Strong Relationships Drive Change!

Posted on February 18, 2025 Written by

Successful change initiatives depend on strong relationships. This blog post (from a Director of Curriculum and Instruction in New York) offers three tips for fostering relational change.

And while these tips seem obvious, we often fail to apply these guidelines to our change work. Ultimately, we must recognize that change is rarely a solo experience, and act accordingly. Because others are involved in the process, great leaders are constantly aware of their colleagues wants, needs, challenges, and worries. This relational focus helps us embrace change for what it truly is … a necessary part of life.

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Improve Attendance!

Posted on July 16, 2024 Written by

In the post-pandemic era, many schools face major challenges with chronic absenteeism. But this ASCD Blog article suggests that using strategies that teach, reinforce, and support students in meeting attendance goals can lead to a significant transformational change.

Of course, changing the culture of attendance in a school requires a collaborative effort among staff, families, and the broader community. But making the shift from a punitive to a proactive approach can greatly reduce chronic absences.

Note: A recent poll found that many parents simply don’t understand the seriousness of chronic absences. That highlights both the problem and the solutions suggested above.

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Six Strategies for Mentoring

Posted on July 2, 2024 Written by

Great mentoring not only nurtures authentic connections and supports professional growth, but can also instill district values and enhance and expand school culture.

In this article, two successful principals share specific strategies that can help you build trust, offer inspiration, and make a meaningful difference for your students, colleagues, and community. As they point out, effective mentoring “creates space for leaders to reflect on the past, confront the present, and make plans to shape the future.”

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The Art of Active Listening

Posted on March 12, 2024 Written by

Back in November, we discussed the importance of making others feel heard. Here’s a related question: Do you listen … REALLY listen … to your colleagues, your friends, or even your own family?

All too often, many of us listen only to decide what we want to say next. Some even interrupt others so they can squeeze in a thought before they forget or the subject changes.

Active listening is a critical skill for educational leaders. As Amy Gallo explains, it requires developing a mental discipline that allows you to listen “purely for comprehension — without an agenda, distraction, or judgment.” It also means that you actively seek input from all of your constituents, regardless of their level, rank, or subjective importance.

Research by Weger, et al.* strongly suggests that those who engage in active listening are seen as more competent, likeable, and trustworthy by others. Active listening is also positively related to employees’ perceptions of support from their managers, which in turn predicts higher levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

With results like that, the investment of time needed to improve your listening skills seems well worth the effort! And the article above provides several tips to get you started.

*Weger H., Castle B., Minei E, and Robinson C (2014). The Relative Effectiveness of Active Listening in Initial Interactions . International Journal of Listening, 28:1, 13-31. 

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