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This book is a quick, but powerful read and book-study for your staff. The characters in the book are reflective of the perceptions of new to veteran teachers. The book study questions are reflective to everyone and truly leads to staff thinking about how their personalities affect the culture of the school.

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…like an IV bag for teachers.

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35 Best Teacher Appreciation Week Themes Ideas for 2025, teacher appreci… in 2025 | Teacher appreciation week themes, Teacher appreciation themes, Teacher appreciation week

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Apr 10, 2025 - Celebrate educators with the best teacher appreciation week themes! Discover top ideas for 2025, including western, beach, and daily theme inspirations.

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Article on how we sacrifice passion and creativity for efficiency and processs.

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In creative fields, managers and organizations more concerned with process than results will ultimately optimize themselves down to nothing

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This book based on real cases is an essential on child development and psychology.

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The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child ...

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Collective Vision and Collaborative Leadership: Dan Johnson at TEDxToledo

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Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)

Integrating social and emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching can help build a school culture that celebrates all students.

It is clear that creating equity in schools ultimately requires significant shifts at fiscal and political levels. Yet there is much that classrooms and schools can do right now to create environments in which diverse student learners have the opportunity to engage in learning experiences that build social, emotional, cultural, civic, and academic competence. Through this integration-which includes building competencies in CASEL's five core SEL skills -administrators, in conjunction with school-level and community-based stakeholders, can develop classroom practices that embrace the cultures and lived experiences of all students and adults.

Such practices can lead to the creation of inclusive schools. Educators can create inclusive schools through the following means: fostering a strong school culture, creating classrooms centered around caring and kindness, and encouraging teachers to support students in self-reflection and celebrating themselves.

How All Educators Can Foster a Strong School Culture

School culture grows out from the classroom and into daily life within a school building. It can be strengthened by having teachers focus on the assets and strengths of learners, and providing students with pedagogical and learning approaches that build on their diverse experiences. Doing so can yield a palpably supportive climate steeped in the expectation that all students will achieve academic proficiency.

To create such a climate, students' learning and academic success can be enhanced by encouraging positive ethnic, racial, and cultural identities. School leaders can have teachers elicit, recognize, reinforce, and celebrate the cultures of all students. They should hold and espouse high expectations for all students, and engage families (and community resources) as important partners in supporting learners to achieve academic and social success. When classrooms lack aspects of diversity, students and teachers can together create plans to introduce and experience other perspectives in the spirit of widening their cultural responsiveness.

School leaders can also have teachers apply, and help students apply, their cultural experiences to classroom learning tasks, and encourage all students to demonstrate awareness of their historic place in society, and in their school and community. In so doing, students are encouraged to display and appreciate the diverse skills, knowledge, and real-life experiences that are represented in the classroom.

How Teachers Can Foster a Culture of Caring

Classrooms are places where students need to be helpful, cooperative, kind, and caring about one another. For 180 school days, students enter classrooms wanting to be successful, recognized, valued, and supported. Teachers can create this kind of supportive environment by creating with students a set of classroom rules or norms for how to treat one another.

Observe existing patterns of caring, kindness, and helping within your classroom, and pay particular attention to discussing how students can help one another and seek out help from adults in the school. Make it clear that caring and kindness are the norm, not the exception, and that no students are excluded from receiving and demonstrating these attributes.

How to Support Students in Self-Reflection and Celebration of Themselves

Teachers can guide students in building social and emotional competencies so that they learn to act in ways that make themselves proud. Teachers can also provide students with equitable opportunities to speak, participate, and lead; to join groups, teams, or clubs; and to be recognized and appreciated. Barriers that perpetuate unequal access and participation should be eliminated to enable access and opportunity for all students.

What should you do in my class if you are feeling anxious about an exam, assignment, or project?

What should you do if you are feeling distracted, saddened, or angered by losses in your life, either past losses or ones you are anticipating, or events reported in the media?

When do you learn best?

Who are the people you look up to most-in your family, in the community, in history, or in various walks of life (sports, the arts, government, science, writing, etc.)? Why?

What are examples of hope, heroism, and positive moral conviction and inspiration in your life right now? Who or what provides this for you, and what strengths can you draw from them that you can apply to your everyday life?

What are examples of mistreatment of people you have seen or heard about recently in your school, based on race, gender, ability/disability, or some other personal characteristic? How about your community? Let's talk about an example where you acted based on what you saw: What happened? What did you do?

Now let's talk about an example where you did not act based on what you saw: What did you do instead? Why was it so hard to act? How did you feel? What is the lesson learned from those feelings (e.g., hard to take action as an individual; must be very confident about possible action; must be well-practiced and prepared for obstacles; must believe very strongly about what the injustice is; must feel supported in taking an action)?

Acts of everyday courage-tolerance, acceptance, reaching out to others-are not simple and do require courage. Who or what are you most or least willing to fight for, and why?

Students benefit from clear, non-stigmatizing opportunities to express uncertainties, anxieties, and loss, to address the issues they are seeing and hearing about in the media, and to raise questions they want to discuss. Teachers can have students use pair shares, pre-writing, and other means to make sure every student participates.

Some good discussion prompts to help build a supportive classroom:

This kind of culturally responsive, supportive environment is the minimum that should be expected of schools in order to prepare all children for participatory citizenship in the 21st century, regardless of students' backgrounds and their individual abilities or disabilities.

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How SEL Can Help Make Schools Feel More Inclusive

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Integrating social and emotional learning and culturally responsive teaching can help build a school culture that celebrates all students.

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How to Lead Your Community Toward a Shared Vision of Student Success

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How to Lead Your Community Toward a Shared Vision of Student Success

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This article offers a structured approach for engaging stakeholders from all parts of your community—students, parents, teachers, and leaders. This is very important for the vision and the mission of any great school or educator.

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How to Lead Your Community Toward a Shared Vision of Student Success | Featured Articles | Educational Leadership and Management

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This article talks about cultivating a culture of innovation through the modifying the curriculum and assessment to professional development and the use of resources.

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This video is a reminder to the staff and students about the power of connection to invoke change and forward movement.

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Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

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This is an old leadership book from back in the late 1980's. This said its foundational message is still relevant today whereby it encourages employees to "own their jobs" through empowerment. This author has written one specifically for education for which I am reading capstone hours.

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This leadership book discusses different types of issues that can impact team effectiveness. You can get a workbook that goes along with it. Great for discovering and working through team diversity and to promote team alignment.

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There is a fear that given the agency to set classroom guidelines, students won't take them seriously, like demanding everyday to be ice cream day or asking to install a classroom water slide. However, according to Lifshitz, students come up with thoughtful ways to coexist in the classroom alongside their classmates with the right scaffolding.

It took a while for her class vision activity to evolve into what it is today. When she first started doing the activity, she didn't do a lot leading up to it. "On the first day, I just asked the kids what did they want from their classmates and what did they want from their teacher?" says Lifshitz. She was surprised to see that her students' voices still seemed missing from the final product. "I often still ended up with that same list of rules that I would have written on my own," she says. "It wasn't doing what I needed it to do, what I wanted it to do or what kids deserved for it to do." Her attempt at encouraging student agency felt "hokey," like she was just going through the motions of collaboration without actually getting to the core of what they needed from her or what they needed from each other.

To make more room for authentic collaboration, Lifshitz began to start the school year with a conversation about rules. She wanted learners to think critically about how rules work in the world outside of their school, where rules come from and why we might choose to follow them or not follow them.

She gives students prompts to think through as a class while she takes notes of the questions and comments that come up during the discussion. First, students are asked to define a rule. Next, she'll ask students if they should follow rules. Then, she'll ask why students need to follow rules. She says at this point, most students feel as if they can predict where the line of questioning is going, which is why some collaborative rule setting activities, like the ones she initially tried out, didn't work.

When they deliberate on the next question, she says there's a shift in the room: Are there other rules that treat people unfairly? In response, students bring up the Civil Rights Movement and specific moments in history where rules were used to treat groups of people unfairly . Together they talk through the distinction between injustice from unequal access and things that just seem unfair like an older sibling having a later bedtime.

Sometimes she'll read " The Wedding Portrait'' by Innosanto Nagara or " with her class to provide more examples of when and why one should break rules. The class eventually arrives at a collective decision that rules are not the best way to express what kind of classroom they are hoping to build together. The Library Lion " by Michelle Knudsen

"From there, we then shift to this idea that maybe what we need is a vision that allows us all to thrive. That shifts us to this conversation around creating a class vision statement."

Core Questions For Visioning

Lifshitz and her students use four core questions to help them think about how their class environment enables everyone to be their full self and learn in the best way possible. The core questions are:

What do you need from this physical space?

What do you need from yourself?

What do you need from the people learning around you?

What do you need from the people teaching you?

"I didn't want to use words like 'classmates' and 'teachers,'" says Lifshiftz. "I really wanted to reinforce that idea that depending on what moment it is we are all learners and we are all teachers in different ways."

Lifshitz uses a multimodal approach to invite kids to think through the questions and make sure she has engagement from all of her students. She starts with Jamboard so kids can individually consider and record their answers to each question.

"I have found that when we do these activities and solely rely on verbal conversation, that tends to privilege certain students." she says, referring to students that are more extroverted. "I wanted to make sure that there was space for my more quiet students, more introverted students, [and] students who maybe verbal processing isn't a strength of theirs."

For students who benefit from thinking things over with peers, Lifshitz also makes room for them to work together in small groups to discuss each question. She'll circle the classroom while taking notes and then engage the whole class in a discussion.

Using a big piece of chart paper divided into four sections and labeled with the four core questions, she writes down their themes and ideas, leaving space for students to verbally add anything they didn't surface in their groups.

Each section forms the basis of the class vision statement, which Lifshitz types up and shares with students to review. "I show them our draft of the vision statement and allow them to leave notes on paper copies of what they think we're missing." When students are done with their revisions, she uploads the finalized vision to Google classroom so her entire class has access to it.

Addressing Challenges

In a time where many students are transitioning back to learning in school buildings, having authentic input from her students to co-create a class vision has helped Lifshitz understand students' needs.

"It's really important to me that I adjust my teaching in those first few days to meet my kids where they are," she says. "Making sure this process is collaborative and hearing from my kids what they need in this moment really allows me to do that in a way that I couldn't if it wasn't collaborative."

For example, this year, Lifshitz's learners talked about needing a calm environment more than they had in past years. Kids also expressed desires regarding the classroom that she couldn't meet such as wanting more flexibility in the physical space.

"A lot of that had to be taken away last year as social distancing became so very important in keeping our kids healthy and alive and well" says Lifshitz. "They missed having the flexibility of working in a spot that felt comfortable to them or moving around the room when they needed to."

Co-creating a classroom vision has also given her students the opportunity to grow in a way that a strict set of rules might not have. She says students in one of her classes used to push and shove each other as they raced into the room to pick out the seats they wanted. Lifshitz was worried they were going to hurt each other and was also concerned that certain kids were feeling left out if other students did not want to sit next to them. Her first thought was to take away the ability for students to choose their own seats. Instead, she took time with her class to revisit their vision.

"The issue [was that] our actions weren't making everyone feel included," says Lifshitz. As they looked through their class vision, they assessed whether they were living into their expectations. They were able to have conversations about their intention and impact: even though students were just wanting to sit next to their friends, the impact was that other students were feeling excluded. When they recognized that they were straying from their class vision, several students noticeably changed their behavior.

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How student-led vision statements can nurture school community - MindShift

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There is a fear that given the agency to set classroom guidelines, students won't take them seriously, like demanding everyday to be ice cream day or asking to install a classroom water slide. However, according to Lifshitz, students come up with thoughtful ways to coexist in the classroom alongside their classmates with the right scaffolding.

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Achieving Success Together: Shared Vision in Leadership

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Achieving Success Together: Shared Vision in Leadership

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In the quest for innovation and progress, the most forward-thinking leaders recognize that the strength of a team lies not just in the sum of its parts, but in the unity of its vision.

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In the quest for innovation and progress, the most forward-thinking leaders recognize that the strength of a team lies not just in the sum of its parts, but in the unity of its vision.

This article offers a deep dive into the concept of shared vision in collaborative leadership, providing a comprehensive guide for product innovators, executives, consultants, and educators. By breaking down complex concepts into accessible strategies and insights, we aim to empower leaders and teams to harness their collective strengths, drive innovation, and achieve their goals together.

A shared vision acts as the heartbeat of any collaborative effort, pumping vitality and purpose into every project and initiative. More than just a guiding light, it unites individual aspirations under a collective identity, propelling diverse teams towards common objectives. As backed by empirical evidence, such as a study by Kotter International, 70% of significant transformation efforts falter due to a lack of engagement and a clearly articulated vision.

The purpose of instilling a shared vision within a team is multifaceted. Primarily, it serves to synchronize the diverse energies, talents, and efforts of team members, channeling them towards a unified objective. It acts as a catalyst for fostering a sense of community and belonging, ensuring that every individual's contributions are directed towards the collective goal, thereby magnifying the impact of their combined efforts.

Having established the paramount importance of a shared vision as the pulsating core of collaborative efforts, it becomes imperative to delve into the practical mechanisms of bringing this vision to life.

The essence of bringing a shared vision to life lies in effective communication and the alignment of individual and collective goals. These steps are the conduits through which the shared vision permeates every layer of the team's structure, transforming the way members interact, collaborate, and contribute towards the common objectives.

Articulating the Vision: The first step in this process is to articulate the shared vision in a manner that resonates with every team member. This involves not only defining the vision in clear and compelling terms but also contextualizing it in a way that reflects its relevance to the diverse roles and contributions within the team. Effective communication of the shared vision ensures that it is understood, embraced, and championed by all, setting the stage for a unified effort towards its realization.

Aligning Goals with the Shared Vision: Once the vision is clearly communicated, the next step is to align individual and collective goals with this overarching vision. This alignment is crucial for ensuring that every team member's efforts and aspirations contribute constructively to the collective endeavor. It involves a careful balance between honoring individual goals and ensuring they serve the broader objectives of the team. This alignment fosters a sense of purpose and direction, guiding the team's efforts towards the shared vision.

Creating a Sense of Ownership and Commitment: Effective communication and alignment of goals also serve to instill a deep sense of ownership and commitment among team members. When individuals see their personal and professional growth reflected in the shared vision, their engagement and motivation soar. This heightened sense of ownership encourages proactive contribution and innovation, further propelling the team towards the realization of their shared objectives.

Collaborative Processes: Employing participatory methods such as brainstorming sessions, design thinking workshops, and strategic dialogues is crucial in co-creating the shared vision. These platforms allow for the free flow of ideas, fostering creativity and innovation.

Soliciting Input: A culture that prizes every voice and perspective is essential in crafting a shared vision that truly resonates with the team. Encouraging open dialogue and actively seeking input ensures that the vision is reflective of the collective wisdom and diversity of the group.

Ensuring Inclusivity: The strength of a shared vision lies in its ability to represent the multifaceted perspectives and backgrounds of its constituents. Ensuring inclusivity in the vision-creation process not only enriches the vision but also strengthens the commitment of team members, as they see their identities and ideas reflected in the collective goal.

Creating a shared vision should be an inclusive process that leverages the collective wisdom and creativity of the entire team. Successful examples, such as Google's "20% time" policy, demonstrate the power of participatory methods in fostering innovation. By allowing employees to dedicate a portion of their time to projects they are passionate about, Google has seen the birth of key products and services, showcasing the effectiveness of involving team members in the vision creation process.

Leading by Example: One of the most powerful ways leaders can support the shared vision is by leading by example. This means embodying the values, behaviors, and work ethic that the vision espouses. When leaders demonstrate their commitment to the vision through their actions, they set a standard for the rest of the team. This visible demonstration of commitment encourages team members to align their actions with the shared vision, fostering a culture of accountability and excellence.

Guidance and Direction: Leaders play a crucial role in providing the guidance and direction needed to keep the team aligned with the shared vision. This involves clear communication of expectations, milestones, and the strategic path to achieving the vision. By breaking down the vision into actionable steps and goals, leaders can help team members understand their roles and contributions to the collective endeavor. Regular check-ins and progress reviews can further ensure that the team remains on track and any deviations are promptly addressed.

Empowering Team Members: Supporting the shared vision also involves empowering team members to take initiative and contribute their best to the collective goals. Leaders can foster empowerment by creating an environment that encourages innovation, recognizes individual contributions, and provides opportunities for growth and development. Motivation can be further enhanced by celebrating successes, acknowledging the hard work of team members, and reinforcing how individual contributions move the team closer to realizing the shared vision.

Leaders are the linchpins in nurturing and realizing a shared vision. Beyond being visionaries, their role encompasses being facilitators and exemplars who embody the vision's core values. The Transformational Leadership Theory sheds light on this dynamic, emphasizing leaders' influence in motivating and guiding their teams towards a common horizon. By living out the shared vision, leaders not only set a behavioral benchmark but also cultivate a culture of accountability and excellence within their teams.

Regular Communication to Reinforce the Vision: The vitality of the shared vision is sustained through regular and engaging communication efforts. This can be achieved through regular team meetings, updates, and newsletters that highlight the vision's relevance to current projects and goals. Storytelling can be a powerful tool in this context, sharing success stories that exemplify the vision in action. Such narratives not only reinforce the vision but also inspire and motivate team members by showing the tangible impact of their collective efforts.

Establishing Measurable Objectives: Setting clear, measurable objectives that align with the shared vision provides tangible milestones for the team. hese objectives should be directly tied to the vision, providing a clear roadmap for what success looks like. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals ensures that progress can be quantitatively and qualitatively assessed, offering concrete milestones that the team can work towards.

Using Feedback Mechanisms: An integral part of sustaining a shared vision is the establishment of a feedback loop that allows for continuous refinement of strategies and approaches. Soliciting feedback from team members on the effectiveness of current strategies, their alignment with the shared vision, and areas for improvement fosters a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. This feedback can be gathered through surveys, suggestion boxes, and open forums, ensuring that all team members have a voice in the process.

For a shared vision to thrive, it must be reinforced through strategic communication and clear metrics for success. The Balanced Scorecard approach is a valuable tool in this context, translating vision and strategy into a coherent set of performance measures across four perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. This framework helps teams set and communicate objectives that are directly aligned with the shared vision, providing a clear roadmap for success.

Building Trust and Communication: Trust is foundational in a collaborative culture, established through transparency in decisions and open sharing of successes and challenges. This openness encourages team members to express ideas freely, facilitating easier navigation through challenges. Effective communication keeps the team aligned with the shared vision, necessitating open and accessible channels for information exchange. This fosters a culture where dialogue is encouraged, and every voice is valued.

Harnessing Diversity and Collective Problem-Solving: Diversity within teams introduces a breadth of perspectives and innovative solutions. Leaders should foster an inclusive environment that values each member's contribution, enhancing the team's approach to the shared vision. Adopting a collective problem-solving mindset empowers the team, especially when facing challenges. Involvement in brainstorming and solution-finding increases commitment and harnesses the team's collective intellect.

Fostering Autonomy and Providing Support: Empowering team members with autonomy and ownership of their tasks boosts motivation and drives innovation. Feeling responsible for outcomes encourages individuals to contribute their best, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. Leaders must ensure the team has the necessary support and resources to effectively tackle challenges. Emotional and moral support from leadership instills confidence in team members to overcome obstacles.

Learning from Experiences: Challenges are opportunities for learning. Promoting a reflective culture where experiences are shared and lessons learned prepares the team for future obstacles, fostering continuous improvement.

The culmination of implementing a shared vision in collaborative leadership lies in the cultivation of a collaborative culture and the adept navigation of challenges that may arise. Google's Project Aristotle underscores this, identifying psychological safety as a critical element in team success. This research highlights the necessity of fostering an environment where team members feel valued and heard, ensuring diverse perspectives are harnessed to tackle challenges creatively.

However, how collaborative culture is cultivated and how challenges are navigated is what significantly impacts the team's success. Here are some strategies for building this culture and turning potential obstacles into opportunities for growth.

The true essence of a shared vision in collaborative leadership lies not in its mere existence but in its power to inspire, unite, and propel teams towards unprecedented heights of success. It's about creating an environment where every member feels valued, empowered, and integral to the collective mission. This journey, filled with its challenges and triumphs, is a testament to the resilience, creativity, and spirit of collaboration that defines the most successful teams.

As we look to the future, the principles of collaborative leadership and shared vision offer a blueprint for navigating the complexities of our ever-changing world. They remind us that together, with a clear vision and a united purpose, there are no limits to what we can achieve. The path forward is one of collaboration, innovation, and shared success, driven by the collective strength of teams united by a common vision.

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Achieving Success Together: Shared Vision in Leadership

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Discover strategies to foster a shared vision in collaborative leadership. Enhance team alignment and drive collective success with these techniques.

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This is a great example that details the rationale behind actions whether they are big picture or smaller details. I think it's great for a leader to watch to help them dream up a vision and carry it out.

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How Great Leaders Inspire Action | Simon Sinek | TED

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Empowering Students to be real world problem solvers!

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Empowering Students to be real world problem solvers!

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Empowering Students to Be Real-World Problem Solvers

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A few schools in my district have used this book to create a positive culture that has staying power.

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This book gives step by step ways to create and implement a vision and mission statement that will have a lasting impact.

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This book focuses on tools and action steps you can use to overcome common roadblocks that interfere with creating a safe and collaborative PLC.

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As we move through the process of becoming educational leaders, we are seeing the connection between vision, mission, data and building a strong learning community. I thought this video was a great resource to help guide our PLC's.

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ASCEND | Facilitating Effective Professional Learning Committees (PLCs)

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When thinking of the ISTE standards the "education leader" component resonates with me. We have to create technology-rich environments and lead culture change in collaboration with administration and the community. Additionally, we have to remember that vision is not "static" it is a living discipline that is always evolving.

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A shared vision for a school: developing a learning community

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Developing a school as a learning community is a complex process necessitating active engagement from the entire school community. This paper reports on a study from Finland that focused on explori…

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Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition: Grenny: 9781260474183: Amazon.com: Books

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Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition [Grenny] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition

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What Great Principals Do Differently: Twenty Things That Matter Most

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What Great Principals Do Differently: Twenty Things That Matter Most [Whitaker, Todd] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What Great Principals Do Differently: Twenty Things That Matter Most

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Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.’” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

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Smore is a great tool for creating newsletters. Parents can select a language to have the newsletter be translated into for ease of access.

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Smore: The Ultimate Tool for Educators' Newsletters and Communication

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Streamline school communication with Smore. Create eye-catching newsletters, lesson plans, and posters to engage students and parents.

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Amazing and Transformational - must have for you and your teachers!

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The Highly Effective Teacher (7 Classroom-Tested Practices That Foster Student Success)

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By Jeff C. Marshall, ISBN: 9781416621683, Paperback. Bulk books at wholesale prices. Min. 25 copies. Free Shipping & Price Match Guarantee

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Great leadership starts with self-leadership | Lars Sudmann | TEDxUCLouvain

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What Makes the Highest Performing Teams in the World | Simon Sinek

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"Equity" and "Diversity" are very deep topics, and as such, there are dangers in boiling them down to a list of tips. The following is not a list of activities one does to be equitable or to celebrate diversity, and should not be looked at as such. Rather, the goal is to provide a starting point for considering equity and supporting diversity within our classrooms. The following headings are very broad reminders of how we can continue our efforts to achieve the goal of a mathematics education experience that is equitable and celebrates diversity.

Equity does not mean equal. When considering how equitable one's teaching and expectations are, we must consider the diverse needs and strengths of individual students, as well as the needs and strengths of the whole class. One student may need only a few minutes of extra instruction to master a concept, while the next student may need additional time to work and struggle with a set of manipulatives to develop an understanding which will allow him to own the content. It is not about how much time each student gets, but rather, how to create the appropriate opportunities for each student to learn mathematics.

Focus on the individual. Learning our students' names is only the first step in developing a relationship with those individuals. The more we understand and respect the individual's background and strengths, the more we understand their particular needs. How do language, culture, gender, and socio-economics shape our students' world? More importantly, how can we, as teachers, understand, celebrate, and utilize the strengths and differences that make our classes unique? A first day handout or classroom exercise might include a survey that asks students to list strengths and rate past successes with mathematics. A simple exercise such as this can give us a good idea of students' feelings about mathematics and about themselves as math students, providing the contextual starting point for classroom interactions.

Create an environment for success. Do your students know how important their success is to you? It never hurts to remind them! The expectations that we hold for our students send clear messages of how we feel about their education. Holding high expectations for each and every student shows our confidence in their ability and translates into success for more students. An environment that fosters success can be one in which all ideas and strategies are valued, where students share their thinking, listen with interest, and engage each and every student in consideration of the ideas presented.

Identify your biases, and then get over them! Regardless of individual background or upbringing, we all carry our own biases and stereotypes. As teachers, we are responsible for helping EACH and EVERY student succeed, not just the ones that fit into our "box" of people who should do well. Set aside these biases and stereotypes and harness students' strengths to further every student towards the brimming mathematician and problem solver that they can be.

Create an equitable curriculum that supports diverse needs and celebrates diverse strengths. Not every student learns the same way, so we must vary our approaches to lessons and provide students with manipulatives, visuals, projects, technology and group work to reach as many minds as possible. Give every student the opportunity to shine every day. Most of us have to follow a state or district curriculum, but with some creativity and work, we can meet the state and district requirements while making math interesting, engaging, and attainable for our students.

Be aware of your questioning and listening techniques. How we ask questions, who we direct them to, and our interest in student responses can have lasting impacts on our students' achievement. We must believe that we can learn from all of our students' responses. We can learn about the students' thinking and often we can learn alternative ways of thinking about the mathematics itself. Is each and every student asked to engage in rigorous mathematical thought during the course of a lesson? Is each and every student given the time to think? Students should have the opportunity to tackle rigorous math every day, and carefully examining and altering our questioning and listening techniques can better assure that this happens.

Walk the tightrope. We need to meet the needs of all our students, but it often feels as though we walk a tightrope to do this. While I am praising and encouraging the student who sits in the front row and knows the answers to even my toughest questions, am I simultaneously discouraging and ignoring that struggling student who sits in the back, never offers answers, and avoids eye-contact when I ask a question? These two students have very different needs, and the one who shouts louder is often more likely to get my attention. After all, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, right? Engaging and supporting each and every student is not easy, but it is our duty as classroom teachers. I challenge you to touch base with EVERY student, EVERY day. Work to give them opportunities to shine, to show their strengths, every day. You never know when you will turn that corner with a student and have a young scholar on your hands.

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Supporting Each and Every Student: Equity and Diversity - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

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"Equity" and "Diversity" are very deep topics, and as such, there are dangers in boiling them down to a list of tips. The following is not a list of activities one does to be equitable or to celebrate diversity, and should not be looked at as such.

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It starts with connections — strong and overlapping interactions among all members of the school community

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3 Things that Make a MEANINGFUL Vision | Simon Sinek

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In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. This time, he turns his keen intellect and storytelling power to the fascinating, complex world of teams.

Kathryn Petersen, Decision Tech's CEO, faces the ultimate leadership crisis: Uniting a team in such disarray that it threatens to bring down the entire company. Will she succeed? Will she be fired? Will the company fail? Lencioni's utterly gripping tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight.

Throughout the story, Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a compelling fable with a powerful yet deceptively simple message for all those who strive to be exceptional team leaders.

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable [Lencioni, Patrick] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

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A school's vision statement is its goal for the future-the values the school community collectively holds, what success looks like, and how everyone works together to make that growth possible. It's the principle that guides the initiatives you develop alongside staff, the language you use with students and families, and the mindset that inspires and motivates everyone to do their best.

As important as it is to have this kind of shared vision statement, our current circumstances-teacher shortages, changing public health guidance- make it difficult to concentrate on anything other than short-term plans. Yet, your school's vision is the shared foundation that can sustain you and your school community through these challenging times. And maybe even emerge from the pandemic stronger and wiser.

We've outlined six actions that education leaders can take right now to help you keep that vision front and center.

Why having a shared school vision is important

A shared vision represents the ideal future state for students, teachers, parents, and your entire school community. Developed with a wide range of stakeholders, a school vision answers these questions:

What is the ultimate goal for our students?

What do we want our students to believe about themselves and their potential?

What is our vision of success for our students beyond our school to college, careers, and citizenship?

What values should our larger school community model to help students reach these goals?

More than a poster or mission statement on your school's website, a shared vision serves as the anchor for how students, staff, families, and community members experience your school environment. And, it makes them feel responsible and empowered for doing their part to maintain it.

More than a poster or mission statement on your school's website, a shared vision serves as the anchor for how students, staff, and families experience your school environment.

‍Prioritize what matters

The pandemic solidified something we already knew-educators can quite literally do anything. That doesn't mean they should do everything. Taking the time to make sure your teachers and staff know what the priorities are and where they should focus can help them avoid overwhelm. This also means actions that were important at one point may fall into the background for a bit, and that's okay.

While student achievement goals are important priorities, it's also important to remember other needs. As she watched her school grapple with immense losses from COVID-19, New Leaders alum and principal Clariza Dominicci focused on remembering the humanity and complexity of her school community-and making happiness an integral part of the school culture. "We need to bring joy back into our classrooms again," she says. "We need to bring back those smiles."

Align with what's happening now

In our book Breakthrough Principals, we say that a school vision is most effective if it "grows out of your school's needs," and there have been plenty of challenges and setbacks over the last two years that may have shifted those needs slightly.

For instance, if your school's vision statement is to ensure that every student can and will be ready to succeed in college and career, but you see that students of color aren't getting access to age-appropriate coursework that's relevant and engaging, it might signal a gap between your vision and your current state. This gives you an opportunity to think critically about your strategic plan and the programs and initiatives you're planning in the future.

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Motivate your community to keep going

Having a school vision statement can be a built-in motivator-when school leaders, teachers, staff, students, parents, and the greater community develop a sense of unity based on a common goal, it's easier for everyone to work together and persist when things get hard.

Having a shared vision can be a built-in motivator-when school leaders, teachers, staff, students, parents, and the greater community develop a sense of unity based on a common goal, it's easier for everyone to work together and persist when things get hard.

When New Leaders alum and principal Felipe Jackson was looking for ways to keep his school moving forward during the first months of the pandemic, he realized the one thing he could control as a leader was the way he motivated teachers to teach, students to learn, and parents to stay engaged. "I became their biggest cheerleader every day," he says. All of that cheerleading kept them driving toward their shared goal of accelerating student learning.

Open the door to collaboration

The creation of a school vision statement begins with soliciting ideas from a broad range of stakeholders within your school community. It reflects the diverse perspectives of your staff, students, and parents, and it's responsive to their needs and values.

Having a set vision also means it's easier to distribute leadership responsibilities and decision-making to a collective group when it gets hard for school leaders to go it alone. The group is already invested in where the school needs to go and is ready to jump in to figure out how to keep the rudder in the water.

Communicate your own "why"

As a principal in a New Orleans school after Hurricane Katrina, New Leaders alum and principal trainer Karen Bryan-Chambers knew she needed a fresh slate to bring about change. To do that, she thought about her own vision and mission, sharing with her staff why she became a teacher and then a school leader. "Once I shared my why, I asked every staff member to tell me their why. That's how we got our collective why-that was living within each of us."

That first year, Chambers' students soared because the school believed in its vision and its students-and their academic achievement grew year after year. Being candid about why she chose to be an educator led to a renewed purpose among all of her staff and their drive for excellence.

Listen to your community

Making space for all the voices within your school not only gives you insight into the day-to-day lives of those in your community, but it can also create an atmosphere where people can voice what's important to them and be vulnerable. Clariza Dominicci's teachers and staff are grateful they have the space to share their experiences and feelings, and this has also allowed her to lean into her vulnerability. "Sometimes, I have one plan for a meeting, and as I am listening to everyone, I decide to pivot. I put my ego aside and say: 'You tell us. We don't know. And we're okay with that."

Making space for all the voices within your school not only gives you insight into the day-to-day lives of those in your community, but it can also create an atmosphere where people can voice what's important to them and be vulnerable.

Building a school culture and a professional learning community rooted in listening also means honoring the voices of parents and students. A recent Education Week article detailed the experiences of three administrators who have experienced student walkouts due to school policies, racial injustice, and national political concerns. Even when students were protesting, schools found a way to listen and respect the issues students were elevating as important to them-giving them a chance to express their concerns and process their emotions.

A shared school vision can make an uncertain and challenging present seem clearer, building resilience for the present and capacity for the future. It's a reminder of how important it is to continue moving forward to benefit students and the greater school community-even when it's tough. Especially when it's tough.

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Six Actions to Keep Moving Your School's Vision Forward | New Leaders Blog

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When you're navigating challenges, your school's shared vision can serve as a great reminder to keep focusing on what's important. Here are six ways to keep it at the forefront.

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This is an amazing book study for culture. We used this in high school but could be used at every level. It shows how every detail is important in building the culture.

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Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney’s Success

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Now an insider takes you inside the incredible Disney service culture and presents simple, powerful concepts in a fun, memorable way.

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Student - Centered Coaching by Diane Sweeney

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Student - Centered Coaching by Diane Sweeney

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Executive Functions for Every Classroom by Mitch Weathers

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Executive Functions for Every Classroom by Mitch Weathers

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If You Want to Change the World, Start Off by Making Your Bed - William McRaven, US Navy Admiral

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Hyperspaceᵐᵛ - the metaverse for business platform

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Innovation Leadership: Strategies for Success

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Explore the art of Innovation Leadership and discover key strategies that drive success in fostering a culture of creative thinking and progress.

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We must create school culture and make schools successful.

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This books has changed my life because it is important to appreciate life long lessons from learning from every resources one can get their hands on the resources.

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Curative Endurance: 56 rules for overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals

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Curative Endurance: 56 rules for overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals

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Your hard work is paying off. You are doing well in your field. But there is something standing between you and the next level of achievement. That something may just be one of your own annoying habits. Perhaps one small flaw - a behaviour you barely even recognise - is the only thing that's keeping you from where you want to be. It may be that the very characteristic that you believe got you where you are - like the drive to win at all costs - is what's holding you back. As this book explains, people often do well in spite of certain habits rather than because of them - and need a "to stop" list rather than one listing what "to do".

Marshall Goldsmith's expertise is in helping global leaders overcome their unconscious annoying habits and become more successful. His one-on-one coaching comes with a six-figure price tag - but in this book you get his great advice for much less. Recently named as one of the world's five most-respected executive coaches by Forbes, he has worked with over 100 major CEOs and their management teams at the world's top businesses. His clients include corporations such as Goldman Sachs, Glaxo SmithKline, Johnson and Johnson and GE.

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Your hard work is paying off. You are doing well in your field. But there is something standing between you and the next level of achievement. That something may just be one of your own annoying habits. Perhaps one small flaw - a behaviour you barely even recognise - is the only thing that's keeping you from where you want to be.

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Ensuring That the Results of Equity Efforts Last

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A school used feedback from their first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Day to create an even more successful second event.

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Making those positive and engaging connections with first-year teachers.

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Help new teachers feel like part of the team by showing them the ropes, helping them meet veteran staff-and giving them some swag.

I have worked at three school sites, and each was different. I didn't know how to access the printer codes, where to get budget order forms, the school phone policies, and even weekend clearance. Most days, it seemed like a scavenger hunt that I didn't want to be on and, for some reason, one that wouldn't end. This feeling of not knowing resulted in my feeling like an outsider and, frankly, dumb. This is not the feeling you want for your new teachers! Even when I wasn't considered a new teacher, since I was new to the school site, it felt like I had gone back in time to my first year of teaching. Effectively onboarding all newly hired teachers can significantly increase their comfort levels and influence their decision to stay at the school.

5 Keys to Effective Onboarding

1. Recognizing what makes your school unique. Teaching is not simply lesson planning and grading. Many hidden tasks need to be completed each day, and each school site is different. Every school has its own culture and rules that make it unique. One school site may have a schoolwide phone policy, whereas the school down the road allows teachers to decide. One site may have a schoolwide attention signal or enforce the use of student agendas. PLC may mean something to one school and be something different to another.

School spirit alone can involve its own staff training. I have been at school sites where staff go all out (think coordinated outfits, face paint, potlucks) for school events. I have also been at sites where school events are seen as another check mark on a long list of things to do. Identifying what makes your school unique and communicating that to new hires can make them feel more like part of the team.

2. Setting up a meeting before the school year. Onboarding teachers must start before the beginning of the year's professional development. The administration needs to run these because they communicate school-specific expectations. The meeting should include schoolwide policies, district-wide policies, teacher expectations for phones, essential dates, and other vital information-for example, defining acronyms: Schools LOVE their acronyms, yet there is rarely a guide to what these stand for. Creating a PowerPoint document with "fast facts" to be distributed to the new teachers will allow them to revisit the content when needed.

3. Communicating how to communicate. Each school has a specific way they want teachers to communicate. Is it through ParentSquare? Emailing the staff roster? Communicating through team leads? When a teacher calls home, is there a specific way to log the information from the call? At my site, the administrative team took the time to show us examples and non-examples for logging behavior entries. This streamlined approach made everybody's jobs easier, and it took roughly 15 minutes.

Taking the time to communicate the communication policies will help teachers as they transition to their new role. Furthermore, the administration can share how they want to be communicated with (texting, email, making an appointment) so that the new teacher can get support when needed. Clarity with communication protocols will help new teachers feel like they are part of the team and avoid any mistakes.

4. Setting time aside for staff to have fun together. Although it is nice to have a quick getting-to-know-you activity, time should be set aside for casual conversation as well. I am guilty of not paying attention to little details when we introduce new staff. I find it difficult to keep track of all the new rules and people. In addition, I truly loathe the getting-to-know-you games!

I would much rather relax and chat as new and current staff mingle. A staff outing allows the new and veteran teachers to get to know each other. Diving deeper and allowing for actual fun will ensure that teachers feel like humans, not professional-development robots. Bowling, scavenger hunts, ice cream socials, painting classes, and even sporting events are just a few ideas that can allow an opportunity for fun!

5. Giving them some free teacher gear! Nothing screams "new teacher" like a person who doesn't have a school shirt when everybody else is wearing one. I have been there-it's not a fun feeling. Give the new teachers a school shirt, a coffee mug, a hat, stickers, or a workbook geared toward new teachers. Having a little goody bag ready to go with relevant items shows the care you intend to give to your new staff members. It makes them feel welcomed and excited.

Taking time to welcome new staff and get them the correct policies, phone numbers, and teacher swag will start everybody off on the right foot. That is how we keep good teachers in the classroom. Whether you are part of the administration, a lead teacher, or just wanting to support new staff, think about what you would want if you were new and how to create a sense of inclusion and to create meaningful connections. Nobody likes to feel like the odd one out. Every staff member can do their part to include new people. When teachers feel appreciated and included, the chances of the good ones sticking around rapidly increase.

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How to Onboard New Teachers So They Want to Stay

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Help new teachers feel like part of the team by showing them the ropes, helping them meet veteran staff-and giving them some swag.

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Assessing Your School’s Mission and Vision

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When a school’s mission and vision statements are not aligned with daily instructional practices, figuring out why should be a priority.

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The Culture Code

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Every Child Has The Right To THIS Kind Of Education | Jonathan Mooney Inspirational Video |y

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Every Child Has The Right To THIS Kind Of Education | Jonathan Mooney Inspirational Video | Goalcast

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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When It Comes to School Culture, Words Aren’t Enough

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Schools have different cultures created by their beliefs, values, goals, and behavioral norms-cultures that are often described on a continuum from nurturing to toxic. An in cases of depression, instances of suicide, and violence among students, including the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, highlight the importance of creating the healthiest school cultures possible. Although educators may believe the culture of their school supports learning, community, and safety, their perceptions do not always match the experiences of the students or even the adults.

The process of defining and creating a healthy culture generally begins with writing a mission statement and articulating values. Educators can spend hours debating and selecting just the right words. For example, they might discuss the significant differences between "tolerance" or "acceptance" and "inclusion" or "belonging." Given educators' shared goals of creating thriving, high-achieving schools, it is not surprising that they tend to select many of the same words, such as excellence, innovation, risk-taking, depth, creativity, empathy, wellness, life-long learners, etc. And once the words are hammered into handbooks and websites, it's tempting for the adults to believe that these aspirations capture the culture of the school.

But, of course, what matters more than the words themselves is their embodiment in actions, practices, and policies that create the culture. And then, how each person-students, teachers, staff-actually experiences the culture determines the degree to which reality reflects a mission statement. Unfortunately, schools often conflate words with reality.

Misalignment of Stated Values with Actual Culture

Writing a mission is certainly an important first step, but the steps that come next will shape the actual culture:

Examining carefully the school's practices and policies to ensure that they embody mission and values

Gaining meaningful insight every year from students and adults about their experiences; being conscious of the outside factors-societal values, social media, college admission pressures-that can undermine a school's mission

Working to understand students' subculture, or the world of the young that is typically hidden from adults but that very much influences a school's overall culture

For example, what do we mean when we claim academic excellence as an attribute of a school's culture? Are our aspirations supported by our practices? A closer look at the culture might reveal that the school's structures and practices communicate an emphasis on grades over learning, despite a statement that purports to cultivate lifelong learning and deep thinking. The existence of honor rolls, honors societies, and awards assemblies, the conversations about grades and test scores that take place in the college counseling office, and the respect with which students with high grades are treated in classrooms compared to those with lower grades-all these might be factors in creating a school culture much different from the one espoused by educators.

Other elements of a school's design, including its traditions, policies, and routines, need the same scrutiny to determine if they are likely to support or negate the mission's ideals. This need is illustrated in the voices of a few representative students who responded to open-ended questions about their experiences at one high school where I taught. Some of the responses were written specifically to me; some were oral responses to a teacher who posed questions in a class discussion that I recorded; and one was posted publicly on Instagram:

"I think I figured out somewhere pretty early on that school was a game where the goal was to get the highest GPA with the least amount of effort. I don't know if this attitude was particularly conducive to learning."

"Well, we are teenagers. We know that colleges look at grades. Thirty years from now, I'm not going to need what I learn in history class, but right now, I need to know it for the grades. That's the drive behind everything - needing the grades."

"If we have homework and we can flip the pages back and forth and get the answer, we are going to do it. We get hours of homework every night, and we want to get done what we can fast. If we can short-change something else, get it done quicker, we're going to do it."

Another student posted an Instagram comment about the pain he endured as a Black student at school, which reveals the chasm between reality and the school's written commitment to community and respectful dialogue:

"I would constantly hear students use the n-word around me or say it directly to me. I would always try to gain up the strength to explain why they shouldn't be saying that. Nobody ever listened. It was exhausting and demoralizing to know that I was surrounded by people who wouldn't care about how they hurt me."

The words these students used certainly clash with the lofty claims the school made to describe its values: " excellence in academics," "critical thinking," "diversity," "respectful dialogue," and " community." The students' words capture the conflict between aspiration and experience that is present in many schools. In fact, the students' words challenge educators to look more closely at the relationship between mission and reality. During my years working in six different schools, I regret to say we never truly explored this mismatch, and, based on my conversations with colleagues in other schools, I believe this neglect is not uncommon.

Assessing School Culture

Of course, working to align a mission statement with practices and policies offers no guarantee that students will experience the culture as we hope. Equally essential is creating a structure for monitoring the culture. Although the specific process will vary from school to school, one strategy might be to establish a permanent race- and gender-representative committee, for example: two students, two teachers, two administrators, two staff members, and one board member, charged with ensuring the alignment of mission and reality by designing and leading an annual cultural review process.

The goal of this process is to gain insight into how those in the institution experience its culture. I have learned that the only meaningful way to understand students' perceptions of the culture is to ask them-to give them time to respond to open-ended questions, using a combination of written responses and one-on-one conversations with an adult. Surveys (closed questions that ask for numerical ratings or strong agreement/disagreement) are not as effective because they don't allow for emotional, interpersonal engagement, nuanced explanation, and deeper exploration-all of which can be important in counteracting the propensity for adolescents to say what they think adults want to hear and for adults to hear what they want to hear.

Conversation, especially, can move adults closer to the intricacies and subtleties of truth. Even chatting with those whose experiences seem aligned with a school's mission can be helpful to learn more about the sources of structural support they experience. Because having these conversations requires mutual trust and respect, the review committee will need to involve many of the adults in the school in the follow-up interviews with selected students. Advisors, teachers, and administrators are likely to be the most effective having candid conversations with students with whom they already have close relationships.

These conversations can provide important insight into the many factors that affect a school's culture, including the outside forces that affect it. Although schools are not ivory towers immured from society, their mission statements reflect an idealistic desire to create an environment free of much of the nastiness of the world. But schools contain people, and people bring with them the behaviors and values of society. Students can be quite good at hiding these behaviors by operating during hours and in places invisible to adults, including online.

Although glimpses into this world will likely remain few, the conversations during the culture-review process can provide some awareness of how events outside of school grounds influence students' experiences of the school culture. Educators can talk all they want about kindness and wellness and inclusion, offer DEI workshops, act as role models, praise the good behavior they see, and convince themselves that all is well, but they cannot address problems they cannot see.

Most educators know all this, so it is puzzling that so many are surprised by those moments when teachers are revealed as abusers, when star students are caught selling drugs or bullying, or when parents help children cheat. Identifying and combating outside forces that threaten school culture is a challenge that must be intentionally embraced in candid discussions.

Assessing Outside Forces

One outside factor deserves particular exploration: the effect of college admissions offices on the ability of schools to attain their aspirations for creating a healthy academic environment consistent with current research into the science of learning. Students should not experience the claim of "excellence in academics" in mission statements as a cynical grade-grubbing "game" whose reward is college admissions but whose effect is antithetical to learning. Such comments illustrate a need to rethink and redesign K-12 education.

Unfortunately, the freedom to explore truly fundamental change is restricted by college admission expectations that lock schools into, for example, the traditional distribution of graduation requirements: four years of English, three years of math, etc. Too many students experience high school as a pressure cooker for college-induced resume-building-high GPAs and SATs, arrays of APs, lists of sports and other activities. The results, even before the additional stresses of COVID, are that increasing numbers of young people arrive in college . Educators need to be free from college admissions offices to radically rethink not just graduation requirements but the many other college-influenced traditional policies and practices that affect school cultures.

Once a review committee has gathered all this information, its next step is to analyze the degree to which intention, design, and reality coincide. Which students experience the culture positively? Which do not? What systemic obstacles exist? What outside forces require strategic engagement? Would any of the various constituents of the school benefit from more active attention or involvement? The committee will create for the head of school and school board an annual report on the state of the mission-with specific recommendations for needed improvements. Ideally, given their role as "guardians of the school's mission," the head and board members will also read all the written responses generated during the assessment and, to the extent possible, might participate in some of the follow-up conversations.

Where Teacher Experiences Come In

Understanding how teachers experience school culture is also essential. In a recent essay posted on the National Association of Independent Schools' Independent Ideas blog, school head , "[T]here is no world where a teacher's performance and a student's performance are separable. . . [T]eacher wellness is so crucial because it is interdependent with student wellness and with the health of the community."

In my experience, teacher wellbeing, which is dependent on feeling valued, is intimately connected to school culture. High teacher morale lays the foundation for strong faculty-student relationships and a positive culture. Over the past few years, have shown that one of the main factors in teacher shortages is frustration over not being consulted or heard. Teachers working in truly democratic schools seem to be happier. Their voices matter in making decisions affecting the work they do with students-decisions about curriculum or changes in structures, policies, and practices. In faculty meetings, these teachers feel encouraged to present ideas that challenge the status quo, to disagree and debate (collegially and civilly) with each other and with administrators and to vote on whether to adopt or reject new structural or policy initiatives. These teachers are more likely to have some control over their working life. The healthier they are, the healthier their students are.

To understand how the adults in a school are experiencing its culture, it is essential that the review committee design a cultural assessment process for them, too. An effective process will include written responses to open-ended questions and, as time allows, follow-up conversations conducted by administrators (principals, school heads, deans of faculty, and board members). Board members and school heads need to understand the experiences of the adults who interact with students because those interactions will co-create the culture. Autocrats and other leaders who cannot handle questioning or disagreement hamper the creation of a successfully aligned culture of excellence; school boards and trustees have a responsibility to protect their school from such leadership.

Envisioning New Solutions

Every school has the responsibility to ensure that it achieves what its mission claims-that its ideals are embodied in reality. The wellbeing of our children and our teachers depends on it.

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When It Comes to School Culture, Words Aren't Enough

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Educators must take systematic steps to ensure that a school's mission and values are reflected in students' and teachers' actual experiences.

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Leading Modern Learning: A Blueprint for Vision-Driven Schools, 2nd Edition

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Building Community Through Collaborative Learning

https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-community-through-collaborative-learning/

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Saw this guy in person. AWESOME and INSPIRATIONAL.

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On my reading bucket list.

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From bestselling author Michael Fullan, wisdom for thriving in today's complex environment

Successful organizations adjust quickly and intelligently to shifts in consumer tastes, political climate, and economic opportunity. How do they do it? The Six Secrets of Change explores essential lessons for business and public sector leaders for thriving in today's complex environment. Fullan draws on his acclaimed work in bringing about large-scale and substantial change in education reform in both public school systems and universities, as well as engaging in major change initiatives internationally. This book is filled with lessons that are insightful, actionable, and concisely communicable.

"Fullan has an uncanny ability to produce what is needed at the time it is needed. The six secrets are based in theory, grounded in practice, powerful in their relationship to each other, and described in ways that enable deep understanding. It is a refreshing change from the surface lists of leadership and change ideas that all too often permeate education and business literature." --Vicki Phillips, director of education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Includes so-called leadership "secrets" that are decoded to be accessible and useful

Offers illustrative examples from a variety of businesses, health organizations, and public education systems

Lays out the six factors to organizational success: collegiality, long-range plans allow for the unknown, nurture employees, learning, leadership at all levels, and positive pressure must be inescapable

Michael Fullan is the author of the acclaimed best-seller Leading in a Culture of Change

Fullan convinces us that a leader who attends to all six key factors will have an organization that is constantly learning, growing, and thriving.

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The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive

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The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive [Fullan, Michael] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive

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Will be reading this soon.

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Sam Horn, known as the Intrigue Expert, helps people create one-of-a-kind presentations, pitches, brands, and books that scale their income, impact, and influence - for good.

Her work - including SOMEDAY Is Not A Day in The Week, Tongue Fu! ®, POP! and the Washington Post bestseller Got Your Attention? - has been featured in New York Times, Fast Company, Forbes, Investors Business Daily, Foreign Service Journal, and INC.

Her inspiring presentations at SXSW, Asian Leadership Conference, Fortune 500 Forum, and for Boeing, Intel, Cisco, Accenture, ASAE, National Geographic, the U.S. Navy, YPO and EO, and Four Seasons Resorts receive high evaluations for featuring original insights and stories, laugh-out-loud anecdotes, and actionable recommendations people often use immediately to produce real-world results.

She was the pitch coach for British Airways Face2Face competition and for Springboard Enterprises, which has helped entrepreneurs such as Robin Chase of Zipcar and Gail Goodman of Constant Contact receive $36+ billion in funding.

She is renowned for her ability to help people create intriguing, purposeful, original communications that help them break out instead of blend in. Her consulting clients include Terry Jones, (founder of Travelocity), Gail Sheehy (author of Passages), Charlie Pellerin (Project Manager for the Hubble Telescope), and Betsy Myers, (COO of Obama's first Presidential Campaign.)

Her TEDx talk on INTRIGUE has been viewed by 491,000 people and shows how we can connect with anyone, anytime - why we should NEVER give an elevator SPEECH - and what to do instead.

Connect with Sam directly at www.samhorn.com

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Tongue Fu! At School: 30 Ways to Get Along with Teachers, Principals, Students, and Parents

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Tongue Fu! At School: 30 Ways to Get Along with Teachers, Principals, Students, and Parents [Horn, Sam] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Tongue Fu! At School: 30 Ways to Get Along with Teachers, Principals, Students, and Parents

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- Dr. Bill Dagget, Founder and Chairman, International Center for
Leadership in Education

- Kenneth C. Williams, Unfold the Soul, Inc.

- Joe Sanfelippo, Superintendent, Fall Creek, WI, Author, Speaker.

- Jana Frieler, Former President of NASSP (National Association of
Secondary School Principals)

- Dr. Brad Gustafson, National Distinguished Principal and author of
Renegade Leadership

- George Couros, Authour, The Innovator's Mindset

- Dr. Jeff Zoul, Leadership Coach, Author, Speaker, President of ConnectEDD

-Eric Sheninger, Senior Fellow, International Center for Leadership in
Education (ICLE)

- A.J. Juliani, Author of *Empower* and *Launch*

"Jimmy brings honest, heartfelt, and practical advice that will inspire you
to do better. This book is one that I will be referring back to often!"

- Todd Nesloney, Award Winning Principal/Author/Educator and co-Author of
"Kids Deserve It"

- Aaron Hogan, author of *Shattering the Perfect Teacher Myth*

- Dr. PJ Caposey, Meridian 223 Superintendent, Author of Making Evaluation
Meaningful

- David Geurin, Author of Future Driven, NASSP National Digital Principal,
and Lead Learner at Bolivar High School, Missouri

- Brad Currie, 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year,
#Satchat Co-Creator

- Todd Bloomer, Principal, Bradley Middle School, San Antonio, Texas

- Jessica Cabeen, Principal, 2017 Minnesota National Distinguished
Principal, 2016 NAESP Digital Leader for Early Learning, Author and Speaker.

- Danny Steele, Principal, Thompson Sixth Grade Center, Alabaster, AL

- Dan Butler, Principal, Epworth Elementary School

- LaVonna Roth, Creator and Founder of Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.

- Sanee Bell, Ed.D., Principal, Morton Ranch Junior High

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Culturize: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes.

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Eradicate Average! CULTURIZE Your School. Average schools don't inspire greatness-and greatness is what our world needs if we are going to produce world-changing learners. In Culturize, author and education leader Jimmy Casas shares insights into what it takes to cultivate a community of learners...

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School culture starts with teachers.

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We recently learned about a school once plagued by low morale and dwindling student performance that underwent a transformation. The change wasn't in the curriculum or the teaching methods, but in the school's culture. This shift led to not only improved academic results but also happier, more engaged teachers and, in turn, students.

The culture of a school plays a pivotal role in shaping the success of its students. It's not just about academic achievements, it's about creating an environment where teachers feel empowered and students feel valued, understood, and motivated to learn. In today's rapidly changing educational landscape, understanding the profound impact of school culture has never been more crucial.

From tradition to transformation

Historically, schools operated with a strict hierarchy and rigid structures. The focus was primarily on academic results, often overlooking the emotional and social needs of students. However, as research began to highlight the importance of holistic education, there was a shift in perspective.

Today, there's a growing emphasis on creating a positive school environment. Schools are recognising the value of fostering a culture that promotes both academic excellence and emotional wellbeing and social development. As Edutopia suggests, a positive school culture boosts student learning and morale.

The foundations of learning: How culture impacts outcomes

A positive school culture creates an environment where students feel safe, respected, and encouraged to take risks in their learning. Such an environment is conducive to higher levels of engagement and achievement. According to the OECD, students who feel a sense of belonging at school are more likely to perform better academically and show more interest in their studies.

Moreover, the ripple effect of a positive school culture extends beyond academic performance. It plays a crucial role in students' emotional and social development, preparing them for challenges beyond the classroom. As highlighted by the Learning Policy Institute, schools that prioritise a nurturing culture witness a decline in behavioural issues and an increase in collaborative learning.

This is an important part of what's known as the hidden curriculum.

Blueprint for success: Cultivating a thriving school culture

The first step to building a strong school culture begins with the teachers. Institutions need to create environments in which education flourishes and students excel because teachers thrive. By doing so schools can not only attract and retain the best teachers, but those teachers feel empowered, supported, and inspired to be the difference young minds need in their lives.

This is the other side of the hidden curriculum, but one we hear much less about. To get it right, schools need a clear and well-communicated vision, with strong leadership, a supportive working environment and ample professional development and mentoring opportunities.

Defining school culture

But if achieving all that sounds easy, it isn't. What makes great leadership and vision? How do the best leaders communicate well? How can you measure a supportive working environment? How can success be objectively analysed and benchmarked?

It's these fundamental questions that led us to found Best School to Work as the gold standard for good school culture. It's an independent, evidence-based mechanism for certifying those schools that have built the best working environments for their educators, but also providing detailed feedback, actionable insights, benchmarking data, and courses led by award-winning school leaders to help everyone raise their standards.

By setting that bar, and arming themselves with that knowledge, schools can elevate their culture for teachers and students.

Multi-stakeholder approach

Building a positive school culture also requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders. Schools can start by promoting open communication, valuing diversity, and providing professional development opportunities focused on emotional intelligence and culturally responsive teaching.

Additionally, engaging parents and the broader community plays a crucial role. Schools that actively involve parents in decision-making and regularly seek feedback tend to have a more positive and inclusive culture. Such an environment not only benefits students but also attracts and retains quality educators.

The lasting legacy of a positive school culture

The culture of a school leaves an indelible mark on its students. It shapes their academic journey, influences their emotional growth, and prepares them for the challenges of the future. As we stand at the crossroads of educational transformation, prioritising school culture is not just desirable - it's imperative.

In a world rife with challenges, schools have the power to be beacons of hope and change. By fostering a positive culture, they can mould future generations who are not just academically proficient but also emotionally resilient and socially responsible. The legacy of a positive school culture is, indeed, a legacy of hope, growth, and endless possibilities.

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How school culture shapes student success - T4 Education

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Discover how school culture shapes student success, from academics to emotional growth. The impact of a positive educational environment revealed.

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Good information on how to share the vision and mission with students.

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The vision and mission of a school are strong statements or declarations of its values, purpose, and future. They are the core values, objectives, and aims through which a school walks on the trajectory of success. As the saying goes, "Without vision and mission, people perish," the same applies to schools. A well-constructed, communicated, and integrated vision and mission statement can help align and focus a school.

Some schools may have only one statement of either vision or mission or the statements are often used interchangeably. They may consider both as one and the same, or having them is not a priority or meaningful. Schools may not have a clear meaning, purpose, benefits , and distinction between the two terms. Knowing what each represents will make a school more organized and focused.

What is School Vision and Mission?

School Vision and Mission statements are a school's aspirations and guiding principles. The mission statement speaks of the school's operations in the present. It gives an outline of the school's fundamental purpose, detailing the specific actions, educational practices, and values it upholds to achieve its vision. The Vision statement describes the school's long-term goals and the impact it aims to have on its students and community, often reflecting ideals of academic excellence, personal growth, and societal contribution. The vision statement speaks of the school's hopes and intentions for the future. Together, they provide a clear direction, inspire stakeholders, and create a balanced educational environment focused on promoting all round, responsible, and capable individuals.

What are the Objectives of School Mission and Vision?

The objectives of a school's mission and vision statements are to provide clear guidance and direction for decision-making and strategic planning, inspire and motivate students, staff, and the community, and ensure consistency and balance in educational practices. They aim to enable holistic student development, with academic, personal, and social growth, and strengthen community engagement by clearly communicating the school's goals and values. They serve as examples for accountability and evaluation, helping the school assess its effectiveness and make necessary improvements to achieve its dreams.

What is the Difference Between the Vision and Mission of a School?

The vision and mission statements of a school serve distinct but interconnected purposes, helping to define the institution's purpose, values, and long-term goals. Here are the key differences between the vision and mission of a school:

Both vision and mission statements work together to provide a comprehensive understanding of the school's identity and goals.

Unveiling Ambitions: School Vision

In the education arena, the vision of the school takes the lead, providing a special platform for students to follow their dreams. This initiative is a trailblazer, moving away from usual methods to create an environment where each student's unique talents are not just noticed but celebrated. With a focus on personalized learning, modern technology, and a commitment to overall growth, "School Vision" aims to shape individuals who not only do well academically but also become confident, forward-thinking contributors to society. This effort is more than just an educational approach; it's a transformative journey, setting the stage for a future where ambitions become real accomplishments.

How to Create a Vision and Mission statement?

The vision and mission provide a vehicle for communicating a school's purpose and values to all key stakeholders. Thus SMART vision and mission statements should be carefully crafted by the school as these statements represent the school as a whole.

Step 1: Draft a Mission Statement

While creating a vision statement a school can consider the following thoughts:

If your school is extremely successful over the next three-five years, how will people describe your school?

Eg: Our vision is to create an extremely effective rural school that not only produces very high levels of student achievement but also helps train the next generation of rural teachers.

Step 2: Draft a Vision Statement

While creating a mission statement a school can consider the following thoughts:

Whom do you seek to serve?

What do you seek to accomplish?

How will you proceed (what methods will you use)?

Eg: Our mission is to help rural students develop higher-order thinking skills, peacemaking skills, and leadership abilities in an environment of shared values of nonviolence, equality, and unity, by using a combination of the Core Knowledge Curriculum and Direct Instruction.

Step 3: Follow a Strategy

Vision and mission statements are not permanent statements. Schools should focus on revising their vision and mission statements regularly based on the educational needs, developments, and situations of the modern era.

Step 4: Defining Goals & Objectives

Well-written vision and mission statements can stand as guides for decision-making, resource allocations, policy decisions, and school operations. By making their purpose clear, schools can put their goals and objectives into action.
Also Read: Top 10 ways to build confidence in your students
In a recent across 308 Victoria schools on the main themes that their statements focused on, it was surprising to see that most (88%) vision and mission statements referred to academic achievement as a priority. Among the other themes, promoting good mental health was referenced by 66.2% of schools, and school belonging was mentioned by 57.5%.

8 Compelling Reasons to Clearly Define Your School's Vision and Mission

Following are the various reasons for having a strong vision and mission for a school:

1. Guides the thinking and actions of school employees

When the whole school adopts and interprets the vision and mission statements clearly, they can channel and focus their time and energy on taking the school forward, rather than just worrying about justifying the soundness of what is being done. All tasks undertaken will focus on aligning with the vision and mission.

2. Helps determine and develop performance standards

School vision and mission statements will make it easier to establish transparent and consistent performance standards and measurements. For example, performance standards for classroom behaviours can be set in alignment with the mission and vision.

3. Helps attract appropriate talent

Interviews and hiring processes in schools can become easier with standard vision and mission statements. The school can align required behaviour, characteristics, and skills to design and conduct interviews.

4. Provides context and reduce friction during organisational restructures

When a school undergoes changes and restructuring, and reallocation of tasks and resources, a clear vision and mission can give some context to reduce the stress of adapting to change.

5. Inspire people to be focused and productive

A well-created vision and mission statement can act as a motivating factor for the school and its subordinates. Proper and clear guidelines aligned with the vision and mission give the inspiration to do their best.

6. Facilitates collaboration with teams

A school with a common goal towards vision and mission can work together in teams with a positive team spirit. This helps overcome negativities and internal politics.

7. Helps with public relations

Since the school functions around the vision and mission, there will be consistency between what happens inside and what is communicated outside. Keeping the school and its public image in sync gives its public identity greater solemnity.

8. Provides a stable framework that can outlast internal changes

When vision and mission become an integral part of the school, the functioning legacy will continue to be consistent even if there are internal changes like leadership changes, replacement of school staff and teachers, etc. Adversities can be handled smoothly and the school can grow stronger and more efficient.

Benefits of School Mission and Vision

The benefits of a school's Mission and Vision statements are

providing clear direction and focus for strategic planning and decision-making

inspire and motivate students, staff, and the community, promoting a sense of shared purpose and commitment.

promote consistency and coherence in educational practices, enhance the overall learning environment support holistic student development by emphasising academic, personal, and social growth

strengthen community engagement by clearly stating the school's values and goals and encouraging collaboration

serve as criteria for assessing progress and accountability, guiding continuous improvement efforts.

Conclusion

When upon request, if anyone in the school can recall Vision and Mission statements with a pinch of pride, then the success of its creation is attained. Thus, once created, the Vision and Mission statements must be communicated, integrated, and adopted by all parts of the school.

1. How does a school's vision and mission shape its identity?

A school's Vision and Mission shape its identity by clearly defining its main values, goals, and aspirations. They create a suitable purpose and direction, influencing the culture, educational practices, and community relationships. This helps create a specific identity that directs all school activities and decisions.

2. What role do vision and mission statements play in guiding school decisions?

Vision and Mission statements play an important role in guiding school decisions. They provide a clear framework for mapping actions with the school's main values and long-term goals. They serve as a basis for policy-making, curriculum development, resource allocation, and community engagement, ensuring consistency and purpose in all decisions.

3. How do school vision and mission statements guide actions?

School Vision and Mission statements guide actions by setting clear priorities and goals, influencing decisions on curriculum, teaching methods, resource distribution, and student support. They ensure that all activities match with the school's basic values and long-term objectives, promoting a cohesive and focused educational environment.

4. How can schools effectively communicate their vision and mission?

Schools can effectively communicate their Vision and Mission in many ways. They can display them on their website, in classrooms, and common areas. They can incorporate these statements into school events, newsletters, and meetings, ensuring all stakeholders, including students, staff, and parents, understand and adopt them. rSchools can also cultivate a habit of regularly revisiting and reinforcing these statements in daily practices and communications.

5. What benefits do clear vision and mission statements offer students?

Students benefit from it, when schools inform their students with their Vision and Mission statements. They will get a sense of purpose and direction, enabling a focused and supportive learning environment. Students will be ensured with consistent educational practices, thus promoting personal and academic growth, Students will be inspired to strive for excellence and social responsibility.

Related Articles

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School Vision and Mission: Why is it important?

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The vision and mission of a school are strong statements or declarations of its values, purpose, and future. They are the core values, objectives, and aims through which a school walks on the...

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Behavior expectations for all students not matter their cultural background.

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Sharroky Hollie, PhD , is a national educator who provides professional development to thousands of educators in the area of cultural responsiveness. Since 2000, Dr. Hollie has trained more than 150,000 educators and worked in nearly 2,000 classrooms.

Going back twenty-five years, he has been a classroom teacher at the middle and high school levels, a central office professional development coordinator in Los Angeles Unified School District, a school founder and administrator, and university professor in teacher education at the California State University. Dr. Hollie has also been a visiting professor for Webster University in St. Louis and a guest lecturer at Stanford and University of California, Los Angeles.

In addition to his experience in education, Dr. Hollie has authored several texts and journal articles. Most recently, he coauthored Beyond Conversations About Race: A Guide for Discussions With Students, Teachers, and Communities (2020), wrote Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning (2015) and contributed a chapter in The Oxford Handbook of African American Language (2015).

Dr. Hollie's first book, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning: Classroom Practices for Student Success was published in 2011, followed soon thereafter by The Will to Lead, the Skill to Teach, co-written with Dr. Anthony Muhammad. In 2003, he and two colleagues founded the Culture and Language Academy of Success, a laboratory school that demonstrated the principles of cultural responsiveness in an exemplary schoolwide model, which operated until 2013.

Daniel Russell,Jr. is the coordinator of research and development and lead cultural and linguistic responsiveness (CLR) coach for the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning (CCRTL). At CCRTL, he leads training and professional development (TPD) and provides one-on-one coaching in CLR. He particularly specializes in training how to align PBIS with CLR. Additionally, he collects and analyzes data for CCRTL, as well as curates resources for CCRTL's CLR Responds to R.A.C.E. Challenge.

Russell is a former classroom teacher with 21 years of experience teaching both elementary and middle school, who entered teaching in 1994 through Teach for America (TFA). During his tenure as a teacher, he also served as a teacher-facilitator for Academic English Mastery Program (AEMP) for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), English language coordinator, SDAIE trainer, TFA Corps Member Advisor, and Induction coach. After leaving the classroom, he served as Dean of Culture and Climate.

During his career as an educator, Russell received several recognitions. As an LAUSD district intern, he was given the Golden Apple Award for being a distinguished intern. He was also honored with the Outstanding AEMP Facilitator Award and Teacher Award by LAUSD's Academic English Mastery Program. In 2001, he earned his National Board Certification for Middle Childhood, Generalist. In 2005, he and his class were featured on a segment of the PBS documentary Do You Speak American? He is also currently a member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

Russell received his bachelor's degree in US history from San Diego State University in 1994. He earned his doctorate in education in organizational change and leadership from USC's Rossier School of Education in 2021. His dissertation focused on the persistence of overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary discipline at schools implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS).

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Supporting Underserved Students: How to Make PBIS Culturally and Linguistically Responsive (PBIS-Compatible Resources for Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching)

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Enhance your positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) to do what's best for all students. With this equity-focused guide by Sharroky Hollie and Daniel Russell, Jr., you will discover a clear roadmap for aligning PBIS with cultural and linguistic responsiveness (CLR). Dive deep into w...

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Jon Gordon - 21 Ways to be a great teammate

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I thought this article was helpful in laying out steps needed to execute a successful vision. It is not perfect...I do not love the rewards piece but worth thinking about.

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Creating a vision as a focus for your organization's efforts is one of the most important things a company can do. This forward-looking statement provides a clear picture of where the organization wants to be in the future and what it will look like when it gets there. However, a vision is more than just a group of words on paper or a poster that hangs in the hallowed halls of the corporate office. A vision gives an organization direction and a metric by which it can monitor achievements and ultimate success.

Furthermore, a vision works best if those who are meant to support it actually do so. To this end, the following steps will help you build a vision your entire organization will want to get behind.

Communicate

Your first and very crucial step is letting employees know what you are doing. Whether it's the first time you're putting together such a statement, or the organization is attempting to rebrand or reposition, the organization needs to receive clear communication on what is happening and why. A clear vision makes it easier to invigorate your team, outline a strategy, and work towards a shared goal.

Ask for Input

Asking for employee input is not only good for allowing everyone to feel valued, but it also brings the real possibility of new ideas or direction that may not otherwise be considered. It's unrealistic to ask a management team to develop a comprehensive view of the organization's ability to reach its goals without the help of those working on the front lines. Asking for input will help ensure every angle is taken into consideration. In order for your organization to develop and thrive, you must be open-minded and ready to listen.

Put It into Words

Once the direction has been determined and a clear vision of where the organization will be in the future has been identified, it's time to put a pen to paper and communicate it to those affected. A clear strategy with definitive goals will help guide your team and motivate them. Your vision can be big and challenging, but remember to make goals specific and measurable by breaking them down into smaller objectives, if necessary. Even if a vision is incredibly ambitious and seemingly impossible, your team members will likely see it as a positive if your strategy is sound. Also, keep in mind that everyone learns differently. Communicate your vision clearly and make it visible everywhere using a number of channels: email, Intranet, breakroom, office lobby, advertising copy, and so on.

Identify Roles

Everyone will have a role in keeping the organization on track and headed toward its envisioned state. Creating a clear vision also includes clarifying how every role within the organization will play a part in making this a reality. Keep everyone accountable with regular communication and check-ins on progress. This ensures your team is aligned and still on course.

Tie Performance to Reward

Annual objectives for any employee should always support a organization's mission, vision and core values, and should be identified as such. Define what winning looks like, as an individual reaching a goal and how that goal is a win for the overall company. Tying organization goals into the reward system employees receive for reaching their own personal goals will help enforce the overall initiative and ensure success.

Former CEO of KPMG Jon Madonna said that "nothing stops an organization faster than people who believe that the way you worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow." So, plan for tomorrow by effectively using the people you have today.

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5 Steps to Building a Vision and Getting Others on Board

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Creating a vision as a focus for your organization's efforts is one of the most important things a company can do. This forward-looking statement provides a clear picture of where the organization wants to be in the future and what it will look like when it gets there.

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A great read leaders who are new to a role or newly promoted.

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Cultural Perspective

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If I could change anything about my job, I would change the expectations about the curriculum and the content I am asked to teach. Learners deserve to have a worldwide perspective . . . to understand the truth about themselves and other people. The world is so much more multidimensional than it's portrayed in our textbooks, but I'm limited in how I can respond in my classroom.

Danielle's words resonated with me long after our Zoom conversation concluded. I met Danielle in the spring of 2021, when I was conducting a national study exploring the chosen pedagogies of teachers of color. Danielle, like many of the teachers I interviewed, emphasized the importance of classroom instruction that not only challenged the status quo, but also incorporated perspectives and counter-narratives of underrepresented communities. This sentiment was heightened by the hyper-visibility of inequalities exposed by the pandemic. Danielle, however, felt boxed in. Like other teachers I talked to for the study, she felt limited in her ability to make curriculum and content decisions-a limitation that felt in direct opposition to her deep-rooted commitment to students.

Teachers across the nation grapple with how to best serve learners in an increasingly complex ecosystem. Teachers' work-and the content they teach-is increasingly impacted by social conflicts, global challenges, and resource disparities in their communities. Yet like Danielle, many teachers of color face obstacles on a local level to teaching in a way that helps learners understand these issues and their relevance to learners' everyday lives. Standardized testing and instructional mandates often constrain teacher agency. In some cases, teachers' autonomy is undermined altogether, as when they are subject to harsh consequences for noncompliance with book bans, sanitized depictions of American history, and other policies that make school unsafe, particularly for young people of color (Burmester & Howard, 2022).

The weakening of teacher agency has wide-ranging effects in education. Teacher turnover is alarmingly high, further fracturing the stability of the teacher workforce and learners' access to high-quality instruction (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). Many teachers attribute turnover to feeling burned out, unsupported, and disempowered as autonomous decision-makers. Particularly concerning is the disproportionate turnover of teachers of color in comparison to their white peers (Ingersoll et al., 2021). A robust research base reveals that teachers of color are associated with multiple benefits for learners, particularly for those of color (Gershenson et al., 2022; Hwang, Graff, & Berends, 2023). Yet teachers of color are often confronted with top-down policies that handicap their ability to develop lessons that are rigorous, responsive to global events, and relevant. Many also often face bias, microaggressions, tokenism, and other manifestations of hostile racial climates that further erode their workplace satisfaction and contribute to turnover and attrition (Amos, 2020).

To help bolster the profession amid these challenges, school leaders need to strongly champion teacher agency, particularly for teachers of color. They must intentionally nurture environments where teachers of color feel trusted and empowered. One important step to restoring agency for teachers of color is to support educators in using culturally responsive teaching methods, as many want to, so they can equip students to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

Culturally responsive instruction (CRI) is an umbrella term for a diverse set of pedagogies teachers use that identify learners' current schema and help learners access, display, and gain new knowledge and skills. Culturally responsive instruction also positions the classroom as a site for social change and collective empowerment. Learners are treated as capable, agentic intellectuals whose insights are resources for learning.

There are different forms of CRI, such as culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2014), culturally responsive teaching (Gay, 2013), and culturally and historically responsive frameworks (Muhammad, 2020). While these approaches are distinct, at their core each seeks to amplify cultural ways of being and knowing that are underrepresented, misrepresented, or wholly absent in curricular materials and other aspects of learning.

Within the framework of CRI, how teachers teach is as important as what they teach. High expectations and meaningful relationships between teachers and learners, as well as intellectual and emotional safety, are bedrocks of CRI (Gist, 2014). While culturally responsive instruction can and should be a hallmark for teachers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, many teachers of color are often especially skilled in-and committed to-using culturally responsive approaches to build relationships with learners, foster critical thinking, and bridge gaps between home and school (Aronson & Laughter, 2016).

Below are four entry points for leaders to support teacher agency and culturally responsive approaches. These ideas are grounded in a combination of research and my experience as a researcher and practitioner who supports culturally responsive educators.

Championing teacher agency and culturally responsive instruction requires understanding the benefits of trusting teachers to use methods they know can be impactful for learners. True cultural responsiveness is not just teaching about "heroes and holidays"-it's a catalyst for learning and academic growth, including improved literacy and math achievement and test score improvement (Bui & Fagen, 2013; Choi, 2013). Teachers can integrate culturally responsive instruction into their classroom to support positive identity development. Such instruction validates and leverages students' background knowledge and experiences, meets them where they are, and provides affirming methods and materials. Leaders can signal to teachers that cultural responsiveness matters by integrating these principles into a school's vision and mission. In this way, leaders demonstrate that cultural responsiveness is not an add-on but a central component of the school's identity and purpose.

Getting your organization positioned to support CRI is essential because teachers of color thrive in environments where there's a synergy between the school's values and their own goals. This requires that schools affirm the cultural backgrounds and strengths of students (particularly students of color) and trust the professional judgment of teachers of color to implement strategies that empower their learners. Yesenia, a new teacher whose administration supported her culturally responsive methods such as using bilingual texts, told me, "Coming to school is something I look forward to every day, knowing that the diverse backgrounds of my students of color are appreciated."

Leaders can assess organizational readiness for CRI by conducting a landscape analysis of materials like district curricula protocols, instructional guidebooks, scope and sequences, and book lists. It's important to consider what cultural approaches and interpretations are emphasized in various content areas. If different cultural backgrounds and interpretations are presented, leaders should reflect on how they are presented-whether these representations reinforce cultural stereotypes or reflect a narrative of dignity, shared humanity, and joy. It's also helpful to examine any professional development materials to explore the types of pedagogical approaches that are endorsed and the extent to which teachers are empowered to explore different approaches that honor learners' cultural backgrounds.

Assessing organizational readiness must also center teacher voice. Teachers spend countless hours reviewing data, engaging learners in the classroom, talking with families, and preparing lessons. They know their learners best. It's critical to honor the perspectives of teachers of color, particularly when they hold shared backgrounds with their learners. Leaders can use surveys or brief touch points, sometimes called "pulse" meetings, to learn about the strengths and missed opportunities teachers see in the curriculum.

Once a leader emerges with the findings of the landscape analysis, it's critical to create quantitative, time-bound goals and metrics for making the school more supportive of CRI and communicate these to all involved parties. Goals may include choosing new curricula (and inviting teachers and community members into the process) or creating institutional policies and systems that give teachers more autonomy over their daily classroom decisions.

Leaders can use many strategies to support teachers' knowledge of, and implementation of, CRI, including the following:

Peer learning and collaboration involve creating opportunities for teachers to engage with peers who share similar pedagogical interests, allowing them to learn from each other's instructional practices. During collaboration sessions, teachers can share and refine lesson plans, co-develop instructional strategies, evaluate student work, or showcase successful classroom activities. Peer learning and collaboration become even more crucial when teachers need to present to students complex or controversial content. By drawing on the insights of peers, teachers can ensure they are teaching content in ways that are relevant, engaging, and sensitive to the diverse needs of their learners.

Peer learning and collaboration can be integrated into professional development days or scheduled during common planning times. It's crucial for school leaders to allocate specific times during the school day for these collaborative sessions. This time must be safeguarded and not encroached upon by other duties. By doing so, leaders emphasize the significance of teachers exchanging ideas and developing learning opportunities in line with their collective goals for culturally responsive instruction. It's also helpful to set up ways for teachers to observe in each other's classrooms, such as through instructional rounds.

As a leadership coach working with schools and districts, I've incorporated these strategies into my work with teacher leaders. We've established weekly collaborations where grade-level or content-area teams meet to develop shared lessons or instructional practices. This process not only fosters a sense of community among teachers, but also enhances the quality of instruction.

Mentorship and coaching can enhance teachers' understanding and use of CRI. During challenging sociopolitical times, mentoring and coaching become especially crucial; they offer teachers tailored support in navigating complex issues and incorporating them into their teaching.

For example, Dixon, an assistant principal I've worked with, has teacher leaders and experienced educators of color mentor novice staff members of color. He arranges for teacher leaders and novice teachers within the same content team to co-teach a class, naturally facilitating the transfer of effective teaching strategies and innovative techniques. He's careful to match teachers of color who have similar pedagogical interests.

Teachers of color need access to supportive networks of educators with whom they share similar backgrounds, to understand the challenges they face in the workplace and share tactics to foster resiliency and joy. Affinity groups are gatherings of individuals of similar backgrounds and interests in which people make meaning of shared experiences and collaborate around common goals. For teachers of color, these groups are safe spaces in which they can share identity-based experiences and how these experiences manifest within the workplace. Affinity groups can explore shared interests in terms of instructional approaches, doing things like book studies to deepen their understanding of culturally relevant pedagogies. Leaders might work with teachers to start affinity groups for educators in their buildings or partner with organizations that lead affinity groups for educators of color, such as the Black Teacher Project or Teach Plus. The National Equity Project provides an online repository of national affinity groups.

Often the costs of education accountability mandates are a narrowed curriculum, de-emphasis of higher-order thinking, and an environment of external control and monitoring. Describing her experiences as an educator of a tested content area, a teacher named Jamie told me, "I feel micromanaged to teach in one way. My lesson plans are constantly scrutinized to ensure I narrowly focus on test preparation materials. . . . If the tasks I give the kids don't look exactly like the state test, I feel like I'm looked at as a bad teacher." Jamie's comments reveal the tensions that emerge when institutional policies de-professionalize teachers. To elevate the status of teaching, leaders must become vocal advocates for policies that respect teachers as content experts and qualified professionals.

Leaders can play a pivotal role by participating in local advocacy groups. In Pennsylvania, where I reside, leaders have collaborated with teacher preparation programs and other education groups to establish the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium. Their advocacy has led to the Pennsylvania Department of Education codifying culturally responsive instruction into nine competencies and embedding these standards into state laws related to educator preparation and professional development. Pennsylvania teachers now have state-supported freedom to incorporate elements of culturally responsive instruction into their teaching.

Championing teacher agency through support or cultural responsiveness, particularly for teachers of color, is a necessity, not just an option. Leaders have a crucial role in fostering environments where culturally responsive instruction thrives, empowering teachers to use their expertise and experience to enrich every student's learning journey. Not only will such environments better support learners, they will help build and sustain a more diverse educator workforce. Through the entry points described here, leaders can work in tandem with teachers to lift student learning and foster a future where critical thinking, cultural appreciation, and anti-oppression are realities in schools.

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How Leaders Can Support Culturally Responsive Instruction

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One step toward better supporting teachers of color is giving them the discretion to make their instruction relevant and empowering.

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FALL FORWARD | TAKE RISKS | Denzel Washington Motivational Speech 2020

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Every leader should be ready for crises. We never know when something will take place that will display how we lead during a crisis.

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How do leaders communicate effectively during a crisis?

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Sometimes leaders will find that they are not in charge of everything; however, there are ways to lead even when someone is not in charge.

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One of the greatest myths of leadership is that you must be in charge in order to lead. With practical wisdom and humor, Clay Scroggins will help you nurture your vision and cultivate influence, even when you lack authority in your organization.

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This is a great video to watch when thinking about CCMR on high campuses. How do we really prepare our high school graduates for college coming from high poverty communities. Are they really ready. Anthony Jack exposes what college can be like for poor students entering college.

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equity and diversity in schools Ted Talk 

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On Diversity: Access Ain’t Inclusion | Anthony Jack | TEDxCambridge

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The video is about school culture mostly through the eyes of students. The school focuses on avoiding the school to prison pipeline, but engages students in restorative practices. GREAT VIDEO!

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Mindful Youth Leadership Transforming School Culture at El Cerrito High School

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The book would be a good resource for any leader that is reevaluating, creating, or updating the mission/vision of a campus.

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The authors provide numerous examples of mission statements from a diverse range of preK-12 schools, offering readers an extremely valuable resource for developing an understanding of various themes and ideas in American education today - all to be better prepared to formulate their own schools' mission statements.

Whether you are preparing for accreditation reviews, seeking a broader knowledge base, or are engaged in policy discussions, this practical, readable guide is packed with valuable information to help you reach your professional goals.

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The School Mission Statement: Values, Goals, and Identities in American Education

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Amazon.com: The School Mission Statement: Values, Goals, and Identities in American Education: 9781596672147: Stemler, Steven: Books

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This book is in my personal library.

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In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, service, and human dignity -- principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

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In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrit...

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Inspiring the next generation of female engineers

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Inspiring the next generation of female engineers

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Inspiring the next generation of female engineers | Debbie Sterling | TEDxPSU

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The One Thing All Great Teachers Do | Nick Fuhrman | TEDxUGA

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Leading With Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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Leading With Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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Beyond Donut App: A Guide for Connecting Employees | Together Mentoring Software

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Feeling the distance with remote work? Move beyond donut apps! Colleague Connect builds deeper connections, empowers learning, and unlocks collaborative success. | Matthew Reeves

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Imagine being in this scenario: You are a project manager assigned to lead a cross-functional team of experts from different departments within your organization. The team members you are working with consist of senior-level team members with extensive experience in their respective areas. Additionally, some of these team members hold senior managerial positions.

You don't have any formal or managerial authority over them, which means that you can't make decisions for them. Your role is to facilitate the project, provide consultation and direction, and ensure everyone is aligned towards the common goal.

Does this sound like a scenario you've been in? Most professionals in the workplace have.
I f you have struggled with leading cross-functional teams with senior leaders (like I have), this post is f or you!
There are many strategies to use, but one of the most important is the ability to influence without authority over cross-functional teams. Your influence can mean the difference between project success or failure.

In this post, I'll talk about the different tactics I've cultivated over the last 11 years of my career to help build my influence in an organization.

Authority vs. Influence

For most of my career, I have not held a position of authority. Despite this, I have been able to accomplish some amazing results such as:

Saving organizations millions of dollars by consulting them on

Coached senior leaders to improve their problem-solving skills

Created strategies for the C-suite level to deploy initiatives across a whole organization

Lead the creation of innovative products to improve pediatric patient outcomes

I did this by developing and honing my skill to influence decision making in the workplace, which in turn has boosted my leadership skills.

Both authority and influence are associated with the ability to influence the behavior or decisions of others. But what's the difference?

Authority is the power or right to give orders, mandate decisions, and enforce obedience. It's a more formal and explicit form of power. It's derived from a formal position or role within an organization such as a manager, supervisor, etc. Lastly, authority is often short-lived and tied to a specific position or period.

Influence on the other hand is the ability to affect opinions, behavior, and / or decisions of others without having direct authority over them. Influence comes from a variety of sources such as, expertise, charisma, reputation, and more which I'll explain more below. Influence extends beyond just direct reports and reaches broader audiences, including peers, executive leaders, stakeholders, and customers. Influence doesn't rely on rules, policies, or positions. Instead, it relies on one's ability to persuade, negotiate, and leverage social dynamics.

It's important to acknowledge that there is a great deal of power in being able to influence others. For the right reasons, it can help accomplish amazing things. For the wrong reasons, it can be manipulative and destroy trust and relationships. Please remember to use your power of influence to create positive changes.

Read more below to learn the tactics I use which you can adopt to increase your influencing power in the workplace.

Build your social capital

Show up with confidence

Practice emotional intelligence

Be a storyteller

Give your suggestions and recommendations

How To Influence Without Authority

1. Build Your Social Capital

The first strategy to building your influence without authority is building your social capital. Social capital is the ability to build relationships and networks in your community, whether that be the workplace, friend groups, in your family network, etc. The stronger the relationship you have with people in different communities, the greater potential to exert your influence.

When coming into a new community, for example a new workplace or team, I prioritize building relationships with people. Just of note: I don't build relationships with the sole intention of building my influencing capability. I genuinely want to build meaningful relationships with people.

I ask them questions, learn about their interests, passions, actively listen, etc. which helps to build the relationship. When relationships begin to form, an element of trust is also formed. As trust grows, so does influence.

Building up social capital in your communities expands your network creating, better working relationships, more collaboration, trust, etc.

Start joining different communities in your workplace. You'll not only quickly build your network but also learn about different perspectives, flex your communication skills, and open yourself up to knowledge sharing with others.

2. Be Confident In Yourself

Confidence is a foundational trait for leaders who wish to exert their influence. I remember one of my mentors telling me that when I have a strong sense of self-assurance, belief in my own abilities, and trust in my decisions, that other's will feel the same about me. This is why confidence is another core strategy for influencing others.

A great quote by Norman Vincent Peale is, "Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy."

Being confident bubbles down to a few core areas that you can practice learning. Here are the specific focus areas I have developed to build my confidence.

Being decisive: Trusting my technical knowledge, expertise, and intuition to make decisions quickly and effectively.

Practicing empathy: Being able to understand the needs of other's.

Being Flexible: Adapting to ever-evolving circumstances, meeting people where they are, and inspiring others to do the same.

Having a clear vision: Being explicit with goals and objectives to show I am intentional, strategic, and clear about the direction to move in.

Admitting you're not perfect: Be humble. Let people know you're not always right and don't have all the answers but are dedicated to continuously improving yourself and learning.

Putting in consistent effort to develop these focus areas has bolstered my leadership skills and success in my career. Building confidence in myself has also enabled me to thrive personally. I feel like I trust in myself more to make the right decisions and overcome challenges.

Reflect on the focus areas above and think about what you could improve upon. Better yet, ask a trusted peer or family member how to improve on the focus areas above and actively listen to their insight. You'll show that you are dedicated to self-improvement (a trait of confident people  )

3. Build Emotional Intelligence

Learning about emotional intelligence skyrocketed my ability to influence decisions. Emotional intelligence or (EQ) is the ability to identify, comprehend, and manage one's own and others' emotions. Emotional intelligence is so powerful in fact that it can Make or Break Your Organization, according to an article by Entrepreneur Magazine.

For the first step in my EQ building journey, I developed self-awareness around my own emotions. The book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, was an awesome resource to learn about the concept and build self-awareness of my own emotions.

After reading the book, I could get a better handle on the emotions I was feeling in a difficult conversation or meeting and adjust my body language, tone, verbiage, and more to meet the outcomes I wanted.

The second step in my EQ journey was being able to recognize the emotions others were feeling in different interpersonal interactions. I could get a better sense if people were tense, feeling anxious, or feeling other uncomfortable emotions.

Once I (internally) put a label to their emotion I could better empathize with them and help to manage their emotions. This was especially useful in meetings and projects where there was disagreement between team members and myself or between team members.

Improving my emotional intelligence resulted in so many positive benefits. Here's what I experienced with individual and group interactions: better and more effective communication, the ability to resolve conflict faster, developing more trusting and deeper relationships, and of course, being able to influence decisions.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out The book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves.

Check out the short video below that gives a brief introduction into what emotional intelligence is:

4. Be A Good Storyteller

Another mentor once told me early in my career, if you want to be a successful leader, you need to be a good storyteller. Why? A good storyteller clearly articulate ideas, inspires people, and ignites curiosity. It's also a foundational skill to being able to influence without authority. Here are some important elements I was coached on to be a good storyteller.

Start by knowing your audience. Ask questions to yourself like: Who are they? What do they care most about? What are their interests? What may cause them to get distracted from the information I want to convey? This will help tailor your message to be more engaging and relevant to your audience.

Make it personal. Sharing personal experiences will help to connect with your audience on an emotional level which can help them resonate with your message.

Keep your message simple. Again, this comes back to knowing your audience. If you are throwing around jargon or topics that your audience is unfamiliar with, you will quickly lose their attention and engagement. I typically outline the message I am trying to convey ahead of time. If I'm going into a meeting, I use the Purpose, Process, Outcome method to prepare so that I build my message and talking points with my audience in mind.

Incorporate different learning modalities. Recognize that people have different styles of communication they engage with. Good storytellers understand this and creatively use different modalities to convey their message There are 4 learning modalities: Visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile. See the diagram below from to see examples of each modality.

Good storytellers can convey a message in a way that resonates deeply with others. It can galvanize people and drive them to action.

The next time you lead a meeting, give a presentation, or engage in your next public speaking event, try incorporating the elements listed above. You'll start to see your audience react more positively to your message and increase their engagement.

Use facts and data to strengthen your message. Good storytellers strategically reference facts and data to create compelling messages and stories. Often times, it can be easier for people to hear quantitative and objective information like dollars, percents, rates, etc.

5. Be Comfortable Making Recommendations

A pivotal point in my career is when I became comfortable making recommendations and suggestions to higher level leadership vs just taking the backseat and being a "yes" person. I began to realize that my voice had weight and could influence decisions even among team members who were more senior than me.

I'll admit that personally, this was one of the harder competencies for me to develop. But as hard as it was, I consistently worked with mentors and peers to normalize making recommendations as part of my professional role. Here are the three tactics I learned and practiced to become more comfortable making decisions.

Speaking up to give suggestions and recommendations shows that you are engaged and committed to the work. It's a strong leadership quality that gets noticed and open's doors to leadership and more senior opportunities in the workplace. Lastly, it's a direct way to influence the people you work with.

Before attending a meeting where decision making will need to happen, consider a role play where you practice giving recommendations with trusted peers. Do they find the recommendation convincing? What questions are they asking you about your suggestions / recommendations? How can you strengthen your recommendation based off their feedback?

Understand the problem, situation, or current state thoroughly: To do this effectively I would ensure that I collected relevant facts and data, did firsthand observation, and conducted extensive research on the topic. Additionally, I try to stay up to data on the latest trends and best practices to bring an outside perspective.

Label recommendations: When making suggestions and recommendations I start by saying "I think we should do this" or "here's my recommendations on next steps based off the information I learned", referencing the data I researched in the prior step.

Start small: It can be nerve-racking and uncomfortable to make recommendations, especially in the presence of senior leaders. I recommend (See what I did there ) starting with small, low-risk recommendations in smaller team settings first. Then, work your way up to larger and more complex ones.

This will help you gain the confidence and experience you'll need to feel more comfortable.

Conclusion

Influence is deeper rooted, is sustained for longer, develops trust, and builds relationships. Authority is typically shorter term, doesn't build relationships, and reinforces traditional leadership hierarchies.

Remember, you don't have to be a manager, supervisor, or in any other leadership position to exert your influence.

Develop your influencing capability by: Building your social capital, gaining confidence, building emotional intelligence, being a good storyteller, and getting comfortable making recommendations. They are highly valuable and necessary skills in the workplace.

Finally, if you are not yet in a position of leadership but want to be, this skill will help you stand out and get noticed.

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Influence Without Authority: 5 Ways To Boost Your Persuasion Skill

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Learn how to effectively boost your influence without authority in the workplace. Discover the practical strategies and techniques that will help you build this highly valuable skill.

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Professor Carol Dweck answers this question and more, as she talks about her groundbreaking work on developing mindsets. She emphasizes the power of "yet" in helping students succeed in and out of the classroom.

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Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

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The Energy Bus, by Jon Gordon, is a captivating narrative that emphasizes the power of positive thinking and the impact it can have on personal and professional success

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Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet

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How Teachers Change the Culture & Climate of Schools | Simon Sinek

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Shared Vision | Lindsay Unified School District

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Tools for Effective Principal Leadership - Vision

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Rocky's Inspirational Speech to His Son | ROCKY BALBOA

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Why do we think what we think? Think we know what we think we know? Believe what we believe? Like what we like? Do what we do?

Why do others trust or distrust us? Respect or disrespect us? Listen to or ignore us? Reach out to or neglect us? Like or dislike us? Praise or slander us? Believe or doubt us? That's not all...

Why do others follow our lead or stand in our way? Give us opportunities or send them elsewhere? Support our striving for success and appreciate our message or toss it - and us - aside? Decades of cutting-edge (but unheard-of) scientific research presents an answer...

Because hidden, little-known secrets of psychology influence everything about us...

Neglecting them is swimming upstream. You can't change minds, win friends, or influence people. You can't earn undivided attention or get the respect you deserve. You undermine your professional image, stagnate your career, and destroy your confidence until communication makes you anxious.

You don't deserve this. Neither did I. I remember wondering, "Why do people never support my ideas? Why am I drowning in a sea of 'sorry, maybe later' (AKA never)? Why have I stopped succeeding?" Luckily, everything changed when I answered one question...

What are the communication habits of highly effective people?

It comes down to one secret: Highly effective people speak how the human mind evolved to interpret information. The result? They easily persuade and instantly influence, turning communication from an obstacle into an opportunity. They enrich their careers, get more done, and advance with stunning speed.

They impact and inspire others, rising to positions of leadership. They quickly succeed, excel with ease, and shape the world. They attract support, feel confident, and smash goal after goal. Who are they? Presidents and CEOs; top-performers and respected professionals; leaders and visionaries.

And here's my question to you:

In How Highly Effective People Speak , you'll discover 194 communication habits of highly effective people (proven by 57 scientific studies ) including:

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How Highly Effective People Speak: How High Performers Use Psychology to Influence With Ease (Speak for Success)

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How Highly Effective People Speak: How High Performers Use Psychology to Influence With Ease (Speak for Success) [Andrei, Peter] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. How Highly Effective People Speak: How High Performers Use Psychology to Influence With Ease (Speak for Success)

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How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level

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How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level [Maxwell, John C.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Learning how to get it right | Asif Sadiq | TEDxCroydon

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Culture Before Curriculum | Andrew Hammond | TEDxRoyalTunbridgeWells

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Vision Statements, in Business, in Stories, in Life | Andrew Mancini | TEDxHobartHighSchool