Want to know what’s in?....
“To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose under heaven.”
Attribute those lines of wisdom to the Bible or the Beatles, your choice;)
There was a time for seven steps and three part processes. They were helpful and we learned from them.
We learned that as instructional coaches we need to affirm, we need to ask questions, we need to name next steps and practice them. We need to use our coaching time with purpose and intention.
But the season for frameworks is ending.
Why?
Because we are changing.
Picture the universe, you know how it’s an expanding spiral? Ever moving out into the unknown?
That’s us.
Teachers, schools, and us, the leaders, we are different than we used to be and what we did in the past might make us wiser in the present but it can also become a limitation.
We are now in a season of individualization. Each person will find their truth not through a proven series of steps but through their own embodied wisdom.
As coaches and leaders, we’ll need a lot of different tools and approaches to customize our support.
Maybe it feels scary to leave a formula behind but check in with how you’ve been feeling lately.
Have you noticed an internal cringe when you’re directed to execute something the exact way another school did?
Have you found your own coaching meetings feeling rote?
Have you noticed teachers or leaders wanting to experiment with their own approach?
We’re evolving.
(Not something our system is known for being good at!)
Because of the historical precedent for resisting transformation, don’t be surprised when you’re told this advice is wrong and that you need to just decide your team's one-size-fits-all coaching approach.
That’s fear talking.
And it’s okay, fear is part of this being human thing.
But you can tell your nervous system you’re safe even when you defy conventional wisdom.
A really powerful approach to add to your coaches toolbelt is knowing how to actually coach mindset.
The system talks about this in vague ways. We know a growth mindset is the goal but how do you really get there?
Welp, I’ve been working with a lot of leadership teams on this recently and it has a lot of leaders saying, “Oh, okay, now I know what to actually try when faced with a mindset block!”
So . . .
If you and your team are ready to add to your approaches to coaching, I’m offering a free 90 minute training for your team (likely, hosted virtually) on how to coach mindset. You just have to let me know that you want to seize this opportunity by EOD Monday, April 1st (I know we got some spring breaks going on!).
Just reply to this post and let me know you’re in and I’ll follow up with you to schedule.
I can’t wait to expand into this new world together.
Your coach in life and leadership,
Maggie
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