Urgent vs. Important: Executing Your Most Important Goals

What do you see? think? wonder? I wrestle with balancing the urgent vs. important items on my ‘to do’ list. I love the image above so much that it is framed and hanging on the wall in my office. The whirlwind is all around is and it is powerful enough to dominate every minute our days. The girl with the camera is focused on what’s important, not what is urgent. It seems illogical and dangerous. What is so important that she is willing to ignore the impending whirlwind? What is so important in your life that you should ignore the […]

#12 The Year of Self-Discipline: Part 2 – Weekly Plan

1 in a 3 Part Series on Self-Discipline 1 – Effective Email 2 – Weekly Plan 3 – Life Planning 1 Week = 168 Hours. Better plan intentionally to make them count. You don’t get them back.  Six Step Weekly Planning Process Six Steps to Plan Your Week For Success Seven Steps to Plan You Week The Perils of Step by Step Planning  😉  Weekly Planner Template What are your tips for making the most of your 168 hours each week?

#11 Empty Gmail Inbox Daily

1 in a 3 Part Series on Self-Discipline 1 – Effective Email 2 – Weekly Plan 3 – Life Planning Each year for the past several years, our school has declared a theme. The year of story. The year of design. The year of celebration and innovation. The year of collaboration. I have decided to have my own personal theme this year: the year of self-discipline. I want to be healthier. This includes goals I keep putting off such as going to bed earlier, exercising more consistently in the morning, eating more natural foods, drinking less coke. I need to […]

Commitment Is Better Than Compliance

Commitment Is Better Than Compliance Adopt this philosophy and you will live long in the land. Great leaders know the difference and how to achieve it. One can apply this philosophy to any team, organization, group, family, etc. Today, let’s apply it to the discipline philosophy of a school. When the goal is simply to get kids to follow the rules in the handbook a specific culture is created. It is a culture of law. Teachers spend their time nagging students to stop chewing gum, tuck in their shirts, get in line, and hush up. The nature of the teacher/student […]

The Team You’re On vs. The Team You Lead

The Team You’re On vs. The Team You Lead Last summer our leadership team read The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni and the quote below has stuck with me ever since. I will confess, I have not been as strongly committed to this ideal as I feel I should be. “The team you belong to must come ahead of the team you lead: this is putting team results (e.g., organizational needs) ahead of individual agendas (e.g., the team or division you lead).” – Patrick Lencioni  I love the people I work with. I love my team and my teammates. I feel a […]

#2 Introducing Your Newest Team Member: Gandalf

Organizing and improving all of the goals, events, reflections, feedback, ideas, touch points, and priorities that occur in the life of a school from year to year is like drinking from a fire hose. I am constantly seeking out new ways to be more effective and efficient at managing and leading. This Spring I had a breakthrough. In the summer of 2005, I took a week long course at Oglethorpe University through the College Board for certification to teach AP World History. The instructor was Larry Treadwell. I will never forget him. In one week, my approach to teaching was […]

#1Taking the 60-60-60 Challenge

Several times I have created blogs with gusto and enthusiasm only to neglect my posting duties after a few posts. Here I go again. This time, however, I hope to break the cycle of neglect thanks to the inspiration of my new friend and teammate, Bo Adams. Also, thanks to another friend and teammate, Mikey Canup for setting up this new blog for me and getting it linked to my longstanding singer/songwriter website domain. You can read about Bo’s 60-60-60 Challenge and perhaps dare to take part, too. Follow my progress on twitter #60-60-60Challenge.  

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