Being an authentic leader (@sguditus / Steve Guditus)
Today's #satchat on 9/7/13 inspired me to do some reflecting about how I want to start my career in my new school, the fabulous Manchester-Essex Regional Middle School in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. My PLN got me thinking about some things to remember as the school year kicks off: Be truly present. Put down the iPhone while having a conversation. Make listening and asking questions a priority. Be visible. Students and staff want to see you and want to see you engaged. Be a lead learner, teacher and educator. Move your desk into the hallway for a period, an hour or a day. Sometimes, it's ok to just listen. Many of us administrators want to problem-solve and fix all the time - and we need to recognize that it's ok to just listen, sometimes! Be vulnerable. Being authentic and admitting you don't know something is ok. We want our staff and students to do so also, so be willing to show the strength to admit you made a mistake or d...