Monday Moanin Thoughts #25 Bring ENERGY!

Good morning everyone and  welcome to the 25th edition of Monday Moanin Thoughts. I trust that spring break was a restful and  enjoyable time for you and yours. Over the past year, I have met with several building administrators to listen and discuss the work they do. I have come away with many impressions one being that administrators are very good at identifying the challenges of their job. If you ask them how things are going, you will hear a steady stream of passion about the challenges they are facing. However, when the conversation shifts towards talking about their highlights, there is usually silence, caution, reflection, and then some reluctance  to share . Why is it that challenges are easy to discuss and highlights are a struggle?  Could it be that challenges tend to be more urgent?  Challenges can sap energy and if it is the single focus, can push leaders into self-centerd thinking about how tough their job is. No organization needs a leader throwing a pity party for themselves. Enough! This spring, make a commitment to provide ENERGY to your  planning and performance. Make ENERGY a top priority. If you don’t have it, your community won’t either.

To help with your focus,  lets use the word ENERGY as a prompt for your work:

E is for embracing. Instead of focusing on the amount of work the end of the year brings, embrace it.  One example would be to take the time to really talk to kids about their experiences at school. Several leaders have conducted mini focus groups with students to receive feedback on a range of topics from what is good teaching to what do you enjoy most about school? Be intentional and embrace your work.

N is for names. Bring energy to you school by focusing on calling everyone by their name. Using names can help develop a culture of respect and acceptance. How many students do you know by name? Get to work on this, study your yearbooks and your grade level picture books. Everyone feels better and connections improve  when their name is used.

E is for  encourage. Ask yourself everyday, who did I encourage today?  This time of year is ripe for students and staff to shut down. When you focus on encouragement, it is motivational, helps reduce shut down,  and it helps enhance your building’s positive culture. Be intentional.

R is for respect. As the year winds down, it can be an emotional time for many people. It is the time where students tend to make more poor decisions and adults overreact. It is critical not to make assumptions and quick judgments about individuals and their choices. Lead with compassion, patience, and balance. Everyone will take their cues from you. Respect everyone!

G is for gratitude. Mendler suggests keeping a “Three Good Things Journal”. Each day record three things that went well and what caused the positive experience. This strategy assists you on being thankful and focusing on the good things that are happening in your organization. It also is great modeling for your staff and students. Change your focus and start your journal!

Y is for you. The tone for the remainder of the year is set by you. Are you going to focus only on your challenges? Are you going to let everyone know how hard you work?  The only complete control you have in your organization is on you and your behavior. Get to work on bringing ENERGY to your actions.

Have a great week and find the good stuff.

Book Of The Week:

When Teaching Gets Tough, Smart Ways To Reclaim Your Game; Allen Mendler