#5 Schools are way more fun than offices

This year,  I made a conscious effort to be at school sites more often. Being present with principals, teachers, and students matters. It helps me feel the work in my body. There’s something almost ethereal about being on a school site; it inspires me and brings me back to the simple beauty of life and learning.  This makes it easy for me to be disciplined about spending more time at sites, rather than at my desk (at least I stand). After all, kids and schools are only open from 8 to 3ish,  everything else can be done on a computer later.

(and schools are way more fun than offices)

I also had a leadership learning moment around communication. An email came through that I quickly misinterpreted. At first, I felt overlooked on an initiative, and my ego jumped in. I could feel the anxiety flare up—my body tensed, my mind raced, and I was tempted to stay in that story. But instead, I paused, reminded myself to seek perspective, and went directly to the source for clarification.

Looking back, my opening statement wasn’t perfect-I started with “sometimes I feel…” but then slipped into “you” language instead of staying with an “I” statement. I caught it, rephrased, and owned my feelings: “I felt frustrated and overlooked, and I need some clarity.” As it turned out, my perception was wrong. Can you believe it? But at least my angst only lasted 20 minutes, not a whole day. That feels like growth.

This experience reminded me of something I need to come back to often: the work is very important, but I am not that important. My role is to serve: to be a steward and a partner alongside my colleagues. Leadership is not about being centered; it’s about centering the mission and the people who carry it forward together.