Colleagues,

MVP: Leaders don’t have to be alone.
 
Sometimes being a leader is like being in a fishbowl. You can see everyone, and they can see you, but you are separate from them. Certainly, leaders can and do have meaningful relationships with those they serve and many of us have been privileged to have leaders who became life-long mentors and friends.
 
And yet, leadership can be lonely.
 
If you feel that loneliness, here are some things you can try:

• Keep in touch with your mentor. If you don’t have one, find one.
• Invest in building your leadership team.
• Create an informal network of other leaders within (or outside of) your organization and maintain frequent contact with each other.
• Find a free community on social media that you can plug into.
• Join a hosted paid community that will cater to your needs.

 
If you are a school leader interested in a free community, you might want to listen to this afternoon’s episode of The Assistant Principal Podcast. Our special guest is Dr. David Franklin who hosts The Principal’s Desk over on Facebook. David and I discuss community and other topics on today’s show. Link is here.
 
Today’s intention: Think about the people who you can trust and who help you feel less isolated. Reach out to one or more of them today. Text, email, call, whatever is easiest. Just let them know you appreciate them and ask for some time if you need it. I guarantee you will feel more connected!
 
Cheers!

Frederick

Colleagues,
 
MVP: You can be a better leader in five minutes a day, and it begins with being intentional.
 
Be a better leader in 5 minutes a day.
 
It’s true. We can be better leaders simply by implementing simple practices into our daily routines.
 
If you read this email each day (or most days), then you are already doing the first of five practices I share in my new guide, Be a Better Leader in 5 Minutes a Day!
 
The first practice is to set a daily intention, like the one at the conclusion of this email.
 
Simple.
 
Download your guide here and receive:

• Five practices, each of which tales five minutes or less to implement
• A handy printable poster to put up in your workspace as a daily reminder
• Eight follow up emails to remind you every few days to focus on a specific practice

 
If you aren’t already, you will be subscribed to Quadrant2, my bi-monthly micro-journal.  
 
My hope is that you will download this guide and that you will share this email with a colleague.
 
The more people I can reach, the more people I can help, so I would be grateful if you would forward this message to your colleagues.
 
Have a great couple of weeks as we get deep into the holiday season!
 
CLICK here to Download.
 
And…
 
CLICK here to forward.
 
Today’s intention: Be aware of how setting this daily intention influences your leadership throughout the day.
 
Cheers!

Frederick

Colleagues,

MVP: A 60-minute reflection exercise to help you renew your attention and intention
 
On Wednesday I promised you something special that would be useful if you chose to block an hour of time for self-reflection.
 
Please understand – there is no need to feel guilty if you can’t do this today. It is simply an opportunity, not a requirement.
 
Steps:

• Find a quiet space. No family, pets, phones, computers. Zero distractions. The world will survive without you for 60 minutes.
• Grad paper and a pen. Please do not type this! Write by hand. There is a physiological difference when we write things out by hand.
• Divide a sheet of paper with a line going down the center.
• On the left-hand column write down everything that you feel good about in your organization this fall.
• On the right-hand column, list out the things you don’t feel good about.
• Reflect on the positives and identify specific things you have done as a leader to contribute to the positives.
• Reflect on the negatives. Cross out any that you have no influence over.
• Look at what is left. Ask:
  • What is the underlying problem? Why is it like this?
  • What is one tiny tweak that would make it a little better?
  • How can my skills, or another person’s skills, contribute to making that tweak?
• Reexamine everything you have written.
• List out three positive leadership practices you want to keep executing.
• Identify one action you want to take to make one tweak in one of the issues.
• List two people who can support you, even if it is just encouragement.
• Set a deadline for action.

 
Optional: Reply to this email and share your positives, action item, and deadline with me. I’ll do what I can to support you.
 
Today’s intention: Reflect on the fall and your own leadership. Acknowledge your positive actions and identify one thing to tweak.
 
Cheers!

Frederick

Colleagues,

I tried to write a simple and cheery upbeat message about Thanksgiving, but I just couldn’t. Today’s message is about hope and thanks, but it is also an acknowledgment that we have things to mourn. If you want to be moved and think deeply, keep reading. If you would rather stay lighthearted, stop reading because that isn’t where this goes.

I cannot celebrate this day without also acknowledging and mourning the implications of the mythical First Thanksgiving on indigenous communities. I have some very dear friends whose ancestors were treated brutally and who continue to face discrimination today.
 
Additionally, we will all have people missing from our tables this year. We have all lost family members.
 
And yet, the act of coming together to break bread and of setting aside time for counting our blessings is something to celebrate.
 
I wish for you a special day. A day on which we remember and celebrate those who have passed. A day on which we acknowledge that not all the stories that are told hold the same meaning for us all. A day on which we celebrate what we have, and be mindful that many have less. A day that we do see and appreciate abundance and possibility.
 
A measure solemnity is the gravy on gratitude – the two are not mutually exclusive.
 
I am thankful for all of you, especially for the connection that we have and that we can continue to nurture.
 
Today’s intention: Give thanks for what you have and celebrate, but also be mindful that not everyone will join in the celebration. Draw strength from this.
 
Cheers!

Frederick