Communication
Courage Under Fire
As a school leader, when was the last time you were challenged and acted with courage under fire? You may wonder what does “courage under fire” look like? Maybe it’s moving forward with intention even when you’re unsure or anxious about what you’ll be doing or how it will be received. Perhaps it’s really facing…
Read MoreThe Power of Words
Remember that frigid morning this past winter when you would have preferred to remain snuggled in your warm, cozy bed, but you had a mandatory meeting at school? You drove slowly and carefully on the stretch of road where the snow and ice were obvious. What about those patches when the road appeared to be…
Read MorePutting the Function Back into Dysfunctional Teams
Recently a superintendent friend was complaining about how one school board member harped endlessly about nickel and dime expenses, ignoring the legitimate needs of students and staff. It was driving her crazy! How could she get this school board refocused on what was truly important for education? She had been reading The Five Dysfunctions of…
Read MoreWatch Yourself! Change Ahead!
Real transformations in life sometimes happens when you least expect it. One of my major transformations happened twelve years ago, when the National Staff Development Council (now Learning Forward) initiated a bodacious project. Dennis Sparks, then Executive Director, thought that every principal and superintendent in high poverty schools should have the benefit of a coach…
Read MoreThe Gift of Coaching Presence
The ICF coaching competency of Co-Creating the Relationship combines the “best friends” of Establishing Trust and Intimacy and Coaching Presence. In our journey for mastery and excellence, coaching presence is the hallmark of an excellent coach. It is being open, flexible, and confident with your clients. You are giving them the gift of time, full…
Read MoreLearning to Speak Powerfully
I wonder why it is so difficult to change my language pattern particularly as it relates to building positive presuppositions into my repertoire. I have finally come to realize that a positive presupposition is simply speaking into existence what I believe another person can accomplish before I have actually seen evidence to that effect. As…
Read More10 Ways To Build Trust
One thing we know for sure – high levels of trust are necessary for high levels of performance! The research findings of Megan Tschannen-Moran clearly support this assertion. Coach leaders who have internalized this premise are intentional about employing trust-building strategies on a daily basis. Here are some ideas to get you started: Make relationships…
Read MoreThe Miracle and Exception Questions
Imagine this – you are talking with a colleague who is using the language of someone who is “stuck” or out of options for dealing with an issue or challenge. What should you do? Should you try to solve the issue or challenge for the person, or should you remain in a coach leader role and help…
Read MoreThe Transformative Power of Coaching Conversations
Coaching conversations are transformative and can completely change how people think and act. In fact, one of our recent coaching clients did just that. Rosa, an assistant principal, was charged by her principal to get their school’s bilingual teacher, Ed, to show up on time for work every day. Ed’s personnel file was overflowing with…
Read MoreIs Self-Regulation the Key to Human Performance?
David Rock, neuroleadership expert, recently said in a radio interview that “self-regulation is the key to human performance,” and that got me thinking. How do I self-regulate and what am I regulating? Hmm… My hunch is that before I can self-regulate, there is a call for clarity around what I want to do, have, or…
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