Susan Scott's Blog, page 76

Fierce Tip of the Week: Say Sorry First

We all do it. We say something we don’t exactly mean. Or we do something in the heat of the moment. We are human – it happens.

What really matters is what you do after. Do you hold onto it and want the other person to come to his or her ‘senses’? Or do you lean in and open the conversation to make it right?

This week’s tip is to say sorry first when something has not gone the way you intended. If you can’t in the heat of the moment, go back to it when you are ready.

In the spirit of the holidays and bringing 2014 to a close, let forgiveness and compassion be the gifts you give. It sounds cliché.

However, we all know these gifts can be the hardest to give.

The bonus? It is a gift to yourself too. You can travel light.

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Fierce Resources: The 4 Most Common Relationship Problems – And How to Fix Them

This week’s Fierce resource comes from the blog, Barking Up The Wrong Tree by Eric Barker.

The 4 Most Common Relationship Problems – And How to Fix Them reviews research done by Dr. John Gottman at the University of Washington, on the topic of interpersonal conversation. Specifically in relationships. Gottman explores what makes relationships successful and what happens when there is a breakdown in communication, resulting in an unsatisfactory relationship. Although this blog talks specifically about intimate relationships, the way we form relationships at home, at work, with new friends and old is characteristic to how we show up as individuals and what that means for the expectations we have for ourselves and others.

Think about: How are you showing up in your relationships? Would you want to hang out with you? What are you really good at and what could you work on to be a better partner, colleague or friend?

“Relationship problems. Everybody has them. And sometimes you have them over and over and over. Most of the people giving advice don’t know the research. So where are the real answers?”

Read the full blog.

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Bring Conversations Back to Your School

As leaders in schools, we have conversations all day long.  We choose what conversations we engage in.  We choose the relationships we want to invest time and energy.  We consider the impact of the conversations on staff morale, on student achievement, and on how it impacts us as individuals.

What if we chose to get curious when entering a conversation?  What if we challenged ourselves to have tough conversations, today, in a compassionate way?

What would we see? How would our relationships change?

When I became a principal, I made conversations the priority.  As I talked with my staff, I noticed a shift.  I would check in with them, their families, their successes with students and their challenges with students.  When my gut told me I messed up, I went back, apologized, and had the conversation. 

I noticed tighter, more cohesive relationships were forming.  Gradually then suddenly, the results in our school were changing for the better.  Anyone who walked in the building felt the buzz of energy.  Staff and students used words like: “We are a family here.”  “We care about each other.” The students wanted to be at school, in fact, we had a hard time getting them to leave each evening!

Result: Consistent growth in ACT scores. Result: 98% of students going to college.  Result: Achieved a 98% attendance rate.

Staff retention grew 90% year over year because I included each of them in the conversations that mattered. According to the educators who were surveyed from the book, If You Don’t Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students! Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers, “Effective leaders are included in conversations with teachers. Effective schools are places where everyone shares. A leader who includes teachers in conversation will be included in teachers’ conversations.  Trust must be developed through open, concise, and direct discussions.”

I encourage you to have more conversations.  Challenge yourself: What missed conversations do you want to have?  What results do you hope to see?  How will this impact you, your school, and your students?  

Tip to use with students: Check in each morning with all your students. Clear your calendar for 15 minutes and greet them as they enter the building.  It can be the best part of your day as you look in their eyes, they look at yours and see you care.

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Imagine New Possibilities

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible. – Walt Disney

Is there a dream that you always think about? How about one for 2015?

My friend and I recently talked about a corner store he wants to build and open. His eyes and voice change when he talks about it. He has vision and excitement with the idea of the partners, products, and future loyal customers.

I am often inspired by him. And even more so when he has that palpable passion.

What do you talk about that changes your demeanor? What brightens your mindset?

This week’s tip is to think about your pipe dreams. When you hone in, recognize the positive feelings that surface. Bring creativity to a current challenge you are facing.

When people doubt the purpose or reasoning of an idea, that is oftentimes enough to seek a little more depth.

Let’s dream for a while…

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Fierce Resources: Teach Teachers How to Create Magic – Fierce Leadership Blog

This talk was originally shared on Ted.com and was created by Christopher Emdin.

What happens when there is lack of inspiration in a classroom? Teach Teachers How to Create Magic shares insight for how to engage students through the use of what many think is magic- the ability to create collaborative, courageous environments where students are leaning in to the conversation and listening with intent for what’s to come. Classrooms where students are learning and teachers feel good about the difference they are making. Does this sound like your classroom?

Who do you know who has a classroom like this? Look for those who inspire you.

“What do rap shows, barbershop banter, and Sunday services have in common? They all hold the secret magic to enthrall and teach at the same time — and it’s a skill we often don’t teach to educators.”

Watch the 7 minute Tedtalk now

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How to Stay Present

Do you believe you can multi-task and still stay present in a conversation?

Many of us think we are better at it than we really are.

In the age of iPhones, Twitter, and every kind of on-demand product, it is easy to want to check-in on multiple modes of communication all the time.

The issue is that always checking-in comes with a cost.

Often, when you do not stop what you are doing and pay attention to someone, the message you indirectly send is that he or she is not important enough to stop what you’re doing.

Is that your intention?

If not, it’s time to focus. (If it is your intention, that is a different blog topic.)

As a leader, it is your job to be aware and stay connected with your team. Here are three tips to be more present:

1. Make a schedule.

Set a specific time frame for you to check emails and engage in certain activities each day. If you don’t, you may find you spend most of your time consistently answering emails and phone calls instead of connecting with your team and the most important issues.

2. Show your priority.

When a team member comes to you, put your phone down and step away from your computer. This is the time to give your attention. Let them physically see that they are a priority. This applies to meetings as well.

3. Write or type your to-do’s.

Before your meetings, put all your thoughts on paper – electronic or physical. There is nothing worse than talking with someone and seeing that his or her brain is somewhere else. Documenting your action items helps to alleviate the stress of forgetting something, and then you can concentrate on being in the moment.

What areas do you need to stay most present?

This blog was originally published in 2012 on the Fierce blog.

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Set Your Intention

I practice yoga multiple times a week. I love meeting my mat in the morning before the sun rises. The mixture of the physical and mental aspects help bring me back to the basics with myself and others. It’s about breathing and being present. And in our busy, crazed world, I think we can agree that is easier said than done.

When you go to a yoga studio, the instructor will ask you to set an intention at the beginning of class. In other words: What brings you here? What is your purpose? What do you want to concentrate on? Can you describe it in a few words?

Today starts the last month of the year. Pause and think back on the last 11 months.

This week’s tip is to set your intention for December. Be specific. Is there a word that you want the month to embody? Is there a person or people you want to focus on most?

What will your intention be? Write it down. Keep it at your desk or on your phone as a reminder.

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Fierce Resources: The No. 1 Reason You Want Happy Workers? It Boosts Your Bottom Line

This week’s Fierce Resource was originally posted on TLNT.com and was written by Taro Fukuyama.

The No. 1 Reason You Want Happy Workers? It Boosts Your Bottom Line shares three tips to consider when you think about the overall climate of your workplace. Think about small shifts you can make around your office that will impact your employees whether it’s enhancing your recognition program,  establishing flex hours, or bringing in light snacks- what can you do to leave your employees feeling more satisfied while they are at work?

“Life exists beyond your office walls, and happiness in the workplace has a big effect on overall happiness. If you keep that in mind and show that you care about their well-being as an employer, workers will look forward to being in the office every day.”

Read the full article here.

If you’re interested in learning more about work-life balance, join our webinar coming up on Wednesday, December 3rd at 12pm PST. Register here.

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Three Gratitude Exercises for Leaders To Embrace

The holiday season is a time to reflect, a time to stop and think about all that we have to be grateful for. For many individuals, thankfulness is directed towards friends, family, and all the delicious food!  Not many, however, are sitting down at the table and sharing how grateful they are for their employees or colleagues.

A study by OfficeTeam revealed that more than half of workers would likely leave their position if they didn’t feel appreciated by their manager, and this number increased for those 35 and younger. This seems surprising in many ways, as so much of our time and energy are invested in our job —so why is it that we have such a hard time expressing gratitude in our day to day interactions? Often we move so fast that we don’t stop to acknowledge one another and share our appreciation with others.

Here are some ways you can encourage your team to show a little more appreciation this holiday season:

Gratitude On The Spot: In an upcoming meeting, set aside some time for the group to focus on gratitude. Have each person on your team or in a project group stand up for two minutes while colleagues say out loud what they appreciate about the person standing. Have a timekeeper that makes sure you stay on track, so everyone else can focus on the task at hand.

Why? Acknowledging the importance of appreciating team members publicly is vital. By taking the time to do this, you are signaling to the larger group or organization that you value appreciating others.

Gratitude Notes:  Supply notecards for team members to write notes to one another expressing appreciation. The goal is to make each note very specific and share why it is significant to the team and/or organization. Encourage employees to focus on how colleagues make their lives easier and/or more enjoyable. Make this a monthly activity throughout the year.

Why? Physical notes seem to be a lost art. This exercise allows people to reflect and give something physical that can be kept by others.

Gratitude 365: Expressing appreciation shouldn’t only happen in the months of November and December. Make it a daily practice within the organization by making it a part of every meeting—be it 1:1s, smaller work gatherings, or larger office meetings.  Start each of these by first expressing your appreciation—it could be as simple as a thank you for showing up, or a shout out to an employee going above and beyond.

Why? Making something a habit can be hard, but the payoff will be well worth it. Before you know it, this practice will become second nature, and replicated throughout the organization.

How will you share out loud your gratitude this holiday season? And don’t forget about those who you spend 40 hours a week with!

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Fierce Tip of the Week: Give Positive Feedback

Thanksgiving is this week in the United States. Many of us take time off work and share meals with family and friends. We often pause on this holiday to express our gratitude (here is a conversation my family has).

So, how can you focus on gratitude in your workplace this week?

An easy way is to give positive feedback. Positive feedback is essential for creating a healthy working environment. Everyone is responsible for giving it – not just designated leaders.

This week’s tip is to share positive feedback with at least three people in your organization. 

Think about it. Has your colleague gone out of his or her way to help with a project? Are you grateful for how someone is showing up? Has your team hit it out of the park? Share that.

When giving positive feedback, make sure to describe the actions with plenty of details. Then describe the significance and impact for you and others. Make it sincere and real.

Who will you give feedback to this week?

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