S9 E6: Unlocking Educator Joy (Pathways and Permission)

In this episode, Jenn and I are thrilled to welcome William Parker! A longtime educator from Oklahoma who transitioned into full-time consulting, speaking, and writing, Will is the author of "Messaging Matters" and his new book, "Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator's Guide to Doing What You Love"

Will shares how his new book, born from coaching conversations with high-achieving leaders at crossroads, is designed to help educators think through career options, get out of ruts, and reconnect with their joy.

We dive into key concepts from the book, including:

• Avoiding the Binary: Why you don't always have just two options and how to explore multiple pathways.

• The Power of Curiosity and Inquiry: How asking questions and reaching out to experts leads to discovery.

• Idea to Action: Moving from thinking to doing with intentionality and achievable goals.

• Goal Setting and Reflection: The importance of looking back to learn and setting goals for the future across all parts of your life.

• Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: Identifying yourself as your biggest obstacle and realizing you often only need your own permission to take the next step towards what you want.

• Figuring Out What You Want: Practical exercises like the 'Doing, Not Doing, Want to Do, Don't Want to Do' framework.

Join us to explore how to give yourself permission to dream, inquire, and rediscover the joy of learning in your career. Also, don't forget to tune in to William's podcast, Principal Matters. It’s packed with practical tips and inspiration for school leaders.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.