# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home-to-school communications - what's in your toolbox? What are you missing? Who are you missing? What could you add to improve your home-to-school communications and, in turn, strengthen relations and increase support?

Each school community is unique, with unique resources and needs. Not only is each school unique, but often, so is each year. With needs and available resources constantly changing, so must we. It's important that we reevaluate our needs and goals each year.

There are many options out there. The best tool is face-to-face. This is not about replacing that time-tested communication model. Unfortunately, for many reasons, face-to-face is not always possible, so we need to supplement and offer alternatives. What can you offer to maintain open lines of communication with everyone, regardless of their ability to speak in person?

Defining the Conversation

Before filling your toolbox, assess your needs, resources, and goals. Here are some questions to get you started:

What tools does your community have access to?

Do not assume this answer. Ask the question. Put out a short poll at the start of the year, such as during your open house or at Back to School Night. Income no longer dictates families' ability to access the Internet. More and more, with smartphones, tablets, and inexpensive laptops, people have some sort of access. A survey that Joe Mazza created for our school simply asked:

My child is in __ grade.

My child has regular access to a computer at home with Internet access to support academics. Yes - No

I have access to email. Yes - No (If you answered no, please provide your name and your child's, and we will provide hard copies of communications.)

I mostly access the Internet for school communications on my:

Home computer

Work computer

Mobile device

Other (please specify) _______

What is the purpose of the tool?

Do you want to engage parents in conversations? Or simply share information out?

How often will the information change?

For frequent changes, you don't want a tool that is cumbersome for editing content.

How is the information being received?

On a computer, cell phone, tablet? Check for compatibility.

Now to choose your tools . . .

One-Way Tools

Remind (formerly Remind 101): A one-way group texting service that doesn't require sharing phone numbers.

Mobile App: This tool provides access to information at the touch of a button. Read more on building a school app here.

A virtual bulletin board for sharing articles, pictures, and links to videos or websites. Here's an example of a middle school modeling its use.

eNewsletters: They can be read any time, anywhere. Consider these approaches:

Smore creates electronic flyers that let you insert pictures, videos, maps, links, surveys, and more. Flyers are easily shared through email or social media at the click of a button. The analytics provide you with the number of views, source of traffic, location of readers, links clicked, etc. Here's how one elementary school uses Smore.

FlipSnack is an e-magazine format. As this school eNewsletter shows, it's as easy as uploading a PDF to a website.

Photo hosting sites: Sites like Picasa or Phanfare are not communication tools per se, but pictures can tell a story, show learning, and start a dialogue.

QR codes: Quick Response codes offer many possibilities for use in the classroom and with parents. Here's a great post on ways to use QR codes at back to school night.

Two-Way Tools

Blogs: Staff can write them, but so can students of all ages. What better way for parents to see the learning through the students' eyes and contribute to the conversation? Read these tips to start blogging with students.

Google Drive: This tool simplifies collaborating on a document. All individuals given access to the document can view, edit and/or comment -- live. This is how we create our school newsletter content with parents and staff. We also use it for our daily announcements. Our docs are created in, read from, and then shared with parents.

Social media: This popular format enables you to share out the learning and good "stuff" that students and staff are doing; engage those outside of the school walls in conversations that are happening inside them; and spark conversations at home about learning. Parents can reference a specific lesson, not simply ask, "What did you learn in school today?"

Facebook is used by many parents, so you're going to where they often already are. You have the option to use it for an open group (like this middle school) or a closed group.

Twitter is another site that lets you easily share the learning that happens throughout the day, on field trips and at events or assemblies. Our school Twitter account is linked to our Facebook page, and the feed is placed on our website homepage (everyone can see our tweets even if they don't have Twitter). Schools can extend the conversation and host their own Twitterchat, like #TMSHawkChat. With not as many parents using Twitter, you may need to offer a training session or how-to guide that will encourage use and maximize conversations.

Live streaming: Parents can watch and participate in presentations with a class, read to students, watch assemblies, and participate virtually in PTO meetings using sites like Google+, Skype, AnyMeeting, and GoToMeeting. We even had a grandparent Skype in for Grandparents' Day.

This push-to-talk messaging app allows for individual or group conversations, and sharing pictures and text messages -- without ever sharing phone numbers. This video demonstrates its use.

In the end, don't forget to spread the word and offer training on how to use the tools (for staff, parents, and students). Tools are useless if no one is using them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Home-to-school communications - what's in your toolbox? What are you missing? Who are you missing? What could you add to improve your home-to-school communications and, in turn, strengthen relations and increase support? Each school community is unique, with unique resources and needs. Not only is each school unique, but often, so is each year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
4 - Good Communication Results in a More Productive & Talented Workforce

Employee engagement is a significant factor in the productivity of a workforce. But besides contributing to increased employee engagement, communication skills can also help foster a more productive and talented workforce in many other ways:

Understanding team talents & skills. In a company culture focused on connecting with others, managers better understand the talents and skills of their workforce. Some communication patterns aren't forthcoming with their talents and skills, or express them in ways a fast-paced or high-level-thinking communicator won't naturally notice. Mastering the identification of communication patterns empowers a leader to better understand the skills and talents of their team.

Achieving more buy-in. With the right communication tools, a leader can influence initiative buy-in from their team.

Innovation and creative thought. A workplace that communicates more effectively establishes a "safe" place for people to think creatively and express their ideas. It helps employees feel more comfortable taking ownership for challenges and projects, and typically results in more creative brainstorming or problem-solving initiatives.

More strategic team building. Understanding communication patterns gives a leader more information about their employees, and often information they would have otherwise overlooked. This powerful insight lets the leader make more strategic decisions on delegation, employee development, team development, and strategic initiatives to drive business success.

What's the Bottom Line?

The bottom line is that good communication isn't just about being able to more accurately and concisely present information and ideas. It's also not just about mitigating conflict or creating a more positive team environment. Communication is integral to sales, client relationships, team development, company culture, employee engagement and buy-in, and innovative thought.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of Good Communication in the Workplace | Leadership Choice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the workplace, good communication isn't just about mitigating conflict (although that is an important benefit of communicating effectively). Good communication in the workplace is also an important factor in client relationships, profitability, team effectiveness, and employee engagement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Many schools invest in environment like this, but one of the elements that makes this school different is the relationship between its teachers and administration. This charter school's administrators still spend time in the classroom.

Weilenmann's school director, Cindy Phillips, explains, "The most significant contribution that is made at a school is teaching and in the relationship between the teacher and the student. I want to be a part of that." Her administrative staff buys in to the model. Both the middle school dean and the assistant lower school director have some classroom periods of their own. The school's director of special education spends a portion of her day teaching as well.

During my workshop, the administration wasn't just sitting in the back and stepping in and out as needed, which is typical. The director and her school leadership team were among their staff, designing their own lessons and units to use in their classrooms. They went through the professional development, not just to show support but to actually implement what we were learning.

The Benefits of This Model

Walking the walk: Allowing administrators to remain, for at least one or two periods, in the classroom is a model many wish could be adopted more often. Jennifer Miyake-Trapp, assistant professor of education at Pepperdine University, sees many benefits in this model. "Administrators build their credibility as instructional leaders when they consistently demonstrate classroom expertise by modeling instructional practices, collaborating on curricular initiatives, and enacting the classroom culture they envision for the whole school," she says.

Building school community: Miyake-Trapp observes that administrators in the classroom "can also openly engage in reflective processes by sharing moments of classroom success as well as challenges. Exhibiting this public vulnerability creates a culture of trust, values risk-taking, and most importantly, positions school leaders as learning partners."

Staying connected: A good number of administrators would admit that it takes just a short time after leaving teaching to feel distanced from students and teachers. Returning to teaching as administrators "decreases the need to find time to interact with your teachers," Phillips points out. "You're in the copy room, you're running to the bathroom. You're accessible and available in a very nonthreatening way."

Phillips also feels that taking on a teaching assignment creates a more efficient workflow. "It forces you to prioritize your own duties as an administrator," she says, adding that "you are also the first one to feel your poor decisions, and that makes for a very dynamic turnaround!" She points out that this model sends a message that "teaching and learning are the primary activities of a school."

Recharging batteries: "There is nothing more amazing," Phillips says, "than going into the classroom and teaching those wonderful students after doing some grant writing or state-mandated something. You enter that room and you get to teach some kids something about a favorite topic-it's just amazing."

Challenges Do Exist

So what stops school leaders from joining their teaching staff? Well, for one thing, time. Teachers talk a lot about the hats we wear and the increased amount of work being thrust upon us, but administrators are also overloaded.

Miyaki-Trapp attributes some of the problem to past practice. She says, "Traditional views of administrator as manager prevent schools from implementing hybrid teacher-administrator roles" in such a way that their classroom time remains protected and valued.

Phillips admits that balancing both roles is a challenge. Even though this is a model based on "transparent leadership, there are times when you need to be the decision-maker," she says.

Adopting This Model

To move to this system, schools would have to design a more pliable master calendar that allows administrators to flex their teacher muscles. Additionally, collaboration would have to rev up a few notches. Administrators have to actively encourage teachers to build their leadership skills. As Miyake-Trapp says, staff must be "empowered to handle issues that may arise while administrators are teaching."

It truly does take a village to educate students. And as teachers and school leaders, we are all in this endeavor together. When a school approaches the mission of teaching with creativity and flexibility, as seen at the Weilenmann School of Discovery, something magical can happen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
When Administrators Keep Teaching | Edutopia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many schools invest in environment like this, but one of the elements that makes this school different is the relationship between its teachers and administration. This charter school's administrators still spend time in the classroom. Weilenmann's school director, Cindy Phillips, explains, "The most significant contribution that is made at a school is teaching and in the relationship between the teacher and the student.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Different employers look for different things, of course, but decision-making skills are sought by most companies for many different positions. In general, applicants who can demonstrate an ability to identify all the options and compare them in terms of both costs and effectiveness have an advantage over those who can't.

Why Employers Value Decision Making

Organizational culture and leadership style together determine the process of decision making in any company. Some may use a consensus-based approach, while others depend on a manager or management group to make all major decisions for the company.

Many organizations use a mixture of centralized and consensus-based styles. How an individual employee participates in the decision-making process depends on his or her position within the overall structure of the company.

As you prepare to apply for a given position, it is important to read the job description carefully and to thoroughly research the company so you can understand which decision-making skills your prospective employer is seeking-then you can emphasize these skills in your resume, cover letter, and interview.

The Decision-Making Process

A good way to make the most informed decision is to follow a process that assures you are taking into account all relevant information and considering each of the most probable outcomes. A step-by-step checklist like this is valuable for that purpose:

1. Define the problem, challenge, or opportunity.

2. Generate an array of possible solutions or responses.

3. Evaluate the costs and benefits, or pros and cons, associated with each option.

4. Select a solution or response.

5. Implement the option chosen.

6. Assess the impact of the decision and modify the course of action as needed.

You will not always find yourself going through all six steps in an obvious way. You might be responsible for one aspect of the process but not the others, or several steps might be merged together. But someone still should go through each step in some way or other. Skipping steps usually leads to poor outcomes.

Remember to develop strategies to ensure that you have not overlooked important information or misunderstood the situation, and be sure to uncover and correct for any biases you may have.

Even if you do not yet have management experience, you probably have made decisions in a professional setting. Because decision making is not always a cut-and-dried process, though, you might not recognize what you were doing.

These examples provide a sense of what activities from your own work history you can share with potential employers to demonstrate your own decision-making skills. Be sure to keep your sharing as relevant to the job requirements for the position as possible.

Identifying a faulty machine as the source of disruptions in the production process.

Facilitating a brainstorming session to generate possible names for a new product.

Polling staff to gauge the impact of extending retail hours.

Conducting a comparative analysis of proposals from three advertising agencies and selecting the best firm to lead a campaign.

Soliciting input from staff members on an issue important to the company's future.

Surveying customers to evaluate the impact of a change in pricing policy.

Implementing the shutdown of a designated plant with excess manufacturing capacity.

Generating a list of options for a new regional sales territory.

Evaluating the impact of several possible cost-cutting measures.

Comparing the leadership potential of different team members and choosing a project manager.

Researching possible legal or logistical problems associated with a new company policy.

Brainstorming possible themes for a fundraising campaign.

Analyzing data from focus groups to help select packaging for a new product.

Comparing the strengths and weaknesses of three potential vendors for processing payroll.

Remember that the critical skill in decision making is not learning a bunch of techniques, but in knowing how and when to apply the basic principles and in constantly re-evaluating and improving your methods. If you or the teams you are a part of consistently achieve good results, then you are making decisions well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Find out the Reasons Why Employers Value Decision-Making Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Different employers look for different things, of course, but decision-making skills are sought by most companies for many different positions. In general, applicants who can demonstrate an ability to identify all the options and compare them in terms of both costs and effectiveness have an advantage over those who can't.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Leadership in education is more important now than ever. Demands on instructional time are escalating, and accountability pressures are increasing. The historically neglected areas of social-emotional and civic competence are emerging as essentials. For leaders who know what direction they want to head, there are six key tasks that must be undertaken.

Based on a combination of interviews with educational leaders by Mark Goldberg, and the observations of David Gergen after serving in the White House under several presidents from both political parties ( Eyewitness to Power, 2000), here are the six tasks:

1. Believe and Envision

Leaders must have a core belief that can be communicated with clarity, concision, and passion. This is referred to as a bedrock belief (Goldberg) and a compelling vision (Gergen).

2. Start Strong and Simple

Leaders must get off to a quick, sure start. This is especially true for those new to the leadership role: leaders must inspire confidence. Rather than take on the most challenging problems, it's best to start with a small, potentially solvable challenge. This gives everyone a chance to see how the leader will work, and for those more directly involved, a chance to experience the new leadership style together. When efforts flounder, much will be learned from how setbacks are handled.

3. Persuade and Inspire

Leaders must have skills to persuade and inspire. They must be able to articulate a realistic and clear vision of how the organization will look in the future, and help others see the vision as congruent with their own concerns, goals, or deep beliefs. They must communicate and model their strong convictions so that they inspire others to sustained action, even when the leader is "not looking." Others with leadership roles or responsibilities also must embrace and articulate the vision.

4. Lead Morally

Leaders must have a strong moral compass. To follow any leader, others must be convinced of that leader's dedication to equity, fairness, overcoming disadvantage, and giving voice. It's fair to say that not everyone will perceive these attributes on the part of the leaders, but his or her core followers definitely must.

5. Demonstrate Courage and Compromise

Leaders must have the courage to swim upstream. Because leadership ultimately is a moral commitment, leaders must be prepared to take risks, buck trends, show courage, persist, embolden others, and use a nuanced sense of compromise. (In an instructional setting, these are qualities that teachers ultimately want to transfer to their students so that their educational default is not passive compliance.)

6. Optimize Any Situation

Leaders must excel at situational mastery and emotional intelligence. According to Goldberg (June 2001, Phi Delta Kappan, p.760), "I do not believe that any of the people I interviewed could have exchanged positions and had the same success." Ultimately, leaders must have the emotional intelligence skills to optimize the situation in which they find themselves and the resources at hand, and inspire others to undertake maximal efforts. Even more than technical training, the leader must help members of the organization and constituents have a deep understanding of the mission and vision and a commitment to collaborate in pursuit of that shared understanding. What the leader can accomplish directly is limited, especially in large and complex educational settings. Hence, distributed leadership is essential for sustainability.

One need not be a principal, superintendent, or school board president to be a school leader. Leaders are those who step up to help their organizations succeed. They take a larger measure of responsibility for keeping track of the big picture. Consider the areas where your involvement can help make your school or district a better place. Let this year be your own personal leadership year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Leadership in education is more important now than ever. Demands on instructional time are escalating, and accountability pressures are increasing. The historically neglected areas of social-emotional and civic competence are emerging as essentials. For leaders who know what direction they want to head, there are six key tasks that must be undertaken.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The end of the year is almost here, and I know that many companies are going through the same season as my team at The John Maxwell Company: annual reviews.
This is the time of year when our leaders sit down with their team members and go over PPFs for the past 12 months: Personal, Professional, and Financial goals. After reviewing the wins and lessons of this year, each team member will work with the leader to set goals for next year.

It's a helpful system that we've developed to not only inspire our team members to pursue personal growth but help us as a company live out our values. We believe that helping our people reach their goals within the company and in life is an important part of developing each person's potential.

We also learn through this process that there are leaders who are ready to step up to a new level of leadership. Young or old, experienced or new to the company, we have people who always want to push themselves in their leadership. It's a great problem to have.

It also means that we have to make sure the leaders above them are growing as well! Nothing suffocates potential leaders like senior leaders who cease to grow. Leadership means constantly lifting the lid on ourselves, so we can lift the lid on our people.

Call it the Leadership Reproduction Cycle.

If you've ever seen the 5 Levels of Leadership, you know that the fourth level is people development (reproduction). Growing leaders grow leaders. It's just the nature of the role.

I recently shared the following insights with the members of my Maximum Impact Mentoring group, and I want to share a shortened version with you. As you sit down for your own performance review or go over the review of someone who works with you, keep a sharp eye out for leaders ready to rise-be they established leaders or people looking to lead for the first time.

There can never be enough leaders. So here's how you can keep the Leadership Reproduction Cycle moving in your organization.
Train Leaders
First and foremost, if you're a leader, you need to be pouring into other leaders. If you're a leader at a senior level, this has its challenges, but they're mostly of the time and opportunity variety: do you have enough time to take advantage of the opportunities you have to mentor the leaders on your team?

The answer is always yes-you just have to be intentional about it.

Maybe you're not a leader with a team or a title; maybe your leadership is unofficial or simply a matter of your own high standards of excellence. Regardless, continue to pour into the people around you. You don't need a title to lead-leadership is influence, after all, and you can show others how to use it well.
Look for Potential Leaders
As you use your influence to positively impact your team and others, be on the lookout for people who mirror your best efforts. These are the people who buy into the vision, who demonstrate initiative, who serve as a reflection of the power of growth.

You can recognize potential leaders because they ask great questions, want to offer their ideas when working together as a team, and are more committed to the team's success than their own agenda. They encourage others, grow in their strengths, and sharpen their skills-and they are exactly the kind of people your organization needs to build around.
Mentor Developing Leaders
For those leaders you identify-or have already identified-the next step is intentional time. Yes, you only have so many hours in a day. Yes, every person to whom you give a mentoring meeting means less work you'll get off your desk.

But you're a leader. Developing other leaders is your job. So make it a priority.

Hand off some of those pressing tasks-to one of the leaders you're mentoring! Instead of complaining about the work you're not getting done, make that work part of your time with that developing leader. Let them take over tasks they can do 80% as well as you-or as my CEO, Mark Cole says, let them run with an average idea that you might never take on, but will produce powerful growth in them.

Don't be afraid to show someone else how to do what you do-the sooner they can do your job, the sooner you're freed up to do something that offers you and the company a greater return!
Move Up to New Levels of Leadership
And that's the beauty of this cycle: when you are consistently training, seeking, and mentoring more and more leaders, you're creating the opportunity to move up in leadership yourself, where you can keep the cycle going for future leaders.

It's never too late to start the Leadership Reproduction Cycle in your organization. You can begin this year with something as familiar as the performance review. In fact, because the cycle is a great measure of organizational health, it might be the most important metric you examine this year.

Because if your team is consistently reproducing new and stronger leaders, you're in a great position for sustained success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The end of the year is almost here, and I know that many companies are going through the same season as my team at The John Maxwell Company: annual reviews. This is the time of year when our leaders sit down with their team members and go over PPFs for the past 12 months: Personal, Professional, and Financial goals.

# data[].attributes.body
Make sure to clearly communicate your message.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 1990, in my role as a science reporter at The New York Times, I chanced upon an article in a small academic journal by two psychologists, John Mayer, now at the University of New Hampshire, and Yale's Peter Salovey. Mayer and Salovey offered the first formulation of a concept they called "emotional intelligence."

Those were days when the preeminence of IQ as the standard of excellence in life was unquestioned; a debate raged over whether it was set in our genes or due to experience. But here, suddenly, was a new way of thinking about the ingredients of life success. I was electrified by the notion, which I made the title of this book in 1995. Like Mayer and Salovey, I used the phrase to synthesize a broad range of scientific findings, drawing together what had been separate strands of research - reviewing not only their theory but a wide variety of other exciting scientific developments, such as the first fruits of the nascent field of affective neuroscience, which explores how emotions are regulated in the brain.

I remember having the thought, just before this book was published ten years ago, that if one day I overheard a conversation in which two strangers used the phrase emotional intelligence and both understood what it meant, I would have succeeded in spreading the concept more widely into the culture. Little did I know.

The phrase emotional intelligence, or its casual shorthand EQ, has become ubiquitous, showing up in settings as unlikely as the cartoon strips Dilbert and Zippy the Pinhead and in Roz Chast's sequential art in The New Yorker. I've seen boxes of toys that claim to boost a child's EQ; lovelorn personal ads sometimes trumpet it in those seeking prospective mates. I once found a quip about EQ printed on a shampoo bottle in my hotel room.

And the concept has spread to the far corners of our planet. EQ has become a word recognized, I'm told, in languages as diverse as German and Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Malay. (Even so, I prefer EI as the English abbreviation for emotional intelligence.) My e-mail inbox often contains queries, from, for example, a doctoral student in Bulgaria, a school teacher in Poland, a college student in Indonesia, a business consultant in South Africa, a management expert in the Sultanate of Oman, an executive in Shanghai. Business students in India read about EI and leadership; a CEO in Argentina recommends the book I later wrote on the topic. I've also heard from religious scholars within Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism that the concept of EI resonates with outlooks in their own faith.

Most gratifying for me has been how ardently the concept has been embraced by educators, in the form of programs in "social and emotional learning or SEL. Back in 1995 I was able to find only a handful of such programs teaching emotional intelligence skills to children. Now, a decade later, tens of thousands of schools worldwide offer children SEL. In the United States many districts and even entire states currently make SEL curriculum requirement, mandating that just as students must attain a certain level of competence in math and language, so too should they master these essential skills for living.

In Illinois, for instance, specific learning standards in SEL abilities have been established for every grade from kindergarten through the last year of high school. To give just one example of a remarkably detailed and comprehensive curriculum, in the early elementary years students should learn to recognize and accurately label their emotions and how they lead them to act. By the late elementary years lessons in empathy should make children able to identify the nonverbal clues to how someone else feels; in junior high they should be able to analyze what creates stress for them or what motivates their best performance. And in high school the SEL skills include listening and talking in ways that resolve conflicts instead of escalating them and negotiating for win-win solutions.

Around the world Singapore has undertaken an active initiative in SEL, as have some schools in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. In Europe, the U.K. Has led the way, but more than a dozen other countries have schools that embrace EI, as do Australia and New Zealand, and here and there countries in Latin America and Africa. In 2002 UNESCO began a worldwide initiative to promote SEL, sending a statement of ten basic principles for implementing SEL to the ministries of education in 140 countries.

In some states and nations, SEL has become the organizing umbrella under which are gathered programs in character education, violence prevention, antibullying, drug prevention and school discipline. The goal is not just to reduce these problems among schoolchildren but to enhance the school climate and, ultimately, students' academic performance.

In 1995, I outlined the preliminary evidence suggesting that SEL was the active ingredient in programs that enhance children's learning while preventing problems such as violence. Now the case can be made scientifically: helping children improve their self-awareness and confidence, manage their disturbing emotions and impulses, and increase their empathy pays off not just in improved behavior but in measurable academic achievement.

This is the big news contained in a recently completed meta-analysis of 668 evaluation studies of SEL programs for children from preschoolers through high school. The massive survey was conducted by Roger Weissberg, who directs the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning at the University of Illinois at Chicago - the organization that has led the way in bringing SEL into schools worldwide.

The data show that SEL programs yielded a strong benefit in academic accomplishment, as demonstrated in achievement test results and grade-point averages. In participating schools, up to 50 percent of children showed improved achievement scores and up to 38 percent improved their grade-point averages. SEL programs also made schools safer: incidents of misbehavior dropped by an average of 28 percent; suspensions by 44 percent; and other disciplinary actions by 27 percent. At the same time, attendance rates rose, while 63 percent of students demonstrated significantly more positive behavior. In the world of social science research, these remarkable results for any program promoting behavioral change, SEL had delivered on its promise.

In 1995 I also proposed that a good part of the effectiveness of SEL came from its impact in shaping children's developing neural circuitry, particularly the executive functions of the prefrontal cortex, which manage working memory - what we hold in mind as we learn - and inhibit disruptive emotional impulses. Now the first preliminary scientific evidence for that notion has arrived. Mark Greenberg of Pennsylvania State University. A codeveloper of the PATHS curriculum in SEL, reports not only that the program for elementary school students boasts academic achievement but, even more significantly, that much of the increased learning can be attributed to improvements in attention and working memory, key functions of the prefrontal cortex. This strongly suggests that neuroplasticity, the shaping of the brain through repeated experience, plays a key role in the benefits from SEL.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me has been the impact of EI in the world of business, particularly in the areas of leadership and employee development (a form of adult education). The Harvard Business Review has hailed emotional intelligence as "a ground-breaking, paradigm-shattering idea," one of the most influential business ideas of the decade.

Such claims in the business world too often prove to be fads, with no real underlying substance. But here a far-flung network of researchers has been at work, ensuring that the application of EI will be grounded in solid data. The Rutgers University-based Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations (CREIO) has led the way in catalyzing this scientific work, collaborating with organizations that range from the Office of Personnel Management in the federal government to American Express.

Today companies worldwide routinely look through the lens of EI in hiring, promoting, and developing their employees. For instance, Johnson and Johnson (another CREIO member) found that in divisions around the world, those identified at mid career as having high leadership potential were far stronger in EI competencies than were their less-promising peers. CREIO continues to foster such research, which can offer evidence-based guidelines for organizations seeking to enhance their ability to achieve their business goals or fulfill a mission.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1990, in my role as a science reporter at The New York Times, I chanced upon an article in a small academic journal by two psychologists, John Mayer, now at the University of New Hampshire, and Yale's Peter Salovey. Mayer and Salovey offered the first formulation of a concept they called "emotional intelligence."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Online June 2018 | Volume 75
Fighting Educator Burnout Pages 46-51

Janet Patti, Allison Holzer, Robin S. Stern, James Floman and Marc A. Brackett

For school leaders, stress is inevitable. The day-to-day grind of leading is emotionally demanding, and new challenges and higher accountability create a fever pitch of emotion that can churn inside even the strongest of leaders.

However, although stress is expected for education leaders, burnout can be optional. Moderate amounts of healthy stress triggered by efforts to achieve meaningful goals (called eustress in the research literature) can increase personal accomplishment and workplace engagement and even improve job performance (McGonigal, 2016).

The problem arises when stress becomes so frequent and so overwhelming that it leaves educators physically and emotionally depleted and they no longer feel a sense of passion and personal accomplishment (Maslach, Schaufeli, & Leiter, 2001; Le Fevre, Matheny, & Kolt, 2003). When this happens, stress becomes distress, and one runs the risk of burning out.

The impact of constant stressors-such as the social-emotional demands of work or a steady stream of crises that challenge one's sense of perspective-can lead to the chronic depletion of mental and physical resources or "emotional exhaustion" (Grissom & Andersen, 2012; Maslach et al., 2001). But this level of distress can be effectively navigated, or even avoided. Research suggests that principals with higher levels of self-efficacy tend to display higher levels of work engagement and job satisfaction, along with lower levels of burnout (Federici & Skaalvik, 2012). Self-efficacy is a key psychological capacity for inoculation against the high pressures of educational leadership.

Getting Emotional

To understand how a leader's sense of personal accomplishment and self-efficacy can fade or grow, we have to understand the power of emotions. A recent study found that school leaders who reported greater levels of emotional exhaustion were more likely to experience a range of negative emotions, such as anxiety or anger, and were less likely to experience various positive emotions, such as hope or joy (Brackett, Floman, & Bradley, 2018). Also, emotionally exhausted leaders were less satisfied with their jobs and were more likely to want to quit the profession or retire.

Not only does burnout take a toll on a leader's work, but it also has a negative impact on his or her mental and physical health. The same study found that leaders who scored higher on emotional exhaustion reported exercising less frequently, missing more work days due to stress and mental health problems, and experiencing greater sleep troubles.
Researchers and educators from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Star Factor Coaching have been helping superintendents in the New York City school district strengthen their emotional intelligence by showing that emotions matter. Photos courtesy of Janet Patti Madeline Chaffee and Kathryn Lee teach emotional intelligence training in Brooklyn, New York.
Flexing Our Emotional Intelligence Muscles

Emotional exhaustion-a by-product of chronic unhealthy stress-is not inevitable for school leaders. A major cause of distress is when leaders mismanage emotionally charged situations. This suggests that, by developing the skills of emotional intelligence (EI) (Salovey & Mayer, 1990), school leaders can prevent much workplace stress.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize emotions in one's self and in others, to understand the causes and effects of emotions, and to manage emotions effectively to suit a goal or situation (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 2016). Leaders with developed EI possess greater self-awareness: Among other actions, they pause multiple times throughout the school day to reflect on their emotions and their meaning. Critically, emotionally intelligent leaders learn to recognize the behaviors, triggers, and events that lead to unhealthy stress.

Since 2015, the New York City school district has spearheaded an unprecedented initiative to infuse EI training throughout the school system. Partnering with our organizations- Star Factor Coaching and the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence -NYC has developed a program that includes intensive professional development training and coaching in emotional intelligence for district and school leaders.

Dolores Esposito served 11 years as a superintendent before taking on her current role as an executive superintendent of leadership at the New York City Department of Education. She says the emotional intelligence training she has received helps her thrive rather than burn out in psychologically demanding positions. The skills she has learned not only help her to manage her own emotions, but they also empower her to recognize and understand others' feelings, especially those who have competing needs and require personalized support to move toward positive action. Further, Esposito now recognizes authentic listening as an essential skill that facilitates her leadership efforts and supports the needs of all school stakeholders.

"Without emotional intelligence strategies and skills, it would have been much more difficult to effectively lead, inspire, and manage the complexity of the 21st century superintendent's role," Esposito says.

A New Professional Development

As part of the EI development program, all New York City school leaders attend training sessions that are based on RULER, a tool developed by researchers at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence that provides an evidence-based approach to social-emotional learning. It teaches five key skills: recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotions (see " Focus Areas for Developing Emotional Intelligence"). From the outset, the educators learn that emotions matter in schools, especially for learning, decision making, relationships, health, and everyday performance. Using role plays, reflection, and feedback, they practice applying these skills in positive communication, conflict management, empathy, and systems thinking.

To reinforce and individualize leaders' learning, the district partners with leadership coaches from our two organizations. The coaches work with individual leaders for five months to explore emotional challenges and successes. Coaches ask questions, listen, and provide resources on how leaders can develop specific skills, such as emotional regulation. These skills directly help to build resilience and support healthy interpersonal problem solving and conflict resolution.

The coaching process begins with leaders reflecting on their personal and professional vision and values and setting personal and professional goals for their own development. Then, throughout the process, the leaders get intensive and thorough feedback on their leadership behaviors. The feedback helps them identify the gap between the leader they are and the leader they hope to become. Blind spots and challenge areas are identified and become the focus of leadership development goals. Examples of development goals include: listening more (and solving problems without others' input less), showing empathy to others in need, being more present and focused, empowering rather than micromanaging others, managing frustration or disappointment more effectively, and being more in tune with the emotions of those around them (rather than making assumptions). As leaders make progress toward their goals, they generally become more hopeful and confident about their leadership and what is possible for their school community.

As school leaders build their leadership self-efficacy, they model their emotional intelligence skills. These leaders actively and regularly articulate their vision to the larger school community. For example, one superintendent who has undergone coaching now begins every professional development meeting with stories about her progress developing greater self-awareness and self-management. She speaks about how she now uses breathing exercises and pauses before reacting when she feels angry. This is in comparison to how she used to blurt out whatever she was thinking or feeling, sometimes to the detriment of others. Her transparency about her leadership growth inspires others to grow themselves, generating a positive contagion of personal development throughout her district.

A Systemwide, Cascading Impact

The focus on emotionally intelligent leadership in NYC public schools has fostered a systemwide effort to build a culture anchored in emotional intelligence. The leaders' training has helped to transform multiple school communities into collaborative learning environments with a shared vision, common values, and clear norms of how to develop together. With enhanced EI skills, healthy relationships thrive and supportive social networks accelerate student success. Through the ripple effects of implementing EI training in leaders, positive communication and healthy social-emotional development can spread to teachers and to students (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009).

In these school communities, self-awareness and self-management skills have become the pillars of pedagogy and school culture. Educators become proactive with their emotions, which helps them to avert the array of workplace stressors that trigger burnout and turnover. This can also lead to more conscious interactions, generative relationships, and a willingness to support one another through challenging moments. In schools with this developmental focus, conflict gets put on the table instead of under it, and adults work through the hard issues instead of avoiding them. Assumptions are challenged, and differences are explored to find common ground. In schools where EI is integrated throughout, adults are equipped to work through all of the hard spots.

Where to Start

Not every district may be ready to implement a systemwide approach to promoting emotional intelligence. However, all education leaders can take steps today to focus on the five key ingredients of EI skill building. In the absence of a more formalized investment in EI leadership or professional development, every school district or school leader can:

Create an expectation that emotions matter. Emotions are a part of everyone, and all leaders can get better at how we handle stressors.

Foster a culture that not only includes traditional instructional learning coaching, but also supports leaders and teachers socially andemotionally.

Incorporate self-reflection practices into every professional development opportunity. Reflection exercises should explore ways to examine our thinking about our emotions and our emotional skill levels.

Prioritize time in meetings to discuss school challenges and ideas with community members and receive feedback about how teachers and leaders handled difficult situations.

Revisit community norms regularly to check in on how everyone is feeling about the school's climate.

Emphasize self-care practices, such as meditation, yoga classes, exercise, and retreats. Allow teachers to include a self-care commitment when they set their performance goals.

Encourage individuals to take short physical or mental breaks every 45-60 minutes, to focus on work that makes them feel capable and productive, and to use their time off for enjoyable activities.

When given time and space for EI development, education leaders are more likely to see moderate levels of stress as a pathway toward self-efficacy and personal accomplishment. With self-awareness to detect the onset of unhealthy stress and helpful strategies to manage stress, leaders are more likely to reach out for emotional and community support, avoid burnout, reconnect with their purpose, and more passionately and skillfully cultivate flourishing schools.

References

Brackett, M. A., Floman, J. L., & Bradley, C. (2018). Emotion revolution for education leaders (survey). Unpublished data. Yale University.

Federici, R., & Skaalvik, E. (2012). Principal self-efficacy: Relations with burnout, job satisfaction, and motivation to quit. Social Psychology Education, 15(3), 295-320.

Grissom, J. A., & Andersen, S. (2012). Why superintendents turn over. American Educational Research Journal, 49(6), 1146-1180.

Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491-525.

Le Fevre, M., Matheny, J., & Kolt, G. S. (2003). Eustress, distress, and interpretation in occupational stress. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 18(7), 726-744.

Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W. B., & Leiter, M. P. (2001). Job burnout. American Review of Psychology, 52, 397-422.

Mayer, J. D., Caruso, D. R., & Salovey, P. (2016). The ability model of emotional intelligence: Principles and updates. Emotion Review, 8(4), 290-300.

McGonigal, K. (2016). The upside of stress. New York: Avery.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185-211.

Janet Patti is a professor in educational leadership at Hunter College and cofounder of Star Factor Coaching, a consulting firm that partners with districts and schools to build social and emotional capacities in educators. Allison Holzer is the co-founder of the talent-strategy firm InspireCorps and the principal design, research, and strategy officer for Star Factor Coaching. Robin S. Stern is the associate director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence at Yale University and co-founder of Star Factor Coaching. James Floman is a postdoctoral associate at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence at Yale University. Marc A. Brackett is a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University and director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

KEYWORDS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Online June 2018 | Volume 75 Fighting Educator Burnout Pages 46-51 Janet Patti, Allison Holzer, Robin S. Stern, James Floman and Marc A. Brackett For school leaders, stress is inevitable. The day-to-day grind of leading is emotionally demanding, and new challenges and higher accountability create a fever pitch of emotion that can churn inside even the strongest of leaders.