89. You're Not The Only One: Leading The Team

Has a difficult conversation with someone at your school ever left you feeling guilty?   Me too.   I can recall times when the guilt was so intense that I just couldn’t shake it.    As a school leader, you can’t avoid difficult conversations.    Whether it’s with teachers who aren’t getting along, admin staff falling short of their performance goals, or something else, avoiding the problem is worse than confronting it.    When those conversations get uncomfortable or don’t go well, it’s so easy to take it personally and feel isolated—as if you’re the only school leader out there  who can’t hold your staff accountable and handle difficult situations.    That’s when guilt creeps in, with shame and self-criticism following right behind.   These feelings will only drain you emotionally, lead to burnout, and stifle your ability to navigate through the kinds of challenges you’re bound to face.   That’s not what I want for you.   You deserve support to let go of those feelings. It will take time, but it's possible—especially when you have a community to lean on.   With the power of community, you will be supported by a powerful grounding force. An aligned community can relate to your challenges, elevate your mindset, and show you grace when you fail.   With the right community, you can trade isolation for belonging and anxiety for peace.    You’ll be able to handle the challenges and tolerate the discomfort that inevitably comes with school leadership. You’ll become a more resilient and empathetic leader, too.   This week I’m opening up a conversation about how to overcome the challenges of leading a team with three incredible school directors and owners—all of whom are members of our Owner's HQ or Director's Inner Circle programs.   In the third and final episode of my podcast series, You Are Not the Only One, we’ll explore how being part of a like-minded community can help you show up differently as a leader and transform the culture of your center.   This is a conversation about:   Navigating tough situations with the staff at your school Overcoming perfectionism and the urge to people-please Trading self-reliance for a genuine community of belonging Surrounding yourself with people who can remind you of your greatness   This episode is for you if you need help with difficult conversations at your center and are looking for ideas for approaching them more boldly, honestly, and confidently.   Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic      Communicating with parents can be challenging, but you can still find joy and celebration in your work. If you’re ready to learn more, this might be the right time to join our Owner's HQ Program or Director's Inner Circle. Inside you’ll find the support you need to do hard things and a community of like-minded school leaders to share in your wins along the way.   More about the show: If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership,...