Grow Your Character & Your Culture

"... discipline among followers mirrors the discipline demonstrated by leaders."  - Michael Fullan

Let's make even more good things happen in 2015-2016 by modelling the qualities of character we hope to cultivate in our students and staffs and in our learning culture!

Here are two exercises to move your district, school, or classroom closer to where you want to be next year.

 1. List five attributes you would most want in each employee or student. Self-assess: how do you rate in living up to these five qualities? Choose one attribute to grow intentionally in yourself and share your focus with an accountability partner.

2. If  you had a visitor to the educational setting where you are a leader, what three characteristics of the culture would you most hope they would observe? Determine one quality to intentionally grow and make a plan to foster this characteristic where you lead.

Dr. Richard Curwin shares a sample plan to foster hope in  Cynicism Is Contagious; So Is Hope.  Curwin lists Five Strategies to Help Teachers Stop Cynical Feelings. One strategy is to remind yourself and other educators often why they became a teacher. "It was and is to help children." Michael Fullan challenges to keep the "Moral Purpose" front and center. Placing "helping children" at the forefront of conversations reminds us of our purpose and motivates us to persevere. Our purpose is noble; our purpose is worthy. Another strategy? "Adopt a cynical teacher". Look for the good. Pray for them. Point out the gifts you see in them. Ask the person for help in an area of your own vulnerability. Together, adopt a student who seems to have lost hope. Curwin's article for Edutopia reinforces Michael Fullan's personal characteristics of an effective leader: energy, hope, and enthusiasm. Our attitude as a leader is contagious and sets the tone for those we lead.

We can change a culture from cynical to hopeful, and it starts with our own mindset. We teach who we are, so our mindset and character are the most important leadership factors to discipline and grow. Do we inspire energy, hope, and enthusiasm in others? Indiana State University professor, Todd Whitaker, once tweeted, "One goal of every faculty meeting is to make sure teachers are more excited about teaching tomorrow than they were today." Someone replied: "That's an ambitious goal!" Dr. Whitaker responded, "That is a minimum goal." Leaders of districts, schools, and classrooms set the tone and bear the responsibility for leading toward the community they wish to build. Let us begin by looking in the mirror to grow a better character to serve others.