Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity

Welcome to Part 1 of a special series: "Leading Schools in a Time of Crisis." In these conversations, we will probe how educators are helping their schools and communities pivot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Because these educators are extremely busy, we've intentionally limited these conversations to 15 minutes. So, how do educators effectively lead change during a crisis? For Principal Carol Kampa, it starts with maintaining and strengthening relationships with students, faculty, and the community.

Enabling sustained organizational success today forces us to look at the leadership staff relationship differently. Mike Vacanti explains how we need to refocus our perspective.

Our lives are rarely linear. Most of us start out "here" and then make a series of twists and turns. Sometimes we're the driver. Sometimes fate and opportunity take the wheel. And sometimes someone else says "I'll drive." In this "Transformation Story," we hear from Lorraine Flower – her journey from being on the corporate fast-track in her mid-thirties to an advisor for leaders and organizations on how to bring the power of spirituality and consciousness to their work.

What changes can schools and school leaders make to better support students today as well as their future growth? Educator Steven Miletto offers three suggestions.

What does human-centered leadership look like? And how does it impact effective change? We offer some answers with our friend and Value Through Vulnerability podcast host, Garry Turner. Today's episode is extra special for us because it's really the first time we get to talk a little bit about our new book – Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change.

There are moral and business arguments behind any diversity and inclusiveness effort. Expert Jennifer Brown explains how to leverage both for organizational health and success.

Coaching is now recognized as essential leadership behavior, but it can be challenging to practice. Leaders have to replace one set of behaviors and their rewards with another. Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit and The Advice Trap, explains how to stay curious a little bit longer.

What does someone do with their life if emotional and physical pain is all they have ever known? What happens when they hit "rock bottom"? In this "transformation story," Lisa Sargese explains how she drew on spiritual and personal strength, and the words from those around her, to pull herself up and move forward. Her journey isn't over, but she has experienced tremendous personal growth by helping to support others in need.

Many of us have experienced that nagging feeling that "There has to more to life than this." But, what do we do about it? Some of us do nothing other than listen to our inner critic about our shortcomings. Garry Turner took a different approach. He decided that a lovely house, good salary, a nice car and other accoutrements of "success" weren't enough. He knew he was missing something – there was more to his life's purpose that he wasn't seeing. Listen in as he shares his story of awakening.

As leaders, how is what we say and how we say it critical to staff growth and organizational success? In his new book, Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say – and What You Don't, L. David Marquet (USS Navy ret) explains. Here, he digs deeper into how language can transform leadership and staff performance. Ultimately changing the language we use with each other helps us see the leader in ourselves.