This week, I learned a vital leadership lesson: rally your supporters not only in times of need but regularly—and always take the time to thank them. Leadership thrives on collaboration and the shared commitment to equitable education.

Regular exercise doesn’t just strengthen your body—it revitalizes your mind and spirit. As leaders, our roles demand focus, creativity, and resilience. By dedicating just 20–30 minutes a few days a week to physical activity, we can enhance decision-making, boost inspiration, and improve overall well-being. Sweating a little isn’t just self-care—it’s a leadership advantage.

As leaders, we often get caught up in the day-to-day whirlwind of tasks, weeks packed with deadlines, and months filled with events. Without a system for reflection, we risk losing control of our priorities and simply reacting to circumstances. Progress monitoring isn’t just a helpful tool—it’s a proactive way to ensure that we stay aligned with our vision and goals, rather than waiting for directives from supervisors to course-correct.

Balancing inquiry and advocacy is central to active listening—a cornerstone of effective leadership. This approach encourages listening with the intent to learn, not just to respond. It also helps teams and the individuals who lead them to avoid making assumptions by prompting them to stay grounded in evidence rather than personal biases or preconceived notions. This shift in perspective is powerful, allowing for meaningful interactions and more thoughtful, inclusive decision-making.

[. . .] As a new leader, this reaction was challenging. Some even questioned my competency because they felt personally offended by my assessment—despite acknowledging that their performance that day wasn’t up to their usual standard.

This situation highlights a common challenge in leadership: when evaluations are based on a rubric, the intent is to provide feedback on professional practice, not to judge personal identity. Yet, feedback is often perceived as a reflection of self-worth, especially when it touches on areas perceived as sensitive or triggering.

In Week 5, I focused on streamlining workflows by leveraging my strengths, particularly my Achiever theme from the Strengths Finder assessment and my passion for technology. This week taught me that understanding both my strengths and areas for growth is crucial in navigating the fast-paced demands of school leadership. The chaos of unexpected interruptions and numerous tasks can feel overwhelming, but I turned to technology to create systems that enhance my productivity.

In Week 4, I realized that my "Achiever" qualities, while making me highly productive, also sabotaged my work-life balance. For instance, although I scheduled a lunch break, I kept pushing it back until the day ended, leaving me without a meal or a mental break. I recognized then and now that I was neglecting my basic human needs. Similarly, when family obligations arose, I often told myself I would stay "just 10 more minutes," which quickly turned into 30.

Accepting this realization was challenging because I deeply valued the collegial relationships I had built as a teacher in the building. However, the truth was that the dynamics had undeniably shifted. My role had expanded significantly—from being a classroom teacher responsible for 75 students to a building leader accountable for all 360 students. This new responsibility meant that I had to prioritize the needs of all students, even if it required reprimanding someone with whom I had once shared a valued collegial relationship.

During Week 1, I received some impactful feedback that truly made me reflect. One of our school’s guidance counselors praised me for remaining calm and composed during a challenging situation. We had planned a town hall event in the library, but when we arrived, the library was occupied. As a result, seventy-five middle schoolers were lined up in the hallway, waiting and creating quite a bit of noise. Despite the chaos, I reassured a staff member that we would find a solution, which helped to swiftly address the situation. The guidance counselor noticed this and appreciated how I handled it, highlighting the importance of maintaining a steady demeanor in the face of adversity.

This first week’s lesson, Personal Lesson #1, directly ties into Dr. Lorraine Monroe's leadership teachings from her book, The Monroe Doctrine: An ABC Guide to What Great Bosses Do. Dr. Monroe emphasizes the importance of attaching value to what we do daily, urging us to focus on our function rather than our position or title. She reminds us, "It's okay to enjoy the perks that come with the title. But [we] must earn the title and the trappings in the only way possible: by producing results!" (Monroe, 2003).