Designing Schools EP#74 | On Becoming a Leader with Dr. Jeffrey Prickett
Leadership is not something that you are born with. It is something that needs to be taught and nurtured. Leaders are made, they don't just happen. Leadership is a skill that needs to be practiced and learned.
The first step to becoming a leader is learning how to think like one. This means understanding what leadership really means and how it can be applied in different situations. Leadership skills are developed through observing others, practicing leadership in various situations, and being mentored by someone who has already mastered the skill.
Leaders are the people who drive change and innovation. They are the ones who make sure that their team is aligned towards a common goal. Leaders are not managers, they possess skills that distinguish them from managers.
My guest in this episode, Dr. Jeff Prickett, is one of the most compassionate leaders I've met. He is a professional educator who has worked as the principal of elementary, middle, and high schools. He has worked as an assistant administrator, dean of students, and classroom teacher throughout his 25 years of public school career.
In this episode, we talk about the five skills that distinguish leaders from managers: associating, questioning, observing, empathy and education.
0:00 Introduction
3:30 Introducing Dr. Jeff Prickett and his journey of becoming a leader
8:59 The importance of empathy and asking questions as a leader
13:52 Jeff figuring out what it means to look and act like a leader
16:38 How values can help make a better leader and create trust among a community
22:55 Childhood and youth moments that shaped Jeff's core values
27:09 Two shaping moments from Jeff's first years as a high school principal
29:41 Strategies to help kids navigate through adversities today
36:05 Strategies to nurture creativity and innovation in high school
39:56 Jeff's thought on the relationship between leadership and social influence
43:58 The importance of bringing parents into the conversation about education
45:15 Jeff's advice for leaders
Connect with Dr. Jeff Prickett:
March 10 Workshop Invitation: Better Digital Tools for Education Leaders
Connect with Jeff
- Jeff Prickett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdprickett
Jeff Prickett on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdprickett/
The Principal Leadership Lab podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-principal-leadership-lab/id1519710842
"Becoming Principal" on Amazon
Connect with me, Dr. Sabba Quidwai:
Website: https://designingschools.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabba-quidwai/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/askMsQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designing_schools/