Colleagues,

Several important events with clients have ben postponed recently due to the disruptions caused by very high COVID infection numbers. That’s okay. I understand. However, it has left me feeling like I am standing on the sideline when I want to be in the game.


As a way of trying to do something I decided to record some podcasts with assistant principals talking about how they are working through this very difficult time in schools. This is really leadership while under fire.


Last week I shared some highlights from episode nine’s conversation with Libba Mattison and today I want to highlight something Emily Parks said in episode ten, which was released last Thursday.


“Change, a lot of time, forces growth”


We have all been forced to adapt. Some of these changes have been painful, but many of us have also grown in very positive ways.


You can listen to the other insights from Emily here, but before you go, please consider emailing me a positive change that has happened with you or your organization over the last couple of months. Just a few words. Please 😬. You can click here and begin typing.


Cheers!


Frederick

Colleagues,

​
It sounded like a good idea back then.


It doesn't matter when “then” was. 


What really matters is now. Is it a good idea now?


There are some important things I wanted to help clients achieve this year. I had some great ideas about developing coaching skills and building infrastructure to help teachers and leaders grow.


They were great ideas back then.


They are still great ideas, but not for right now.


Reflect:

• How have people’s needs changed over the past six months?
• How have your organization’s needs changed?
• What is the capacity for change?
• What are you still trying to do that doesn’t need to be done right now?

Cheers!


Frederick

Colleagues,

​
If this message was 500 words, you probably wouldn’t read it.


If you want more details, you will ask.


Very few people ask.


Less is more.


Cheers!


Frederick

Colleagues,


First, I want to thank everyone who has listened to and shared the podcast with others! Episode 8 had over 40 downloads in the first six days, which is fantastic. The hardest thing about sharing content is not receiving feedback, so in the absence of words the numbers are powerful. Thank you!


Last week episode 9 of The Assistant Principal Podcast came out and my guest Libba Mattison made four important points that I think are valuable to all of us right now.


Libba is an assistant principal at Lakeview Middle School in Greenville SC. She offered four ways that APs can support teachers RIGHT NOW, but you don’t need to be in education to use them:

• Be super visible by working with them, taking over duties, and being in the halls.
• Listen. Often, we don't need to respond. Teachers just need to talk and feel listened to. Take off your fixit hat and just be present.
• Be human. That means giving grace, but also being vulnerable.
• When there is an issue that needs to be dealt with, involve teachers in the solution.

Libba has a great spirit and I encourage everyone to listen to episode 9, which deals exclusively with leading during this pandemic.


Cheers!


Frederick

Colleagues,

There’s nothing so bad that a big bowl of ice cream can’t make better.


Notice that I didn’t say that ice cream could fix the problem because it can’t. 


Maybe we need to try and be like that ice cream for the people we serve.


If you are in health care or education right now, your work might resemble a dumpster fire.


There is nothing you can do to fix the situation. Even money won’t help because there aren’t enough qualified people to hire!


What you can do, is make things a little bit better.


What is the ice cream in an organization?


Maybe it is human connectedness. Stress and lack of control is hard. Feeling connected is sweet.


One question for you: Chocolate or vanilla?


Cheers!


Frederick