3 Ideas For When You Outgrow Leadership

 “No matter how well trained people are, few can sustain their best performance on their own. That’s where coaching comes in.” Atul Gawande

There are some organizations that are moving too fast for people, but there is also the opposite effect. A person’s growth can stagnate if the leadership is not able to push them forward.  This happens more often than you might think in education., with the “leader” being behind while the “follower” is accelerated.  It can lead to a frustrating situation for educators and is part of the reason why I have higher expectations of principals and superintendents in the sessions I lead.  If they are behind, they hold back all of teachers and students they serve. Their ripple effect can create extreme waves of negativity.

So what do you do if you feel you have outgrown your leadership to ensure that your own growth doesn’t stagnate?

Here are three suggestions that might help.

1. Find mentorship outside your organization. (online and offline)

One of the problems of “outgrowing” leadership is that you don’t know what you don’t know.  You feel that you have so much more that you could be able to do but do not necessarily know what is out there.  By finding mentors outside your organization, it can give you a different perspective of what is possible in your field.

I am a big advocate of developing leadership within your organization while also bringing in leaders from outside. This allows you to learn from people with fresh ideas that may not be your organization’s norm, but also still have the focus on developing within.  You can do this at a personal level.  Although you can learn from anyone within your organization, that “push” or new idea or focus from outside your organization can give you a new lens to look at things.  Just understand that if you are looking for a mentor to push you, get ready to be pushed.

Just understand that if you are looking for a mentor to push you, get ready to be pushed. Some people crave growth but struggle when they are challenged in their own thinking.  If you are looking for advice and challenges, you don’t have to take it, but if you truly want to grow, you better be open to it.

2. Disrupt Your Routine

Although finding people to mentor you is much easier than ever with social networks being so prevalent in our world today, there must be an onus on you to create your opportunities as well.

Start a blog.

Write a book.

Jump into a fitness group.

Take a class that is outside the field of education or read a book that you wouldn’t normally read that might give you a new perspective.

Do something you wouldn’t normally do that can lead to growth in other areas that aren’t necessarily in your field but may give you different perspectives.

Create your own disruption before someone comes along and does it for you.

3. Leave

This is the hardest advice for someone to hear, but it is also the most honest.  If you feel that you are in a place that you are stagnating, eventually it could lead to you being miserable in what you are doing.  This will not only impact what you do professionally but eventually could hamper your personal life.  Sometimes we have to make these tough choices in our lives, but they are just that; choices.  Don’t waste a gift you have in a place that doesn’t recognize or utilize it.

It could be the hardest thing you ever do, but it could also be the best.

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I saw a video with motivational speaker Grant Cardone recently and he said something to the effect of, “You are either going up, going down, or in the same spot, but if you are in the same spot, you are going down.”

We need to recognize when we become stagnant and find ways to push ourselves even when we feel alone in what we do.  Find a way.

• April 20, 2013 When You Outgrow Leadership
• August 2, 2016 Somebody, somewhere, is doing the same thing you say you can’t do.
• February 21, 2017 Working on “Meaning”
• January 14, 2017 The One Quality All Successful People Have
• May 25, 2017 The Right Thing at the Wrong Time

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2nd + Main by Create Properties in Mount Pleasant

On the corner of 2nd and Main Street is the new 226 residence building composed of 23 studios, 145 1-bedrooms, and 58 2-bedrooms. Vancouver based, Create Properties brings a unique vibe to their properties where you can live, work and play. This development will feature: a green roof for residents with garden plots and storage for gardening supplies, electric vehicle charging stations, four artist studios, bicycle stalls, 13000 square feet of retail space, and culture space.

This fabulous development is situated within walking distance to the Olympic Village, close to breweries and dining spots.

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Q9: How do you know who to hire? #askanadmin

Hiring is one of the MOST important things an administrator can do. These are the faces and philosophies that will spend the most time with those who are most important,  our students. I tell everysingleperson that I am about to hire that my goal is that our building should reflect more of them, rather than [...]

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Equity At the Highest Level #SocialLeadia

It was a true honour to write the foreword for Jennifer Casa-Todd’s book, “Social Leadia“. Although I have already read it, I wanted to go through it again through Kindle and highlight some of my favourite quotes.  It is an amazing book to really promote important conversations on not only “digital citizenship” in schools, but going further to “digital leadership“.

What I love most about the book is how Jennifer seamlessly weaves in her thinking, the thinking of others, while also highlighting student examples and quotes.  This quote from Timmy Sullivan, a student at the time, is quite powerful:

“I have a radical concept for you, especially those of you who talk negatively about social media: Stop. Really. If you present social media as a positive space, as a place where students can express themselves and connect with professionals and other students, then that’s the type of learning you are going to see there.” — Timmy Sullivan

Sage advice from a student leading the way in his own learning, as well within his school.  No offense to Jennifer, but there is just something about when the quotes come from a student that makes them so much more powerful.  In my conversations with Jennifer, I know she would agree, hence the reason she wanted to highlight so many students throughout the book, and she weaves their narratives throughout the book masterfully.  It is a powerful read.

Jennifer also doesn’t shy away from some tough conversations throughout the book. This quote really resonated on why it is so important to give students opportunities to use social media within schools:

I know that out of the thirty students in any one of my classes, less than half have solid family support. Few sit down at a dinner table with their families each night, and some have so many other issues to contend with that creating a website that explores their passions, developing a positive online presence, or improving someone else’s life in person or through technology or social media is completely inconsequential. I am gravely concerned that if we don’t provide opportunities in all schools for all students to become digital leaders, we’ll have students at an additional disadvantage, especially if they don’t have digital access at home.

The equity conversation comes up often and I appreciate Jennifer addressing it.  Reading a comment from an educator recently, they had stated something that I have heard often; some of this use of technology will identify the “have’s and have not’s”. The tough conversation here is that ignoring technology and the opportunities it provides with our students truly address this long term or does it simply put our students in a tougher situation and make the divide much larger?

I address this very thing in “The Innovator’s Mindset“:

Another concern often voiced in response to innovative initiatives is that the new program or approach might create superior learning opportunities—opportunities that aren’t offered in another learning environment. If what’s best for learners is our primary concern, equity of opportunities will be created at the highest of levels, not the lowest.

Equity at the highest level, not simply equity, is something that we should always strive for in education.  Every student should have the best opportunities to learn in ways that will help them now and in the future.  The conversations that Jennifer brings up on her own throughout the book, as well through the experiences of the students she highlights in her books are ones that are necessary as we move forward.

• June 16, 2017 Do you see distraction or opportunity? #SocialLeadia
• September 3, 2015 Find the Awesome, Create the Awesome
• June 20, 2017 The Worst Approach to Teaching Students About Social Media
• August 1, 2015 Why I focus on #DigitalLeadership Instead of Cyberbullying
• February 19, 2017 From “Data Driven” to “Evidence Informed”

Source: George Couros

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Equity At the Highest Level #SocialLeadia

It was a true honour to write the foreword for Jennifer Casa-Todd’s book, “Social Leadia“. Although I have already read it, I wanted to go through it again through Kindle and highlight some of my favourite quotes.  It is an amazing book to really promote important conversations on not only “digital citizenship” in schools, but going further to “digital leadership“.

What I love most about the book is how Jennifer seamlessly weaves in her thinking, the thinking of others, while also highlighting student examples and quotes.  This quote from Timmy Sullivan, a student at the time, is quite powerful:

“I have a radical concept for you, especially those of you who talk negatively about social media: Stop. Really. If you present social media as a positive space, as a place where students can express themselves and connect with professionals and other students, then that’s the type of learning you are going to see there.” — Timmy Sullivan

Sage advice from a student leading the way in his own learning, as well within his school.  No offense to Jennifer, but there is just something about when the quotes come from a student that makes them so much more powerful.  In my conversations with Jennifer, I know she would agree, hence the reason she wanted to highlight so many students throughout the book, and she weaves their narratives throughout the book masterfully.  It is a powerful read.

Jennifer also doesn’t shy away from some tough conversations throughout the book. This quote really resonated on why it is so important to give students opportunities to use social media within schools:

I know that out of the thirty students in any one of my classes, less than half have solid family support. Few sit down at a dinner table with their families each night, and some have so many other issues to contend with that creating a website that explores their passions, developing a positive online presence, or improving someone else’s life in person or through technology or social media is completely inconsequential. I am gravely concerned that if we don’t provide opportunities in all schools for all students to become digital leaders, we’ll have students at an additional disadvantage, especially if they don’t have digital access at home.

The equity conversation comes up often and I appreciate Jennifer addressing it.  Reading a comment from an educator recently, they had stated something that I have heard often; some of this use of technology will identify the “have’s and have not’s”. The tough conversation here is that ignoring technology and the opportunities it provides with our students truly address this long term or does it simply put our students in a tougher situation and make the divide much larger?

I address this very thing in “The Innovator’s Mindset“:

Another concern often voiced in response to innovative initiatives is that the new program or approach might create superior learning opportunities—opportunities that aren’t offered in another learning environment. If what’s best for learners is our primary concern, equity of opportunities will be created at the highest of levels, not the lowest.

Equity at the highest level, not simply equity, is something that we should always strive for in education.  Every student should have the best opportunities to learn in ways that will help them now and in the future.  The conversations that Jennifer brings up on her own throughout the book, as well through the experiences of the students she highlights in her books are ones that are necessary as we move forward.

• June 16, 2017 Do you see distraction or opportunity? #SocialLeadia
• September 3, 2015 Find the Awesome, Create the Awesome
• June 20, 2017 The Worst Approach to Teaching Students About Social Media
• August 1, 2015 Why I focus on #DigitalLeadership Instead of Cyberbullying
• February 19, 2017 From “Data Driven” to “Evidence Informed”

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Accountability and Action Toward a Shared Vision

I had a chance to watch this Ted Talk from forward-thinking educator Ada McKim titled, “Why our students need to learn more about the world“. In it, McKim makes the contention that we spend a lot of time talking about our past, but conversations about our present need to be more of a reality in today’s classrooms. McKim also talks about the idea of “Purpose Based Learning”, and said something that stuck with me:

“When our students critically engage with current events and issues, and collectively craft solutions purpose will follow. And if you cannot  find that in the curriculum, I will guarantee that you will find it in the school’s mission and vision statements.”

The last part (in bold) sparked a few thoughts in my head:

1. Who created the mission and vision statements for your school or district? (Hint…it should be built with your community, not in isolation.)
2. Would your students actually know what it is?
3. Where is it posted within your school?

Let’s talk about the first thought. If your “mission or vision statement” was not created by and with your community, it is something you are doing to people, not doing with people.  People are more likely to work towards a mission or vision statement if they have ownership in the creation.

To the second thought, if this is for the students, do the students a) have a say in it, and/or b) do they even know what it is?  Is the mission or vision statement made for the adults, or is it to serve the students? Too often, this is made for public relation purposes and little else. Not always, but far too often.

Finally, if this is to serve students, is it posted in places where students can see it and it promotes accountability to where we are going as a staff?  Would educators be comfortable with a student asking and pointing, “How does this fit in with this mission and vision statement?”, when it comes to things happening in classrooms?  If we cannot describe why in relation to the mission and vision statement, that what we are doing is important, is that a problem? Is this simply words on a piece of paper, or a website, or is this something we are truly aspiring to move towards?

By the way, if you make this FOR people, and you simply start posting it everywhere without getting community input, your mission and vision might as well be, “To ensure people continuously feel indignation towards leadership within their daily work.”  I have seen this practice done before with terrible results.

As Warren Bennis states:

Is your “vision and mission” simply words on paper, or something that drives you (and your community) to continuous positive action?  This might be a tough question, but one that needs to be answered.

• March 18, 2015 Confidence and Competence
• June 28, 2013 The Prophets In Your Land
• June 28, 2016 “…permeate every pore of the school”
• December 11, 2012 Create, Innovate, and Voice
• December 12, 2015 Innovation Is Not a One Time Event #InnovatorsMindset

Source: George Couros

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Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling comes together in just a few minutes. Try a spoonful with your morning yogurt or spooned over a stack of fresh, crispy waffles for a delicious treat!

It’s that time of year when I started counting down the days until fall. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that the weather is warm enough for Elle to play outside for hours on end and swim until her tiny fingers turn into wrinkly little raisins, but Mama is hot and already craving pumpkin crunch cake and pumpkin roll.

It’s been downright swampy here in Ohio, but earlier this week, we got a little break from the heat and humidity and were graced with a 70° breezy day. It was blissful.

And I’m pretty sure it’s what fueled my craving for pumpkin desserts and my purchase of 2 new blanket scarves. I mean, can a Midwest girl really ever have too many blanket scarves?

However, two days later, I was back in sticky, humid, mosquito-y HELL.

(more…)

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Comments

• Hi ya! We love, love, love this recipe! Nothing could be easier ... by Loretta
• Hi, Loretta! I think you can add the filling right away. I hope ... by Jamie
• Making pie this morning ,perfect day, since it's raining. Can I ... by Loretta
• Hi, Tammie! I haven't tried canning it, but I don't see why ... by Jamie
• This sounds great, could you can it as well? I have 20lbs of ... by Tammie
• Plus 5 more...

 

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