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Feeling complacent in your leadership?

Two tools that will light the 🔥



If we want

  • Better outcomes

  • Tighter teams

  • An increased sense of wellness


We have to be willing to do things differently.


AND


I know you have tons of stuff on your plate this back to school season.


I’ve got you.


Here are my top two FAVORITE tips for starting your leadership team off on the right foot and with transformation in mind!


  1. Learn the Language

    • Why?

      • Words mean different things to different people.  This might be annoying or overwhelming but as leaders it’s useful to address this reality.  Within leadership teams communication works best when we take the time to learn the language of one another.  

      • Noticing the way others talk about their work and their lives gives us clues about how to coach and lead that person effectively.

    • How?

      • Successful leadership teams spend time talking about what really matters to each team member.  This is another way to learn and think about core values that doesn’t have people rolling their eyes.  Ask each other about two or three peak experiences from their lives and from their leadership. 

        • What made these experiences so important?  

      • What will be revealed are the words a person uses to connect to what’s important to them in their lives and work.  We can then be mindful of their language as we build the relationship.

    • Impact

      • Connection is the goal.  When we feel connected to each other we can forgive, understand, collaborate, and work through difficult situations.  To be connected we need to pay attention to each other.

      • Leadership teams that understand each other’s values and WHY for their work know how to stay connected when things get difficult.  As Brene Brown says, “It’s hard to hate people up close.”  Learning about the parts of team members that make them human and compelling keep teams away from drama and in commitment to each other.

  2. Tend to the Body

    • Why?

      • Dysregulated leadership teams lead to dysregulated classrooms.  

      • If you are new to the language of regulation, just think about a time you observed in a classroom where the teacher was clearly stressed, snapping at kids, and overwhelmed trying to pass out material.  This is dysregulation.  It’s any time our mind and body has been hijacked by stress or fear.  

      • Dysregulation might be a normal and accepted part of your team culture but it’s time to change.  Meetings do not have to be rushed, frantic, snarky, or leave everyone with anxiety.  

    • How?

      • Successful leadership teams do not glorify rush, stress, or busyness.  They are willing to slow down and take time to get grounded and calm before continuing with the tasks at hand.

      • This could look like box breathing, going on a walk and talk, dancing to a fun song, or trying out simple nervous system practices that I teach teams on retreat.

      • One simple practice is called havening.  All you do is slowly rub your two hands together and notice how it feels to touch and be touched at the same time.  Go slow.  Give it a minute.  This practice signals safety to our bodies.

    • Impact

      • This is the gateway to having truly trauma informed schools and socially and emotionally responsive classrooms.  We need regulated adults serving kids.  We need regulated leaders guiding teachers.

      • Effective leadership teams are responsible for their wellbeing and are empowered to take action to improve their own regulation before coaching or leading others.

      • Leaders who tend to their nervous system disrupt the toxic culture of overwhelm, stress, victim mindset, and antagonism that is often present in the culture of education.  



Your first leadership meeting is basically planned!  Give them this guide and ask them where they want to start!  


Complacent?!?!


Hell no!


Happy return my friends,


Maggie


PS - I’ve worked with lots of leadership teams and what I know is that deep leadership work is best done on retreat. It’s SO helpful to get away from the blare of the radios and the constant needs of the school.  You and your team are invited to my private retreat space for the day and together we dig into https://www.rileyresults.com/iic-sales-pagehttps://www.rileyresults.com/iic-sales-page.  This is such a powerful way to start the year!  Just reply to this email letting me know you want to schedule a team retreat.  I’m so excited to host your team!


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