Most of us want to accomplish a couple of things in life: Have meaningful impact Be effective in our undertakings To be sure, there are a lot of sub-objectives to both of those endeavors, with nuances and webs extending from each. Constant reflection is...
Blog
The Story of an Unlikely Principal
As a kid, I grew up in a low-income family home with 3 brothers, my mom and an alcoholic step dad. We lived in south Texas near the coast in a very small town. I never thought of myself as being poor. My mom never really allowed any of us to believe there was...
Superhero
As the school year closes and the summer months begin, I reflect on the journey from beginning to end. Being a principal has blessed me. I have been able to help students and adults in ways that I never could in the past. I have been an advocate, a listening ear, a...
UNsticking
Sometimes we get stuck. The rut seems to grab hold and won’t let go. Getting stuck happens to everyone. Getting unstuck is not rocket science. Try this recipe: Get off the accelerator. Spinning the tires even faster won’t get us out of the rut. Reflect carefully....
OffensiveFootball
Football can serve as a nice metaphor for organizational endeavor. The VISION of the football team is to win games and championships. The MISSION of the offense is to make first downs and score points. The ACTION PLAN of the offense is to effectively...
GodHumanAnimalMachine
recently read God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning by Meghan O’Gieblyn (2021). My top takeaways: Science presumes a third person perspective, yet consciousness is a first-person experience. We have yet to understand...
BlessingBoomerang
Blessings come our way in a multitude of forms: kindness extended, forgiveness offered, assistance, deference, prayers, time given, a listening and nonjudgmental ear, a simple smile, an encouraging word, ………. the list goes on and on. Most (and some of the most...
BrakeTrouble
Little children, pets, and visionaries often share a similar trait. They see a person, object, or objective of great desire. They accelerate quickly in the direction of that person, object, or objective, gaining unbridled enthusiasm and speed in the pursuit....
CultureHealth
Organizations are actually living, breathing organisms. They have health markers, just like us humans. Leaders are in particular need of being able to assess and address organizational un-health. Consider the following graphic conception for viewing, thinking...
FasterLearners
As a school principal, and as a school superintendent, and as a teacher of those who aspire to the same, I have often said the following: “School” is a sanctuary of learning. It exists for the sole and sacred purpose of LEARNING. If the leaders of the school —...
