The Passage of Time

As September fades away and October stands before us, I find myself thinking about where the time has gone. As I settle into my third year as an administrator and second year as a district leader, I have made a commitment to myself to continue focusing on my priorities, the people, the work, and the community I serve. That means that I am finding myself saying no to things that won’t serve me right now and yes to the things that do.

Embracing Imperfection

I’ll admit, September hit me hard. At times, the work has consumed me, leaving less space for other things that matter too. So much so, that I am also learning that I must give myself grace and realize I can’t be all things to all people all the time. I am continuously learning to embrace and work through my imperfection. For example, this week I inadvertently double booked myself for two important meetings. How did this happen? I am usually so careful when looking at my weekly calendar. Because of that mistake, I couldn’t be in a space where I was needed and while in another meeting, I struggled to be fully present because I was being hard on myself for the mistake I had made. I’ll admit, for the rest of the day, I wasn’t too kind to myself. My inner voice created a narrative about that mistake and I let it consume me more than I would have liked.

At that moment, I pulled out the notes section of my iPhone, and began reading some of the inspiring quotes from the book I’m reading titled Big Potential by Shawn Achor. In the book, he shares the following, “Your potential is way bigger than you. Your success, your well-being, and your performance are all connected to that of the people around you.” In the book he goes on to share a study, conducted by researchers from MIT, Union College, and Carnegie Mellon, revealing that a group’s collective intelligence, even when composed of individuals with average abilities, can lead to greater success than teams of individual geniuses. 

So what did this remind me? It reminded me about the power of collaboration and how important it is the team of people around us who will contribute to an organization’s success. It is the overall intelligence of a group that can surpass the intelligence of the individuals in it.  Aristotle’s famous quote, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” speaks to this idea. 

Moving Forward

This week, I harnessed the collective intelligence of my team to orchestrate a series of impactful endeavors. From crafting community webinars to meticulously planning professional learning priorities and juggling upcoming meetings, it often feels like a whirlwind of agenda-making, slide-deck crafting, and strategic planning. All this while striving to excel in my leadership role and maintain a strong connection with our community.

As I continue to familiarize myself with my team, I’ve come to appreciate that I’m never truly alone in this journey. Amidst the hustle and bustle of my leadership responsibilities, there are moments that gently disrupt my day—a kind word here, a thoughtful gesture there. These serve as reminders of the profound impact we can have on someone’s day, even when our own days seem relentlessly occupied.

My friend Meghan Lawson recently wrote a blog post titled We Are Not Pizza. She shared, “So, let’s free ourselves of the crippling pressure of centering ourselves in every narrative. It’s often not about us at all. And I find that quite liberating and critical to seeing the work clearly.”

So, continue to give yourself grace, embrace your imperfections, create the kind narratives you deserve in your head, and use the collective intelligence of the people around you. You can do a lot of things. Hard things. All the things. You can. I believe in you.  

Actionable Ideas to Implement Tomorrow 1. Embrace Collective Intelligence: Leaders should encourage and actively seek opportunities for collaboration among team members. Recognize that the overall intelligence and creativity of a group can often surpass that of individual members. Foster an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and teamwork is promoted. 2. Practice Self-Compassion: Educators and leaders should acknowledge that they are not infallible and should allow themselves room for mistakes. Practicing self-compassion is essential, as it can reduce self-criticism and improve overall well-being. Learning from mistakes and moving forward positively is key. 3. Focus on Priorities and Effective Time Management: Prioritize tasks and commitments that align with your core goals and responsibilities. Say no to things that may not serve your immediate objectives, allowing you to focus your time and energy on what truly matters. Implement effective time management strategies to ensure that important meetings and responsibilities are not overlooked.