Monday Moanin Thoughts #59 Keep Focusing On Communication

Please read the following archived edition of  Monday Moanin thoughts. Consider focusing and enhancing your communication plan this week.

Posted in Dan’s Blog on November 7th, 2011

One more Monday to wake up to. I hope all is well in your school communities. I encourage all school leaders to focus on communication this week. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #58 Presidents Day Leadership Quotes

Welcome to another  chilly Michigan winter edition of  Monday Moanin thoughts.  Today we celebrate President’s Day. In recognition of our great leaders, I would like to share some quotes from several of our President’s. There thoughts are positive, motivating and encourage deeper thought . My hope is that you find them helpful as you focus on your daily work and responsibilities.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt

“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. … Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” Barack Obama

“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” Bill Clinton

“Think about every problem, every challenge, we face. The solution to each starts with education. “George H.W. Bush

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. “Franklin D. Roosevelt

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. “Harry S. Truman

” I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot. “Abraham Lincoln

” Neither a wise man nor a brave man lies down on the tracks of history to wait for the train of the future to run over him.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one  that gets the people to do the greatest things.” Ronald Reagan

Have a great week and keep finding the good stuff.

Monday Moanin Thoughts #57 Two Thoughts From My Mom

Welcome to the latest edition of Monday Moanin thoughts. I am excited to share with you two simple yet profound ideas from my mom, Rose Hickey. This past weekend we celebrated her 90th birthday. She is is still driving, visiting friends, babysitting for grandchildren and  great grandchildren as well as being one of the most respectful people I know. In many of my coaching and mentoring sessions I find myself sharing many of the lessons that I have learned from her. Today, I want to share two of them.

My Mom, Rose would always remind her six sons “to make our own good time.” Instead of complaining or whining about something you don’t like or don’t want to do – find the joy. This is a Roseism  I used many times as a principal. For example,  to get through the countless hours of  supervising the cafeteria, I would encourage staff members stop by if they had a question. It also helped me establish a fun , relaxed tone for the students during their only break of the day.

The second lesson from Rose is ” to sweep your own front porch.” I find this a powerful message. To me  it means you need to take care of your own issues. Remember every one of us have challenges, both professionally and personally. It is important to focus on what you can control and stop comparing yourself to others or get distracted by their struggles. Get your own work done.

This week, in honor of Rose Hickey’s 90th, be intentional on these two thoughts. I believe it will enhance your practice. Have a great week and keep finding the good stuff.

Monday Moanin Thoughts #56 Do You Have A Bully On Your Staff?

Happy Monday Moanin the day after the 2013 Super Bowl. I hope your team was victorious.

The focus of my thoughts this week is on bullying among your staff. Over the past few weeks the issue of bullying among staff members has come up in several of  my meetings with principals. They shared  that this is a growing concern. As I reflected back on my experiences it is clear to me  there have been bullies on every staff  I have been a part of. This is not new. What does seem to be new is the current focus on student issues of bullying and the lack of attention given to staff issues of bullying. Lets begin by  identifying a few of  signs  of bullying exhibited by staff members. Are any of these four behaviors present among your staff? (you may want to check out the back tables at your staff meetings. Bullies often sit with a familiar group at these tables.) Read more