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Unprecedented.  Never seen before.  Nothing like this has ever happened.  Unbelievable.  These are things I have heard people say recently.  Have you heard people saying these types of things?  Asking for a friend. Covid 19 Pandemic 80% of the world on stay home/lock-down Nearly all businesses closed for months Education system in this country forced into a virtual environment without preparation George Floyd murdered for the world to see Riots/Looting across the country Divisive Hatred encouraged by our own president If you haven't heard any of the comments I started with, the current events I pose may remind you that the statements are common today.   Let me start with this:  I am a white man that learned to be a racist being raised in America.  I can point to the people and places I learned this from:  family (pains me to say that first), friends, colleagues, peer groups, media sources, textbooks, teachers (that one ...

It has been a month of quarantine officially now with the COVID pandemic.  Here are some things that continue to resonate with my spirit as we settle into this way of doing things for yet another week.  Nope.  Two weeks.  Nope.  Months.  Nope.  Years.  Ok, I pray that is not the case.  But this can be an oppressive time for all of us.  It can be bad bad not good.  (Shout out to the band with that sweet name) One -  I thank God that I have incredible people in my life.  Thank God for my wife that truly is a Superstar.  If I didn't have you during this time period, I'm not sure I could do this.  So thankful for my kids - and the extra time I get to spend with them while staying indoors.  I have two beautiful, creative, intelligent, HILARIOUS girls that inspire me to great heights.  I have a family that I know are dealing with the same things I am - and so very thankful to my brother and his wife for al...

"Let the new day shine its light on me Shake the old way, nights too dark to see Free tomorrow, it's bright with something new Believe the righteous, and it will come true. " -Greta Van Fleet " The New Day" Anyone out there felt any anxiety over the last two weeks?  Anyone seen their 'normal' world change more rapidly than you have been prepared for?  Frustrated with not being able to do things how you 'normally' do them?  Not me, I'm fine.  Just kidding.  The last few weeks have been taxing to say the least, and normal is not normal anymore.  I have been trying to focus on the following the last two weeks:  a) take care of myself; b) take care of my family; c) accomplish work tasks that seem to be difficult to focus and get traction on; d) stay positive.  It's odd how a pandemic will change what is important, your mental status, your amount of food you eat on a daily basis, and who you have an opportunity to interact with...

Wow.  The intensity of all that has transpired in the last 13 days is something people are not accustomed to experiencing.  As I now have a bit more time and space to reflect on what is truly important to me, it is a reminder that we are all created to be in community.  That means we are not well equipped to be successful in life on our own.  We need people.  We need each other.  We need a web of support in order to be successful in life, school, work, democracy, heck in everything.  We are led to believe that we can 'pull up our bootstraps' and 'put our nose to the grindstone' and I'm certain you could add phrases of this type to the list.  But perhaps they are lies we believe.  I want to share with you how I am personally getting through the stay home, chaotic day to day new way, toilet paper shortages when people lose their mind and buy it all, and trying to charge the batteries of my family.  It is because I have a community that c...

I have been in public education for over two decades now, and worked in multiple states in multiple roles.  For the most part, leading others in some way shape or form - department chair, athletic coach, assistant principal, principal, leadership coach, communication coach, leadership development consultant, charter school management, school improvement facilitator....and more.  I have spent time in rural, suburban, and urban districts and/or schools.  I have spent time in cities such as Detroit, Flint, and Brooklyn doing the work of public education.  And I hope that soon our society, our neighborhoods, our legislative body, (all of humanity?) will admit that we are in CRISIS.  Teacher preparation programs are at low in their enrollment, graduation, certification.  If there is any indication of this crisis, find someone you know that works in public education, tell them your child is considering going into teaching and ask them what they would say to your...

I have NOT wanted to write this post.  I have avoided it, started writing the title, and stopped.  Put it on my to do list.  Played games on my phone instead of doing what I know I should.  This is a pattern that is hard to avoid for me.  When I don't have a strong desire to accomplish a task, it usually falls to the bottom of my to do list.  Or gets copied on to a new to do list because it is the only thing left to do on that list.  Seems foolish, no?  However, not starting this post isn't really about the desire, it's about me pushing into the reality of this broken world we live in.  As a leader for several years now, I have valued the people I get to work with, come alongside, challenge and encourage, you know the drill.  I am currently reading Trillion Dollar Coach - and it is reminding me of the beliefs I hold. If you are familiar with PCM, you know that is my persister channel punching through the wall.  The book has a headi...

Let’s be honest, we all have moments of glory when we are communicating with others, and moments of incredible fall on your face failure.   I for one have always thought I was a relatively good communicator, and my perspective was that I could effectively communicate and engage with a variety of people from different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicity, upbringing, or what have you.   I have been a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, leadership development consultant, school improvement coach/facilitator, and done these things in a variety of areas in suburbia, rural districts, and even in Detroit, Flint, and Brooklyn.   But today, I came across this word arsenal .   I felt as if I was walking down the street of life and a sign with this word was in my path and I walked my face right into it – you know the videos you see online when someone doesn’t see the sign before they run their head into it?   And it was painful.   The pain came from t...

Each year, it seems we all take time for resolutions.  What am I going to stop doing.  What am I going to start.  We typically start off great, and then the tires fall off.  This year, I am not making a resolution to take action that stops.  This year, I am going to take a positive spin on it.  What is the one thing I am going to do consistently to build a habit?  (Thanks @ jamesclear ) Well, actually there are a bunch of things I want to consistently do, and keep doing without failure.  One is write more.  It helps me process life, what God has for me, learning, and redemption.  It helps me to 'take captive my thoughts', and as a base thinker for those of you that understand Adaptive Communication, this fills my bucket and charges my battery SO THAT I can pay attention to exactly what I need to be doing.  I have spent the last year purposefully focusing myself on learning about communication - and how people get their psychologica...