Like a Man on Fire!

I’m not sure why I’m including this in my blog except to remind myself that this whole thing is a work in progress.

I opened the 2018-2019 school year like a man on fire. I wanted to see what a Freshman Academy could do. All four of the teams were solid, functioning teams who knew how to work with freshmen. What was possible?

I also carried with me my own expectations and desires for myself and our work. I could see the finish line of my career for the first time and that was not comforting. It wasn’t some nebulous idea but rather an option not that many years away. There was too much yet to do.

And I did too much.

Below is the outline of my confession for my conversation with teams in January of 2019. It was an effort to own my intensity and recover their trust. We were off the rails, and this was my effort to fix that.

Owning it - My Five Mistakes

• Lead with a “great but not enough” mindset

• Lead with fear - 10 years, new timeframe to retirement

• Lead with too much, way too much!

• Lead with irritation and unresolved anger at administration

• Lead with statements and not questions

These five questions were very helpful for all of us as we sat around the table after my opening comments.

Five Questions

• What have I missed from your perspective?

• What are you doing or not doing out of frustration?

• What do you want to do less of?

• What do you want to do more or?

• What do I need to do next?