Monday Moanin Thoughts #343 Kick Off March 2020 By Focusing On Being Positive And Productive

Welcome to  March 2020 Monday Moanin Thoughts. Hopefully this will be a positive and productive week for you and your staff.  Positive and productive are always challenging during the month of March and coming up with an idea or focus for this blog is no different. After some reflection, I am posting five excerpts from my previous 342 Monday Moanin Thoughts. Hopefully they will  be timely and helpful as you begin your week.

From May 31,2015 #160

One thing is certain, there are no easy answers during this difficult time. However, I would emphasize and remind you that Leaders Don’t Hide!  It is critical to fight the invitation to disappear. When your organization is hurting it is important to be hopeful and I believe you can do this without acting Pollyanna. You can be respectful without cheerleading. You can be supportive without trying to fix things for people. You can be a listener and fight the urge to be a nervous over-talker. You need to be present in order to be compassionate.
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Monday Moanin Thoughts #342 Great Week To Take A Pulse Check

Happy Super Bowl 2020 early edition of Monday Moanin Thoughts. I hope you all  are either preparing to watch the festivities or you enjoyed the game, commercials, and half time show. Many authors agree that successful organizations and teams need a healthy tension to be productive. My definition of healthy tension is an organization rooted in a collaborative climate. Some examples may include staff engaging in consistent dialogue about instruction, learning,  growth and possible changes in how individuals teach and students learn. The opposite is an organization that focuses on teacher/adult happiness that may not have enough tension or discipline to change and improve. Some describe this as a more congenial environment than collegial.   Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #341 What Are You Going To Continue Doing In 2020?

Welcome to the first Monday and MMT of January, 2020. As you prepare for 2020 consider using a Ken Blanchard suggestion. Blanchard often refers to the following questions; what are you going to start doing, stop doing , and keep doing? Since we are beginning a new year, let’s focus on what you want to keep or continue doing in 2020. Listed below are ten suggestions about what you may want to keep doing in your practice as you begin the week. They are: Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #340 It’s Holiday Time, Lead With Respect And Encouragement

Happy  chilly December, 2019 Michigan Monday Moanin to all of you. For many a well deserved Holiday break is a few weeks away.  This is the time of year where many schools and organizations are conducting food drives that restock food pantries with the essentials. Clothing and blanket collections as well as other initiatives to help those students and families less fortunate and in need are  also happening in many schools. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #339 Practice Some Gratitude, It’s Good For You

It is hard to believe that we are a few days away from Thanksgiving 2019. This Holiday arrives at a perfect time. In Michigan, since August students and staff’s have been hitting the school year hard without any time off. The past several weeks have truly been a grind. As a result , it has been a challenge to be positive and find the good stuff.  Thanksgiving Day changes that. It is the time that most people reflect on gratitude and being thankful for those gifts that are important in their lives. This week,  make it a daily practice to reflect on those things we are grateful for!  Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #338 Great Week To Focus On What You Are Doing Well

Happy  November 2019 Monday Moanin  to all of you. Over the first 10 weeks of the 2010-20 school year, I have met with several building administrators/teams to discuss and have them reflect on how their year is going so far.

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Monday Moanin Thoughts #337 Keep Working On Your Culture, Both Staff And Student

Happy last Monday in October 2019 and welcome to a night edition of Monday Moanin Thoughts. A big thank you to my son Paul of Data Driven Design for fixing my website and getting me back on track.  A few weekends ago I was with my family in Traverse City for our annual northern Michigan trip. Though a little wet, it was a spectacular time. The colors were beautiful, the air was crisp, the weather still cooperated, the food was great, and our day trip up Mission Pointe was a highlight. The winery’s were not bad either. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #336 It’s October, Focus On The Fundamentals

Welcome to the first Monday Moanin of October, 2019 to all of you. It is hard to believe that for most of you the first month of the 2019-20 school year is in the books. Typically the first month  of a new year is front loaded with many activities and a fast pace filled with numerous adjustments. October signals a time when most school staffs and administrators  are settling into their routines and schedules.  They are also showing the  initial signs of fatigue. As a result, this is a great time to refocus on some essential   fundamentals to enhance your performance as a leader. During this week, practice the following three fundamentals. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #335 Welcome Fall 2019 By Focusing On The 3 C’s

Happy first Monday Moanin of Fall 2019. Leadership is a relevant and hot topic. Visit any online magazine like Flipboard  and you will find several articles and blogs filled with opinions of how to build a better organization. After reviewing several authors in preparation for this post, I decided to focus on three practical and rather unique areas of leadership. As a school leader, focusing on a few of these areas will certainly enhance your performance. Have a productive week by being intentional on the following 3 C’s. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #334 Week 2? Don’t Move Away From Culture And Climate

Happy Monday Moanin to all of you on this beautiful Michigan September 2019 morning. Today, most schools in the Midwest are in their initial weeks of the 2019-20 school year. Building principals and their staffs have been busy welcoming students and dealing with all of the tasks that go with starting a new year. Read more