids, Schools & Communities, a book that brings 12 wide-ranging perspectives on SEL to educators, parents, and leaders. In our conversation, Tamara shares some great takeaways for educators wanting to reach students and move them from risk to resiliency. Here are a few golden nuggets from our talk: Three Essential Needs 1. Students need caring and nurturing environments. When adults understand and relate to students, students find a place to belong. Principals should encourage environments with entrances and surroundings that are welcoming and inviting. Teachers and staff are dedicated to showing up with smiles on their faces, and students know teachers enjoy being with them. 2. Students need high expectations. First, teachers must share a common language that points to good behavior expectations like kindness, honesty, and courtesy. Students need examples of what that behavior looks like inside and outside of class. In addition, students must understand the expectations to learn, to succeed, and to work hard academically. 3. Students need meaningful engagement. This happens in places that encourage methods like flipped model classrooms, hands-on lessons, and active participation from students for real-life learning. Resiliency, Prevention & Intervention These methods become practice that leads toward resiliency. As Tamara explains, prevention is different from intervention. Intervention is important when we see students who are triggered. Just as importantly, we can put measures in place to reduce those triggers: the key is building healthy relationships with students. Tamara’s research and practice confirm that one caring adult in the life of a student can make all the difference. Especially in middle school, students need to be “anchored” through advisory periods, homerooms, or teachers whom they trust. Finally, Tamara shares about the observations she has made of principals and teachers from across the nation who are responding to students in trauma. Specifically, she has observed when school leaders are committed to the social emotional learning of students, entire schools flourish. I encourage you to listen in to the attached podcast for the whole conversation. And you can find out more about Tamara and her resources at Loveinabigworld.org. Now It’s Your Turn What ways is your school committed to the social emotional learning of students? Just as you support the of increased academic standard, how are you also supporting the cultural and emotional supports of students? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:127 Why Social Emotional Learning Matters – Interview with Tamara Fyke appeared first on Principal Matters.

One of my favorite college education professors would often start class with a provoking question. As we would grapple with how to answer or support our positions, he would stand there with his large hands lifted in the air, his voice booming, “Disequilibrium is the beginning of education!” It took me a while to figure out that he was teaching us by example. He was trying to help a room full of future teachers see that the greatest learning opportunities in life first start with challenges that “shake” our normal way of thinking about problem solving. Only by challenging us to think would we ever really learn. And it is often the challenges or resistance you face that help you gain strength for the tasks ahead. Embracing Healthy Tension With that in mind, how has resistance helped you grow as a leader, as a teacher, or in life? How have some of your most difficult moments birthed other great opportunities? Years ago when I felt I was prepared to move from assistant principal into a principal position, I was frustrated that I could not find any openings that were good fits for me. As I wrestled with my own frustrations at my inability to promote, I decided to take some positive steps. I began reading a book called 48 Days To the Work You Love by Dan Miller. Through the practical steps required in the reading, I was forced to re-think my values, goals, and talents. Eventually, the process reassured me that I was in the right profession but needed to keep growing in the knowledge of my own field. At the same time, however, even with my renewed sense of purpose, I experienced the pain of rejection as I applied for openings, interviewed for them and was told no. But that time also birthed some of the most creative ideas I had had in years about my purpose and practices as a school leader–even giving me the idea for blogging and podcasting. Most importantly, I became intimately aware of my own motives and reasons for wanting to be a school leader. Eventually, the right door opened for what I am doing today. I wouldn’t want to go through the difficulties again, but without them, I wouldn’t be leading with the focus I developed through those challenges. Resistance is not always counterproductive. It is often the necessary tension to push us in the right direction. What resistance are you facing today? As you persist, here are five ideas to keep in mind: 1. You are not alone. If you believe you are facing each day dependent on you own abilities and strength, you would be so limited in your possibilities. As a person of faith, I don’t believe we face resistance alone. In fact, that assurance provides immeasurable peace during difficult times. (Here is a great Bible reminder.) I also believe we’re not alone because we have communities of other educators who can surround us with meaningful feedback. 2. Remember others on your team who can help carry the load. Don’t forget to look around at the people on your team who care about reaching the same goals. You are not Superman; so tuck in your cape, and ask for help. School leadership is never effective unless it is shared. And when you’re facing resistance, it is so much easier when you face it with others. So reach out to those right around you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help in facing resistance. 3. Be patient with yourself. Experience is a great teacher. Any time you are improving a process, you learn most through trial and error. Be patient. Keep doing what works, and be honest about what doesn’t. One helpful tip I’ve heard in staying patient as a leader is to beta-test ideas you want implemented in your school. Testing ideas gives you room for trial and error. It helps you remember that it takes time to make meaningful change. Also don’t rush the process. As the book Outliers by Malcom Gladwell teaches, people with the most talent in their fields usually put in 10,000 hours before reaching that level of performance. We all have a long way to go toward reaching our peak! 4. Choose to find joy rather than becoming resentful. Sometimes when I am faced with a challenging situation, I have to remind myself that this is just a part of my job. I can either be overwhelmed, or I can face it with perspective. That mindset will not only change your attitude, it also influences those with whom you are working. 5. Look for and celebrate the small successes. At the end of the day, don’t forget to find the small victories that outweigh the struggles. Sometimes that may be hard to do. But even the smallest steps in the right direction are worth remembering. Let’s Wrap This Up Students need to be challenged to grapple with tough questions in order to find profound solutions. Researchers need to make errors in experiments before discovering miracles of science. Teachers need to experiment with best practices till they find the ones that work. We should not be surprised that all of us (including school leaders) need to accept that the daily questions and challenges we face can either serve to frustrate us into despair or to motivate us into growth. Now It’s Your Turn Is there a difficulty you are facing where you could use some feedback in finding a solution? Reach out to others on your team for feedback, or reach out to me for collaboration. Look for ways you have found to use resistance to your advantage, and apply those lessons to the next challenge. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMPEncore046: 5 Ways to Respond to Resistance appeared first on Principal Matters.

Recently, the United States mourned the passing of Arizona Senator John McCain. Before his death, Senator McCain was asked by a reporter what words he hoped to see on his tombstone. He replied, “I’ve been a small bit of American history, so I think if there’s something on my tombstone, it’ll be ‘He served his country,’ and hopefully you add one word, ‘honorably.’” (Source: Dailycaller.com) How do you judge endings? In his book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, Daniel Pink explains research by behavior scientists that study how people evaluate the moral behavior of others. In this study, researchers created two versions of a man named Jim. In the first version, Jim is a successful CEO who for decades is kind to his employees, generous with his time and money, and lives a full life of service to others. However, in the last five years of his life, he becomes greedy, vindictive, and a moral failure. The second version of Jim is also a CEO, but for decades he lives of life of self-interest, takes advantage of his employees, and he is stingy and ungenerous. But in the last five years of his life, this Jim turns a corner, becomes a man of generosity, kindness and benevolence. Which man lived the better life? In the research, participants overwhelming chose the second Jim. Why? Because people instinctively believe that the ending is what counts. Daniel Pink calls this “end coding.” Sometimes we have a tendency to overestimate the importance of endings in the ways we think (Pink, 154-155). I have to admit when I read the accounts, I was confronted with my own mindset about life endings. I am disappointed when a person whom I admire has a failure of trust – especially when it happens at the end of his or life. But I have never paused to ask myself why the ending to me is as (or more) important than the whole. Do Our Experiences Change Us? Part of the reason, I believe, is that people associate a person’s character based on how they are formed by experience, adversity or success. Michelle Obama once said, “Being president doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are” (Source: Npr.org). Mrs. Obama’s quote is a good reminder that circumstances often reveal who we are. But with all due respect, I would still argue that experiences can also change you. For example, I remember the first time as a school administrator when I managed a situation involving criminal activity on a school campus. I was a young administrator with little experience in investigating or interrogation. Sure, I had spent more than a decade in the classroom, but it was different managing school-wide policy while confronting street-smart kids–some of whom also had parents who enjoyed calling in powerful attorneys. In the classroom, I had dealt with isolated crisis situations. But in the office, I had new perspective on day-to-day situations that brought me face-to-face with some of the worst cases of human behavior in the school– sometimes involving student misdeeds and at other times when students were victims of their own parents or guardians. As a result, I found myself changing. Whereas, I once thought of myself as a naturally trusting person, I began to form a wariness and distrust of others. When I had once thought it easy to explain the rules, now I saw how others could manipulate or challenge policy with technicalities or lawsuits. As a result, I found myself becoming defensive, somewhat paranoid and often angry. When I received my first death threat, for instance, I realized I had crossed into a new reality of leadership. Responding to the Ups and Downs in School Leadership As I’ve explained before, I almost gave up on a career in school leadership. But at the end of my second year as a school administrator, a shift happened when I started shifting my focus to areas outside of the more difficult parts of leadership. I had also gained new skills in managing difficulties. In addition, I realized I couldn’t allow the very small percentage of tough cases in school to define or overwhelm the vast majority of positives happening there. Even though I was able to come through those experiences with new perspective, I don’t believe I stayed the same person. I was no long naïve to the many challenges being faced by students and teachers on a larger school-wide basis. I was no longer convinced that decision-making was an easy process of just opening up a policy manual and following the directions. And in some ways, I probably became a bit callous or less sensitive. Like most people, I’m sure I unknowingly developed other traits, good or bad, that have inevitably influenced who I am as a person. What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave? 5 Tips Although our endings don’t completely define who we are, our endings do matter. And if the debate is whether or not “a life well lived” or “the ending” matters most, I imagine the answer is somewhere in the middle. Taking a closer look at the end of a story is difficult if you are in the middle of it, but I believe each of us has a longing for our endings to be good ones. As we wrap up this series of posts on reflections for education leaders, how do you think you will look back on your own leadership experience? It is sometimes hard to see what kind of legacy you are building. But you are building a legacy. You are leaving behind stories, experiences, and relationships that reflect your influence. As you think about your legacy, I’d like to offer a five ideas to keep in mind: 1. Remember you are not as important as you think. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard anyone inspire someone with those words. But it is true. One of the pitfalls of leadership is believing you are larger than you really are. Someday, your school will exist without you. And the stories of your time there will fade with each passing year. I am not saying you are not important. I am saying you play one role in the many others who make up your school community. One of the ultimate goals of leadership is the ability to step away and watch others thrive and excel without your input. Keep your focus on serving others and celebrating their wins. In the process, don’t allow those successes to give you a false sense of self-importance. You cannot serve others if your ego drives your decision-making. In Jim Collins book, Good to Great, he highlights successful business in the history of America. One trait among the greatest leaders of these companies? Their ability to quietly lead without an interest in taking credit for the successes. “The good-to-great leaders never wanted to become larger-than-life heroes. They never aspired to be put on a pedestal or become unreachable icons. They were seemingly ordinary people quietly producing extraordinary results…” https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/level-five-leadership.html If you want to leave a legacy, keep perspective on serving others. 2. Remember you are more important than you think. At the risk of contradicting the last point, let me explain. Another pitfall leaders make is underestimating your influence on others. You never have the luxury of compromising on your core values. Trust is one of the most essential qualities of building thriving communities. When you break or violate trust, you damage everyone else in the community. The little things you do – the way you treat others, how you listen and include input, the concern and generosity you demonstrate –all these actions demonstrate and model what you expect to see in others. In a world that no longer seems to believe that integrity in leadership matters, don’t be fooled. Students and teachers know who is the real-deal, and they will respect or disrespect you if your actions don’t reflect the values and behaviors you are asking of them. 3. Remember relationships are more important than anything else. Last week I heard a veteran administrator explain to new principals that you must be friendly with everyone you lead, but you cannot be friends with everyone you lead. This is a good reminder that leadership places you in an important but uncomfortable role. As you maintain schedules, lead change, or ask others to do what is difficult, in the end, people trust you more if they believe you care about them, not if they always agree with you. And trust is built through relationships. No amount of strategy, planning, professional learning communities or curriculum development can improve student learning absent of meaningful relationships. Relationships build the culture where learning grows. Being focused on relationships does not mean compromising standards, policies, or expectations. It means you learn to build others up even while holding them accountable. At the end of the day, your toughest decisions will be easier to live with when you know you went out of your way to assure others they are important and matter in the process. 4. Remember courageous decisions mean you will inspire some and disappoint others. You cannot lead others without making some people upset. If your goal is to keep everyone happy, then you will be unable to protect students or maintain higher standards for fear of upsetting people who require accountability. Accept the reality that it is okay to disappoint some while inspiring others. When you make decisions based on what is best for your most effective teachers and students, you raise the tide for everyone else. You also keep from worrying all the time about what will upset those who default toward complaining. Good decision-making will inspire confidence in the majority of your team, and you will leave a legacy of building more celebrations than regrets. 5. Remember you never arrive and must keep learning. Whatever you learn along the way, tomorrow is always a new day. In year 25 of my education career, I still have as much to learn as in my first year. Just a few days ago, I asked my son to teach me how to play a new video game. I didn’t ask because I want to learn how to play video games. I asked because I wanted to understand his world of play. And in the process, I was inspired and captivated by what I learned. The world is constantly changing for all of us, but we live in an exciting time where all of us can be discovers, creators, and innovators. If you fail to stay inspired to learn new ideas or processes, you will fail to inspire others to do the same. Keep an open mind to learning and embrace new ideas. When you do, you’ll help build a stronger culture of learning. Let’s Wrap This Up Lux Nayran, in 2017, gave a TedTalk where he explained an interesting discovering while analyzing 2,000 obituaries in the New York Times. He took every common word used in those statements about the random lives of people, and he placed those words in a word puzzle that assigned larger text to the words used most often and smaller text to the words used less often. Want to guess which word still out larger than every other? The largest word was “help.” When a person’s life is estimated for how he or she demonstrated a life well lived, that person was most remembered for helping others. Now It’s Your Turn What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What would you want on your tombstone? As you stay humble, use your influence for good, build meaningful relationships, make courageous decisions, and maintain a hunger for learning, you will touch the lives of others in hidden ways that may continue for generations to come. Ultimately, you cannot completely control the ending of your story. But you can remember what matters most: helping others. And if you’re lucky, like John McCain, you may you do so honorably. And that’s what a legacy is really all about. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:125 Leaving A Legacy – What Will Others Say About You? appeared first on Principal Matters.

When I was a Language Arts teacher, I would walk my students through a series of practices on identifying their surroundings and writing down the details. You could try it right now. Take a moment and pause to consider the following: What are you seeing? Look up, down, around, and behind you. Are you seeing the glare of sunlight from a nearby window? Or maybe it’s the stained surface of a tabletop. Could it be a yellow painted wall holding a framed photo? What are hearing? Stop and simply listen. Maybe you hear the buzz of a heating or air system from nearby vents. Or do you recognize the distant hum of passing traffic? What do you smell? Are you surrounded by the scent of brewed coffee or mix of aromas coming from a busy kitchen? Or maybe you smell the mustiness of old books. What are you touching? Your body is full of nerves. Can you feel the fabric of the shirt you’re wearing resting on your shoulders? Or how about the press of your shoes against your toes? Are you holding the smooth ridges of a pen in hand? What are you tasting? Maybe it’s the sweetness of gum or the caramel flavorings of your favorite soda? Or it could be the aftertaste of your most recent snack. What are sensing emotionally? Are you anxious, excited, worried? Do you have a sense of confidence or angst for the day ahead? Or maybe you’re tired from a short night of sleep, or hungry for your next meal? It is easy to step into your day with a list of to-do’s and fail to see what is right around you or even what is happening inside your own brain. Sometimes it takes real effort to pause and reflect on your surroundings. But being mindful is important, not just in writing, but in leadership. Defining Leadership Leadership is an interesting and popular word. It is used in a lot of inspirational quotes, as titles for books, in website descriptions, and conference themes. But leadership is much more than a word. Leadership is influence. It means helping others to achieve more. It is taking someone from one location to another, or motivating another to do what she otherwise would not accomplish on her own. There is something else about leadership I’d like you to think about. Leadership is about those whom you are leading. Whether you are leading students, teachers, co-workers, employees or team members, each person you lead is a future leader. Someday, your influence, motivation, presence or input will no longer be immediately present. When that happens, the question will be: How have you invested in recognizing the leadership potential in those whom you lead so that they can in turn lead in their own areas of influence? Being a Person of Influence Think about the people who have been the most meaningful leaders in your life. Maybe it is a parent, a coach, a teacher or another school leader. I bet it is safe to say that he or she paid attention to details you did not see. Maybe that leader had the ability to look at life or scenarios from a perspective that helped you reimagine, redesign, or reprioritize your outcomes. Influential leaders see or hear what others may be missing. That’s why even professionals at the top of their game, like Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, or the NBA star Kevin Durant, hire others to personally consult or train them. Whether you are leading children or adults, you are an influencer. And the ability to see what others are missing is an important quality in strong leadership. 6 Ways to Invest in Future Leaders How can you take an active role in maximizing the leadership growth in those whom you’re leading? Here are six ways to stay mindful of how you are leading future leaders: 1. Don’t make decisions in a vacuum. The decisions you are making for others are too important to assume you don ‘t need their feedback in the process. Yes, it can be messy and take more time to reach out for shared agreements, but when you reach out to the others for input, you create a culture of collaboration. For instance, before a scheduled faculty meeting at my school, I would normally consult with a team of teacher leaders. We would meet in a small group the week before so that I could ask them what questions, issues, or concerns needed to be addressed. Together we could brainstorm ideas that gave me a sense of what items were important enough to meet about as a large group. Of course, I had suggestions on items as well that met the strategic goals we had set for the year. But making decisions with the input of others makes for stronger decisions. The same is true for those on your admin leadership. If you have a team that includes assistant principals, counselors and office staff, input from the perspective of those normally outside of the classroom is just as important as those inside the classroom. And just as important, you should have scheduled times with student leaders. I would try to meet with a group of student leaders on a weekly basis for their input and feedback. Yes, it takes more time to gather input from others, but when you do, it increases the possibilities of reaching shared goals. And just as importantly, you are raising future leaders by modeling the contexts of good decision making. 2. Give others the ability to lead and the freedom to make mistakes. When you are responsible for a task, it sometimes hard to pass it along to someone else. Sometimes it is hard because teaching takes time. But if you are not learning to delegate, you will eventually drop the ball on some important tasks. The good news is that others on your team may be more talented than you are at the tasks you are doing. One year an assistant principal on my team asked me if she could manage the task of sending out a weekly “Friday Wrap-Up” email to all of our teachers and staff. This was a great way to summarize positive accomplishments from the previous week and to remind them of important dates or activities in the week ahead. The first few times, she touched base with me for feedback before sending out the messages. But over time, she owned the process. She was not only entrusted to accomplish the task with her own style, but frankly, she did a better job at it than I did. By delegating tasks, you are not sacrificing control. If done with feedback and direction, you are freeing yourself to do other tasks that better fit your expertise and skill set. Delegation takes more time on the front end to teach and guide practices. But in the long, you’re not just benefiting yourself, you’re building leadership in others. You are entrusting others with the ability to lead and influence in their areas of strength and talents. 3. Redirect feedback toward a “what can you do about it” outcome. I’ve shared ideas before from a method I’ve heard Todd Whitaker and Dave Ramsey refer to as “shifting the monkey.” The idea is that when someone comes to see you with a concern or an idea for new action, listen politely as the “monkey” of an idea jumps around the room and lands on your shoulder. Then take a moment to pick up the proverbial monkey and place it back on that person’s shoulders. Also, don’t allow good ideas to burden those on your team who already have their plates full. Learn to help others carry out the tasks they see as important areas of improvement. Here’s an example: One day a teacher visited me with an idea for a new assembly to recognize every senior who is accepting a post-secondary scholarship offers. It was a great idea. First, I thanked him for the idea. Then asked him what could he to do help turn this idea into a reality. He brainstormed ideas with me until he had a game plan for scheduling the event, contacting participants, preparing awards, and giving me a time-line for completion. By “shifting the monkey” back to others on your team, you are entrusting them to help navigate the pitfalls, identify game-plans, and execute plans-of-action. In the process, you are also giving them a leadership role in accomplishing an area needing improvement. Not all ideas need to be turned into actions. But whether you are dealing with negative feedback or simply letting someone vent frustrations, if possible, explore ways he/she can be a part of providing the solution. 4. Confront important realities with confidence and grace. Recently, I was presenting to a group of education leaders about having difficult conversations when the question was asked about how a leader can keep from upsetting others. The short answer is you cannot lead without upsetting others. I told the group that it was common in my former secondary administration experience to have at least one student, teacher, parent or co-worker crying in my presence on a daily basis. That’s fourteen years of a lot of tears. One principal in the group expressed surprise, and said, “I can’t imagine that happening. You seem so easy-going.” Here’s the lesson: You can learn to talk honestly to others while treating them with grace and dignity. But how others respond to honest feedback is their choice, not yours. Holding others accountable is seldom easy. But if you care about others, you will model providing honest feedback with grace and dignity. And in the process, you will cultivate the ability in them to do the same. If you want a great resource on developing skills in difficult conversations, check out Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams. 5. Be generous with sharing lessons learned. When I was fourteen years old, I became my dad’s new assistant during the summers. Before that my older brothers had worked with him, but they had each moved on to their own jobs. My dad spent many weekends in the Kentucky Lake area diving for mussel shells. One afternoon, I was helping him on the diving boat when a storm surprised us. Within minutes, rain was pouring down, and the sky was filled with lightning and thunder. As the waves increased, my dad fired up the boat motor so we could head for shore. But soon it began to sputter, and Dad said, “We’re running out of gas. Change out the gas tank in back with the spare one that is full.” I jumped to the back of the boat and stood there thinking. I had never changed out a gas tank before, so I started grabbing at hoses but couldn’t figure out what to do. Soon the boat stopped. My dad sprang to my side, “What are you doing?” he said. “I don’t know how to change out a tank,” I said. “Goodness, gracious!” he shouted and reached down to pinch the connecting gas valves and complete the switch. Later after we had made shore and the storm subsided, we sat and watched the water lapping against the shore. He turned to me and said, “I didn’t know you couldn’t switch tanks.” I explained that my big brothers had always done that as well as most other tasks and no one had ever showed me how. So, over the next days and weeks together, my dad slowed down when we were working together. He showed me how to maintenance a motor, fix a flat tire, change the truck’s oil, and record business expenses. He modeled the work for me. Later when I was in college, I bought my own diving rig to use in the summers to earn extra money. My dad’s leadership had prepared me to do work by sharing the “how-to’s” with me along the way. As you lead others, take time to slow down and help them understand your practices. Several months ago, I walked a turnaround high school with Principal Mike Crase, at East Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here’s what I saw. Mike modeled for his fellow admins and teachers: sharing with others through explaining a process and touching base with students for feedback. What others ways can you share leadership lessons? If you’re a gifted writer, consider sharing an article or blog post with others in your professional organizations. Present a best practice at an upcoming conference or workshop. Yes, it takes time to teach others. But when you do, you are equipping them for the work ahead. 6. Don’t forget to invest in your own children as future leaders too. If you’re a parent, let me suggest some practices to keep in mind for the most important future leaders in your life. One of the greatest joys I had in school leadership was having my own children at my high school. Our morning commutes were sometimes sleepy and quiet. At other times, we would listen to leadership podcast episodes or audio books that could spark important conversations about their own personal growth. Our late-night events also provided me time for one-on-one meals or talks on the drive home. Now that I’m no longer leading their schools, I still enjoy being with my own children, but I have to stay intentional in the ways we engage. The same lessons we apply in school leadership apply in leading our own children. As my children have grown older, scheduling time together has become harder to do because of their various schedules. But creating touchpoints for your children are important if you want to influence their future leadership. Here’s one suggestion: Whenever possible, eat meals together. Anne Fishel, in her blog Theconversation.com, summaries a number of research sources showing the benefits of family meals for children. Did you know that children who regularly enjoy family meals have increased vocabularies, eat more balanced diets, generally perform better in school, and show fewer signs of anxiety and depression? (See Anne’s post here) In addition to mealtimes, here are some other practices we’ve had as a family that may inspire ideas for yours:• Reading together or watching movies together: I don’t do this as much now that they’re older, but for years, we had book time. When they were little it was story books. As they grew older, we read entire novels or series together. Living adventures together gives you more time together and a lot to talk about. Now that our children are older, we do this a lot more with movie times together.• Half-birthday dates and special occasions: At our home, every kid gets a half-birthday date each year. They decide what they want to do, and we can spend an entire afternoon or evening just being together with mom or dad.• Special milestones: In addition, at various ages, we also give each child an out-of-town weekend away. And for certain milestones, we treat them fancy date nights. Be creative, have fun. Each of these times can be focus on the kinds of life lessons you want them to learn and understand as they were developing as children, teens, and young adults. You can talk about everything from goals setting to understanding sex. Although you can never guarantee the outcomes, the time invested with your own children is worth the effort as you build future leaders at your school. Let’s Wrap This Up Jen Schwanke is the author of the book, You’re The Principal, Now What? As a practicing principal, she once sat on an interview committee that presented the following scenario to candidates: You are standing in the main office holding a stack of forms that need to be signed when a teacher comes in and says she wants to talk about an idea for her afternoon class. The phone rings, and your secretary tell you it’s the superintendent—he wants to talk to you right away. At the exact same time, a student walks in and heads toward the clinic; he is crying and red-faced. What do you do?’ She concludes: “Candidates that chose any option other helping the child were not considered” (Schwanke, page 46). Her point was that leadership is and must always be about students. I agree. But I have to be honest. In my leadership, sometimes I have failed to be mindful of those around me, including students. My bet is that you have not led perfectly either. If you are like me, sometimes you need a reminder to stop and pay close attention to the future leaders around you every day—whether that includes students, fellow teachers, or even family members. As you lead them, remember to include them in decision-making, to give them the ability to lead and make mistakes, to help them see how to become a part of the solutions, to hold them accountable with confidence and grace, and to generously model for them. As you do, you’ll find yourself not just leading, but investing in future leaders. Now It’s Your Turn This week will you take time to closely observer your surroundings? Think about someone in your school or on your team who could benefit from positive feedback or modeling. How can you include others in the decision-making happening this week? What part can students play in providing leadership for their own school? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook When you enter your email address here, you will automatically receive my newest posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! Principal Matters–The Book! School leaders are very busy, so each of the twenty-four chapters is designed as a quick-read and followed with take-action questions for follow-up or reflection. If you want practical ideas on understanding your purpose, managing school teams, dealing with challenges, and leading with courage, action, motivation, and teamwork, go HERE to pick up a copy for you or your team. Messaging Matters Harness the power of messaging to create a culture of acknowledgment, respect, and celebration. Written specially for leaders, this title is divided into three parts, helping readers to maximize their role as chief communicators with students, teachers, and parents and community. Each chapter includes suggestions for using digital tools to enhance messaging and ends with reflection questions and practical next steps. The post PMP:124 Six Tips for Investing in Future Leaders appeared first on Principal Matters.

This summer my wife and I enjoyed time away, celebrating our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. One afternoon, we drove to Emerald Bay, a cove nestled a mile below the mountain highway there. We hiked down the trail and rented a kayak. When we pushed away from shore, I was immediately struck by the clarity of the water. Gray mountains covered in tall pines and shrubs formed a semi-circle around the cove. As you look across the water, the blue skies shine across the clear, spring-fed surface with a silvery-blue hue. My wife, Missy, was sitting up front, her bare legs and feet extended straight out on the front of the boat as she soaked in the sunlight. We rowed ahead until we approached the round boulders of a small island, where we stopped for photos and selfies. This was a happy moment, and we were doing what we loved most – being outdoors together… When I was a junior in college, I had a Christmas party to attend at the end of my fall semester, and bringing a date was a requirement for attending the party. At the time, I wasn’t dating anyone. But I asked myself what I realize now was one of the most important questions in my life: “Who would be ‘the perfect girl’ to ask on this date?” I started making a mental list: It should be a girl who was pretty and smart. I wanted her to care about her spiritual life and be dedicated to a strong personal vision. It was a tall order. On top of it all, I could only offer a fun, non-romantic evening with no expectations of a second date. My first memory of Missy was after my freshman year in college. We had attended some summer training together, but I didn’t really know her. Over the next couple of years, I would see her at various gatherings. She was fun-loving, and other girls looked at her as a leader. During my junior year, Missy’s younger brother came to live on my floor. I remember a photo he kept of her on his desk. One day, I stopped to look at it. Wow, I thought. She’s pretty. I started paying more attention. Six weeks before the Christmas party, Missy and I were working together at a campus event. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be the first to ask her. So, after working up my courage, I decided to go for it. What could I lose? “Hey,” I said as I walked up to the table where she sat. She looked up and smiled. “I have a question I want to ask about your…calendar,” I started. “Okay?” she glanced at me curiously and pulled out a planner from her bag. I thought hard about what to say next. “I was wondering what you might be doing on December 6? I mean, I know that’s a long time from now, but I wanted to see if you had anything scheduled then?” “Well,” she paused, then thumbed through the pages and stopped. “Actually…I don’t have anything planned on that day.” “Cool,” I said, “Could I…pencil something in for you?” She smiled and handed it to me. I took a pencil from the table and wrote: –Men’s RA Christmas Party, 6 PM – Will Parker And then I handed it back. She looked at the page for a moment and then back at me. “Could you go?” I asked. It was the longest moment of my life, and suddenly, I realized how much I wanted her to say yes. “OK,” she said. “I don’t have anything else going on then. So, I’d be glad to go.” It wasn’t the smoothest approach to asking out the perfect girl. But as I walked away, I reminded myself that this was just going to be one date… One year ago, Missy and I stood on the banks of the Illinois River in Eastern Oklahoma. Our four kids were skipping rocks on the water, and we were watching as the sun set orange above towering trees on the opposite bank. I sat down on a nearby picnic table, and everyone gathered around. “I have an announcement to make,” I said. “You know I’ve been offered a new job as an executive director for my principal association, and I’ve decided to take it.” Emily, my oldest daughter, began to cry. Missy and I looked at each other, and then we all gathered around her for a group hug. Emily had just graduated from Skiatook, the school I had been at for the past ten years, and we had a lot of memories there. It would be hard to say goodbye. We talked for a long time as a family about what the next year might look like. Each family member took a turn talking about the ups and downs for the coming school year. Soon we had settled on what the way forward would look like. As our children walked ahead of us, we watched them strolling across the grass and through the trees back toward our cabin… Why Your Marriage Matters Not every moment in our marriage and family has been filled with blissful memories like these. Marriage is a series of ups and downs. For every happy moment you share, you also experience sleepless nights, unresolved conflicts, broken promises, and strained commitments. But the investment is worth it. I’ve shared before about the first few years when I transitioned from teaching to school administration. The over-commitment to school hurt my marriage and my health. Thankfully, my wife had the courage to tell me that I had become a shell of the man I used to be. This wake-up call forced me to rethink my priorities in every area of my life. And my marriage was one of them. In the book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts, author Gary Chapman talks about the importance of understanding the specific ways your spouse receives love. Maybe it’s quality time or giving something that expresses appreciation. Perhaps it’s physical affection or acts of service. Sometimes it is verbal praise. Chapman explains how each time you communicate love to your spouse in his or her own “language”, you make deposits in their love bank. Each time you fail to invest, you are making withdrawals. The equation is simple: when you make more meaningful deposits than withdrawals in your marriage, you increase the potential to grow closer over time. A Healthy Marriage is a Healthier You Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, the Faculty Editor for Harvard Health Publishing, talks about the benefits of marriage in a post from November 30, 2016, in his blog at Health.Harvard.edu. He writes: “…there is fascinating — and compelling — research suggesting that married people enjoy better health than single people. For example, as compared with those who are single, those who are married tend to • live longer • have fewer strokes and heart attacks • have a lower chance of becoming depressed • be less likely to have advanced cancer at the time of diagnosis and more likely to survive cancer for a longer period of time • survive a major operation more often. This doesn’t mean that just being married automatically provides these health benefits. People in stressful, unhappy marriages may be worse off than a single person who is surrounded by supportive and caring friends, family, and loved ones. Interestingly, many of these health benefits are more pronounced for married men than for married women.” When you look at the prevailing research, it is easy to see why a healthy marriage is important and worth the investment. But as you lead a school or organization, how do keep perspective? How do you encourage a mindset for prioritizing the one person who will still be with you long after your time in school leadership is over? 6 Questions for Reflecting on Your Marriage Although these questions are important for any meaningful relationship, I would like to speak directly to those leaders who are married. It’s the context I’ve lived in the last twenty-five years, so I want to be able to speak from that experience. When was the last time you did an inventory of your commitment to your marriage? Here are six questions to consider: 1. When was the last time you revisited your marriage vows? If you haven’t read your marriage vows lately, pull them out or listen closely at the next wedding you attend. Most likely, they say something like this: “I, ___, take thee, ___, to be my wedded husband/wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith [or] pledge myself to you.” (theknot.com) Promises are important, and if you really meant what you said, your spouse should be the one person you prioritize above everyone else in your life. 2. Are you giving your spouse first place over your other relationships? Giving your spouse first place with your time and commitment has a lot of implications. First, it means what he or she thinks trumps what others think. This doesn’t mean you don’t debate or disagree. But it means his or her opinion always matters. Give your spouse the due respect she deserves when offering you suggestions, feedback, or advice. As you do, you will save yourself a lot of pitfalls because your spouse often sees things you are blind to. In every major career move I’ve made, Missy and I have weighed the pros and cons together. Staying unified in major decisions doesn’t mean agreeing on every point. But it does mean not moving ahead until you’re in agreement. Yes, this also means compromise. And learning to compromise equals healthier relationships. 3. Are you committed through the highs and lows? No matter how much you love someone, you will go through seasons of ups and downs. Don’t let how you feel determine your commitment to your promises. Promises and vows are kept regardless of how you feel. But here’s a secret. When you act in response to the promises you’ve made, the right feelings almost always follow. This is especially important in romance and sex. Our culture is obsessed with the idea of being led by your feelings. When you spend years with another person, your feelings can change often depending on your season in life. Raising children or starting a new job is hard work. Facing disease or health problems can create major stress. I can only speak from my own experience: If your commitment to your spouse is based on a love that is solid, no matter the ups or downs, you will always find the feelings returning as you journey together with that unwavering commitment. 4. Are you willing to keep learning and cooperating? Healthy spouses are honest with each other while also showing each other a lot of grace. One of the best decisions Missy and I made early in our marriage was taking a “Couples Communication” course. We read the book, A Couple’s Guide to Communication, by John Gottman. It was written in the 70s, but the skills we learned are still relevant. We learned how to practice open postures when talking, how to ask better questions, and how to repeat ourselves again until we really understood one another. Practicing how to resolve conflicts and working through difficult conversations has been a bedrock for us. During our first year of marriage, we scheduled a date every Saturday morning for space to talk through any questions or conflicts that had surfaced during the past week. And over the years, that early practice taught us a lot of skills we still use today. 5. Can you admit when you need help? When you hit walls that you can’t seem to conquer, ask for help–whether that’s reaching out to a trusted counselor or friend or whether you simply stop and pray together. It is also wise to reach out to others when you can’t seem to resolve issues. I have learned this lesson the hard way many times. When I’ve been willing to admit I cannot find solutions to major disagreements, I’m always surprised by what this does for my own attitude. Just the simple act of admitting I need help can be the game-changer sometimes for moving ahead with a shared solution. 6. Are you investing in time together and celebrating milestones? Although my wife and I don’t have a set date night every week, we have tried to make it a priority to reconnect in the ways that matter for both of us. For my wife, that means quality time together. We also love to travel together as a family. A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine lost his wife to a rare disease after 35 years of marriage. The one piece of advice he gave me then was: Go on vacation together every year, even if it is something you have to back later. The memories you build will be something you hold onto for the rest of your life. Let’s Wrap This Up This past week, I sat by the bedside of my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer’s. She had had complications with her medications that hospitalized her for a few days while her doctor adjusted her dosages. As she recovered, Missy and I took turns staying with her. One night, I was alone with her, and we talked about when I first met Missy. Because her memory is fading, she looked at me a few minutes later and said, “Where is Missy?” “She’s gone home to put the kids to bed,” I’d explained. As she drifted off to sleep, I realized that someday my wife or I may be taking care of each other while the other lies in a hospital bed. If you are married, old age will someday fade your strength and memories. And when that time comes, you will not be worried about your master schedule or whether you read all your emails. But you will care about your most intimate relationships. On our trip to Emerald Bay, Missy and I walked the edge of the shore after boating. We stood ankle deep in the cool waters and watched as other boats and kayaks moved across the surface. The sands under our feet swirled with golden flecks. Ducks rested on a floating log nearby. As she took photos with her phone, I thought about our decades together: the loss of her first pregnancy in miscarriage, holding her hand in the births of our all four children, lit candles of a toddler birthday parties, the late nights helping kids study for tests, the long roads to band camps, the joy and tears at graduations…holding each other’s hands by the gravesides of lost family members. Through it all, we’ve often returned to the promises we made one another – promises to put one another ahead of our own personal interests – vows that seem so old-fashioned in a world where you’re so often told that nothing is as important as your personal happiness and fulfillment. But commitments that are worth it. Even in the busyness of school, if you are married, make it a priority to revisit your promises, give your spouse the priority he or she deserves, stay committed through the highs and lows, keep learning together, admit when you need help, and celebrate the milestones along the way. As you do, you will find the lessons from this most meaningful relationship keeping you both humble and inspired as you keep rowing ahead together. Now It’s Your Turn If you are married, how can you take time to keep your marriage a priority? How can you encourage your teachers and teammates to prioritize time with their spouses and families? Even in the busyness of school leadership, what are some routines or practices you follow for staying connected to the ones you love? The post PMP:123 Rowing Together – Why Your Marriage Matters for Your Leadership appeared first on Principal Matters.

The other day, I was talking to a friend of mine who ran track in high school. When he was at his fastest, he could run a mile in 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Even though he was naturally fast, he learned to increase his speed through a strong practice his coach required: wearing a parachute during practice. I was thinking about what it would feel like to run in a parachute. The weight and pull against your shoulders and legs would be almost unbearable. But imagine how fast you would run once the resistance was removed! Sometimes I think managing finances is like wearing a parachute. If you are running with a lot of financial stress, for instance, you may feel the pull and weight of trying to move ahead with life. If you’ve found a level of financial security, however, you may see money as a parachute that is helping you land safely when needed. For most people, money seems to act both ways. When my wife and I first finished college, we began married life with a lot of college loan debt. I realize now that I’m older that we were not alone. Just recently, the Federal Reserve announced that outstanding student debt for U.S. residents has now topped $1.5 trillion. Thankfully, early in our marriage, we discovered some great resources from authors like Ron Blue from ManageYourMoney.com and Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace resources. With a lot of discipline and planning, we were able to pay down debt, save for emergencies, and make a down payment for our first home. Through the years, however, we’ve still had demands on our money that have required us to refocus or relearn some of those same lessons. Money seems to be an area of life most people deal with very privately. You may find it uncomfortable to talk about your own finances. However, your willingness (or resistance) to talk about money will influence the way you think and live. So how does your personal money management influence your leadership? Obviously, when you are responsible for school budgets or managing accounts for others, you must practice strong accountability and responsibility. But in this conversation, I want to focus on how your personal finances — your mindset about managing your resources – influences your leadership. 4 ways your attitude and practice with money matters: 1. Your money management allows you freedom (or lack of freedom) in your career choices. Early in my early education career, I was talking to a friend about how I was struggling with the leadership and support at my school, and was unsure what to do next. I no longer felt like I thrived in the work environment there. My friend patiently listened to my struggles, and then he said, “Will, we don’t live in communist China. If there’s a better opportunity for you out there, go for it.” That simple statement was a wake-up call for me to remember that I had a choice. But during that discussion, I also realized I had the freedom to look at options because of how my wife and I were managing our finances. By living within in our means and saving for future expenses, we had the freedom and perspective to look at options without fear. Some people worry about their employers knowing they are considering other options for fear they may lose their jobs. Thankfully, I’ve not worked in environments like that. But even if I did, I still believe that a healthy practice in money management allows for a more peaceful perspective when making important career choices. For example, the other day I was listening to a story of a man who lives in an economically depressed area of his city. He gave up a job making $9 an hour in order to work for a better company making $14 an hour. The catch, however, was his new commute to work. His better-paying job was 15 miles across town. Because he was limited to using public transportation, his commute required 3 hours of travel each morning and 3 hours home after work. In essence, he was giving up six hours of travel time and sleeping only 4 hours a night to make an additional $32 a day, I know the situation is probably more complicated than I understand, but here is my point: Sometimes, it is possible to be unnecessarily burdened by your financial decisions when you are so overwhelmed by circumstances that keep you from seeing other options. For instance, if the same man could have found part-time work at $9 for 4 more hours a day, he could have made an additional $36 a day, stayed closer to home, and gotten more sleep. Obviously, you did not choose the career of an educator to become wealthy. But when you practice good management of the resources you have, you often have more flexibility and choice when considering the options before you. 2. Your money management helps you set goals for your time and energy. Five years ago, I was looking at my growing family and anticipating my oldest daughter preparing for college. Looking ahead, I was aware that I needed to increase my income potential. Unlike many of my peers, I was not interested in becoming a school superintendent (no offense to all my friends who are). I loved being a school principal, and I wanted to expand opportunities within that field. When I looked at the financial landscape, I had a choice. I could despair, or I could invest my time in expanding opportunities. I love to write and wanted to share stories and lessons with other school leaders. So I began dedicating time — usually in the evenings or very early mornings–– to writing at least 500 words per week to share as a blog post. Five years later, I have two books in print and a weekly podcast. And this commitment of time has also influenced my career opportunities. When I began that process five years ago, the economy was in recession, unemployment was at an all-time high, and the prospects of seeing a raise in my school salary were uncertain for the short-term. But I chose to ignore all of those obstacles by realizing I still had control over my time and energy. Now I realize you may face bigger challenges than others because of your own unique economic, political, or social dynamics. But having a strong plan for managing your resources helps you have a clearer perspective on your own time investments. 3. Your money management reminds you that resources are temporary, and managing them is a gift. No one is really self-sufficient. Most successful or wealthy individuals have exchanged their time and effort for the rewards they enjoy. That’s how money works. You create something of value while others are willing to exchange something valuable for it. If your work creates value for others, you earn an income. But even the most successful person will eventually lose the ability to produce. Ultimately, your money and possessions are only temporary. As one of my old country music favorites, Ricky Skaggs, would say, “You can’t take it with you when you go.” Years ago, I heard a story about a preacher who was asked to lunch by a wealthy landowner. During their meal, the landowner expressed his disagreement with a sermon he had heard from the preacher about God owning everything. The preacher politely listened but did not argue back. After lunch, the man took the preacher on a long drive across acres of pastures and fields. At the top of a hill overlooking his property, the man said, “I’ve worked my whole life to acquire this land. Now, how can you tell me I don’t really own all this?” The preacher was silent for a while, and then he finally replied, “Can you ask me that question again in a hundred years?” Whatever resources you have, you are really only the manager of possessions someone else will own when you’re gone. We all face the danger of turning our possessions into symbols of self-identity or self-worth. But when you realize what you have is only temporary, you are able to appreciate it more and realize its value is in how it is used, not how much it is worth. That same mindset helps whether you are talking about income, relationships, talents, or knowledge. If you keep those resources to yourself, you are missing out on the greatest value of having them. And that leads to the last point… 4. Your money management gives you context for your work and your calling. Finally, it is important to remember the reason why we work and manage resources. Ultimately, our resources are put to best use when helping others. And generosity is not just measured by how you give your money – although it is a good indicator of your priorities, you have lots of ways you can express generosity. A few years ago, my family faced a number of emergencies that became bigger burdens than we could manage on our own. During that time, my son Jack was diagnosed with a rare disease that hospitalized him for two weeks. As he was recovering, it was also Halloween, and we planned to miss out on the festivities that year. Unknown to us, a friend of ours posted a message on Facebook on Halloween morning that said, “There’s a boy at St. Francis Hospital, room 329, who needs to celebrate Halloween today. Don’t let him be disappointed.” Soon, friends as well as people we had never met began to stop by Jack’s room with gifts—candy, video games, and other treats. Jack was so excited to see each person. By the end of the day, every table, counter, and windowsill in the room was covered with bags of goodies. My family still talks about that Halloween Day. We were facing some difficulties beyond our control, but the generosity of friends and strangers surrounded us with emotional support. In addition, we were facing financial burdens for hospital expenses not covered by insurance. In conversations with the hospital staff, they encouraged us to submit a letter requesting help. A few weeks later, the hospital sent us a letter back explaining they had forgiven the remaining bills for Jack’s stay. It is humbling when you face times where your own resources or abilities do not provide everything you need. Most people are fiercely independent. But when you are the recipient of generosity, it is not only humbling, but also it is a good reminder of the support you can bring others when they have needs. In the end, the greatest benefit of wisely managing your resources is the ability to help others when they go through difficult times. Let’s Wrap This Up There is another story about parachutes that I love to tell. One day at my school office, I found a handwritten card in my mailbox at school from a senior student telling me thank you for “packing her parachute.” I was curious and then saw inside the envelope that she had placed a cut-out piece of parachute cloth and a folded-up copy of this excerpt by a man named Charlie Plumb that read as follows: Packing Parachutes by Charlie Plumb “Recently, I was sitting in a restaurant in Kansas City. A man about two tables away kept looking at me. I didn’t recognize him. A few minutes into our meal he stood up and walked over to my table, looked down at me, pointed his finger in my face and said, ‘You’re Captain Plumb.’ I looked up and I said, ‘Yes sir, I’m Captain Plumb.’ He said, ‘You flew jet fighters in Vietnam. You were on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down. You parachuted into enemy hands and spent six years as a prisoner of war.’ I said, ‘How in the world did you know all that?’ He replied, ‘Because, I packed your parachute.’ I was speechless. I staggered to my feet and held out a very grateful hand of thanks. This guy came up with just the proper words. He grabbed my hand, he pumped my arm and said, ‘I guess it worked.’ ‘Yes sir, indeed it did’, I said, ‘and I must tell you I’ve said a lot of prayers of thanks for your nimble fingers, but I never thought I’d have the opportunity to express my gratitude in person.’ He said, ‘Were all the panels there?’ ‘Well sir, I must shoot straight with you,’ I said, ‘of the eighteen panels that were supposed to be in that parachute, I had fifteen good ones. Three were torn, but it wasn’t your fault, it was mine. I jumped out of that jet fighter at a high rate of speed, close to the ground. That’s what tore the panels in the chute. It wasn’t the way you packed it.’ ‘Let me ask you a question,’ I said, ‘do you keep track of all the parachutes you pack?’ ‘No’ he responded, ‘it’s enough gratification for me just to know that I’ve served.’ I didn’t get much sleep that night. I kept thinking about that man. I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform – a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on board the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said ‘good morning’, ‘how are you’, or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor. How many hours did he spend on that long wooden table in the bowels of that ship weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of those chutes? I could have cared less…until one day my parachute came along and he packed it for me. So the philosophical question here is this: How’s your parachute packing coming along? Who looks to you for strength in times of need? And perhaps, more importantly, who are the special people in your life who provide you the encouragement you need when the chips are down? Perhaps it’s time right now to give those people a call and thank them for packing your chute” (Plumb, C. www.charlieplumb.com). In case you haven’t been reminded lately, thank you for packing parachutes in the ways you serve your school community! And as you look at the way you manage your time and money, remember your resources are simply commodities you’ve been given. When you manage them well, you will have more freedom in your choices, more intentionality with your time, more perspective on your work, and more generosity toward others. As a result, you will keep packing parachutes for others and the ability to recognize when others are packing yours. Now It’s Your Turn What is one way you can rethink the way money management influences your time and energy? What is one small way you can use your resources to brighten someone’s day or lighten their load? When is the last time you’ve paused to thank someone for the ways they’ve given you their time or help? The post PMP122: Packing Parachutes – Why Your Money Management Matters appeared first on Principal Matters.