Colleagues,

MVP: You’ll need to listen to the podcast.
 
I look back on May’s episodes of The Assistant Principal Podcast and shake my head. Each week I feel like I’m saying, “We had a great guest this week!” 
 
Guess what?
 
We had a great guest this week!
 
Luke Simmering joins us to take a deep dive into teacher retention.
 
Luke has done some remarkable research, and though the issue is complex, the research is clear that there is one very simple way to increase teacher retention.
 
I talk about it every week. I hope you can guess, with confidence, what it is.
 
Today’s intention: Think about your relationship with your leader. Is that relationship one that would cause you to pass on an opportunity to go somewhere else, or a relationship that would cause you to actively look at something else? And if we asked the people who consider you a leader, how would they answer?

Cheers!

​Frederick

Colleagues,

MVP: If you don’t know the problem, you can’t identify the solution.
 
One obvious challenge to a morning routine is getting up early enough to not be in a hurry. Getting up late is a symptom, not the cause. The question then is…
 
Why is it hard to get up early?
 
Because we stay up late watching television.
 
Why do we stay up late watching television? 
 
To shut our brains down. 
 
Why do we need to do that? 
 
Because we will wake up in the middle of the night.
 
Why will we wake up in the middle of the night?
 
Because we are worried about work.
 
So, if we learn to stop worrying about work, we can go to bed earlier and sleep through the night, which should allow us to get up in time to care for ourselves?
 
Yes.
 
So, the problem is not being able to stop worrying about work. Once we understand that, we can focus our efforts in that direction.
 
Today’s intention: Think about the traditional ways people try and get themselves to be better at their routines. Is learning to not worry about work something that routinely pops up?

Cheers!

​Frederick

Colleagues,

The first step to solving a problem is to figure out what it is!
 
Today is the first of a two-part sequence.
 
Several weeks ago I was working with a group of community leaders on Strategic Action Cycles (SAC). Urgent leaders treat symptoms, and without getting to the cause, the symptoms just reappear. The SAC process emphasizes identifying root problems before taking any action.
 
We were working through an example together, looking at the root problem of why many of us struggle to follow through on healthy morning routines.
 
You may or may not struggle with sticking to a healthy morning routine, but I and many others do. So, stop and think…
 
Why do YOU (and/or others) struggle with consistently enacting a healthy morning routine? 
 
Today’s intention: Think about what makes it difficult to get up early, exercise, meditate, and eat a healthy breakfast. Then think about the things people typically do to address the issues.

Cheers!

Frederick

Colleagues,

MVP: Simplicity increases creativity.

Simplicity increases creativity.

I have no idea what will drive this lesson home, but I have the feeling that somewhere along the way, Pam and I are going to have to improvise and be creative. 

Secretly, I am looking forward to this moment. Although, it’s not a secret now!

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Being able to share my excitement by focusing on some leadership lessons has been great for me – I hope it has worked well for you too.

Today's Intention: Look at all the gadgets in your kitchen. What would happen if they all went away? Could you get by with a knife, a fork, and a spoon?

Cheers!
​
​Frederick

Colleagues,

MVP: Reality usually doesn’t live up to the fantasy, but sometimes we can be surprised.
 
I remember opening up an issue of National Geographic magazine in 1985 and having a map fall out. The map accompanied a long article on the Pennine Way. I said to myself, “Someday, I am going to walk that trail!”
 
Well, someday is almost here.
 
You can imagine how much fantasizing I have done about this trail over the past 38 years.
 
In truth, the real thing cannot live up to the idyllic image I have painted in my mind.
 
I will be reminded that an idealized outcome will not be the real outcome.
 
Although I do wonder, if I am able to embrace Wednesday’s lesson, that people are the purpose, maybe I have a chance?

Today's Intention: Look around you. Is it really about the people?

Cheers!

​Frederick