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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...

Over a year since I have posted.  And today I am compelled.  I often think to blog life, what God is teaching me, and processing my thinking around life, but don't.  Today I do.  It is so appropriate that my teenage daughter is the driving force that prompted my own seventeen minutes of silence to express whatever it is that I'm trying to express.  As an educator for over 20 years, I spent time today reflecting on the beauty that each child brings into this world, even the children that drove me nuts or pushed my buttons over the years.  I watch snap-chats of students at my daughter's high school as they stand silent in honor of the 17 that were senseless victims in Florida.  I know that no words that display on this page could express my heart for the families that lost their beautiful, intelligent, funny, incredible human beings in yet another event that should never have taken place.  My heart for the families that lost the adults - that ...

Many of you know that I have been a part of starting a music venue with some great people over the last year.  This process and project has certainly taught me a lot about a lot.  There are many things I have learned about myself, about others, and about opening a new business - with or without knowledge about the business world.  I enjoyed the people, the process, and the learnings.  But there was a part of me - in my subconscious that was not feeling peace at a point where I was really questioning myself.  Was I afraid?  Was there really a lack of peace?  Did it not make sense, or was I just trying to grab the reigns of life?  So many questions about the project.  The hard part is, I have made some incredible friendships with some incredible people through this, and that made it even harder to push into the space of having a lack of peace.  But I did it - I pushed into my question in my head and my heart - is this what I should be doi...

Is it a good thing?  This is a question that I have had a few people pose to me recently.  Next week, Friday, April 1st will be my last day in my current role as a school principal.  I have been working in the world of education for over 20 years, and in some role as a school leader for the last 15+.  It certainly has taught me a s%$# ton about myself, the world, humanity, learning, coaching, mentoring, friendships, marriage, children, villages, cultures, content, and people.  The last couple of weeks as the reality of leaving not only this job, but this career field - have really been peace bringing, joyful, affirming, and bittersweet.  I have known that God has been moving me - physically across the country; spiritually - teaching me about who He is and how to follow Him; emotionally - how to deal with the reality of this broken world in conjunction with how I experience it; socially - the incredible (and not so incredible) people that I not only have me...

As of late, I feel like a pile of red kelp.  Ever see it on the water before?  It just kind of floats along in a pile.  No purpose other than being kelp and being red.  Not much action coming from it.  Not much results coming from it.  Just up and down.  Up and down.  Back and forth.  Up a wave of life.  Down a wave, and I mean down.  Each day, it feels like the only thing that is sustaining me is the Word.  His Presence.  That's it.  I told my friend president this morning I almost feel like I am living in Ecclesiastes.  Feel like it doesn't matter.  Just motions.  People are broken.  Life is hard.  Ugly.  Being involved in people's lives on a deep level exposes you to the hurt, the ugly, the damage that life can do to people, their spirit, their trust.  I am ever thankful for the light - for how it points me to the fact that the only thing that can keep you from falling into the p...

I find it quite interesting - the topic of leadership - in case you haven't noticed, have not paid attention, or if you just don't get it.  Funny thing is, I've been in a leadership position for over 20 years in one capacity or another, and certainly took on leadership roles beyond anything official or unofficial.  I strongly believe that God created me to lead.  I don't know why that was/is His plan, but clearly He has put that into my DNA, created me to care for others that have been/are in my stead, and given me some kind of passion to encourage, coach, and do what I can to lead others to becoming more successful.  All of this leads me to struggle with leaders that don't seem to "get it".  I am certain this is true no matter who you are, where you live, what language you speak, or what it is that you do each day.  But here's the skinny - how can people obtain and remain in leadership positions if it is quite evident by their words and actions that ...

It is really unbelievable to me that I started this blog over eight (yes, 8) years ago in December of '07.  God has certainly taught me so much about who He is, who He wants me to be, and how to live my life according to His will.  At times, I don't feel like I have made much progress in this area, but clearly there is evidence to support my claims.  I am a runner.  That alone is proof that God can do miracles.  I now submit my career and my work completely to Him as much as I can understand today how to do that.  Miracle.  I have moved across this country with my family - twice - knowing that He has called me to do something specific for His will, not mine.  Miracle.  I long for time to simply be in His PRESENCE.  Miracle.  That is my word for 2016 - Presence.  I have been challenged by an incredible woman -Lee Bee- to focus on a word that God gives me to pay attention to for the last couple of years.  I felt like God ga...

I have felt challenged to walk 'down to the lake' each day for a year.  I am just over two months in, and I do truly try to do it every day.  If I am out of town, obviously I can't do it, and there have been a few days I have been gone all day and night and haven't done it - but probably only twice.  I am learning much on these walks.  One of those things is I absolutely love where we live.  LO.  It is truly an incredibly beautiful place.  You can drive by on M-24, see a glimpse of the lake, pass the village downtown sign at 40 mph or so and not think much of it.  But this place is amazing.  The walks have given me a love of seeing the 'neighborhood' over a period of time.  Walk by the same houses, and see something interesting or the decorations for the season change - like the Christmas lights coming out.  And we have been blessed with a boat for a bit of this summer, and now, walking past different parts of this lake that automa...

It is amazing to me the sense of refreshment I feel this summer in my soul - the renewing of my mind and spirit that I feel is upon me.  The last couple of years I suppose I didn't realize the valley that I was in - just how much I was leaning on God to get me through some challenging days.  Don't get me wrong - it was not all dread and gloom.  Moving back to LO and MI in many ways brought new joy and life to me and God clearly opened my eyes to simple things that I should appreciate so much more than I ever have.  Waking up is one thing.  What a gift each day we have is!  This year, my friend BG has had open heart surgery, was not able to work, and was in and out of the hospital.  Standing by his side in a hospital was such a difficult thing, and his wife is an incredible lady that has been an encouragement and testament to what marriage is about for me.  Knowing that my great friend actually died and was not even able to speak at one point was ...

Here we are, two months later, and I haven't blogged like i always says i'm going to.  Don't think for a minute that there are not blog type things that run through my brain, because there are.  But I am once again starting my half-marathon training to build wells in Africa for the Pokot nation, and as per usual, running gives me time to pray, engage with God, and unplug from the reality of this broken world.  Anywho-as I was running through my new school (insert air conditioning to combat running in heat and humidity) and praying, I was questioning myself on whether or not I am engaging with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit enough.  Whilst in NYC, I had more flexibility in my days and could purposefully set aside time to do just that along with reading the bible.  Not so much here in suburbia with a new job, family, trying to break with vacation and events, etc.  But I really felt like God asked me "But are you listening to me?"  And truly, I feel lik...

So much for the new year's resolution of writing a blog post each week = Fail Army.  I can say that I am at least 333% better this year already (not including this post) than last, so clearly improvement.  I wanted to commit to writing a post a week because it truly helps me to process life, learning, and next steps in my life.  The last few months have not been limited in these areas, as my life has drastically changed, I have learned so many things, and every day in June, I have taken new 'next steps' personally, professionally, spiritually, and emotionally.  As a human being and a follower of Jesus, I try to keep running the race as Paul once said, and there are times at work, in exercise, in relationships, in friendships, in my pursuit of Jesus that I simply can't continue on - I stop.  Sometimes to protect myself, sometimes to redirect my energies to more fruitful opportunities, and sometimes simply because I can't keep doing something that hurts.  Th...

When I was working on my bachelor's degree, I was a Spanish major, and that meant a lot of course work in classes learning the actual language - reading, speaking, listening, writing.  It also meant work around learning about the 'culture' of Spanish speaking peoples.  And there are many.  This week, we are on Spring Break One Five, and I was thankful to spend time with my girls, slip away for a couple of days (even if it wasn't to a warm place or to Florida).  Just being with them and enjoying each other and exploring and living life without the weight of all we need to do and be is glorious.  But I digress to the culture moment.  As I looked out onto Lake Michigan thawing, watched the girls run and record jump kicks in the sand, and have my superstar put her arms around me, I was struck by a learning back at CMU - fire up chips.  We learned about the 'big C' and 'little c' of cultures.  Too heavy to get into, but the basic gist is there are b...

This week, I had the opportunity to attend a national conference in Houston, TX.  It was delightful being able to walk outside, go for a run, take an evening stroll, all while wearing shorts and a shirt.  No scarf, no gloves, no hat, no winter coat, no long pants, and the like.  This is the first time I have attended a conference in the last seven plus years outside of the company.  I was able to sit in sessions with some of the most well-renowned researchers and writers in education.  I actually got to sit down at a table one on one with a well known well respected 'authority' in my field and have a personal conversation. I got to thank him for helping me frame my brain on leadership, instruction, and quality schools - and what an impact his work has had on my brain in this area.  He even signed my book.  I also got to meet other professionals from Canada, Texas, New Hampshire, New York, Minnesota, Kentucky, Michigan, and even Australia.  And as...