BLOGS

Welcome to Monday Motivation. Last week, I wrote about making a plan for the term ahead and working that plan. It is part of working strategically, which as you have gathered by now is something I regularly write about as I encourage you to be more strategic in everything you do. This term is a…

Being strategic is about having a plan and working the plan. You will have heard the expression, If you fail to plan then you plan to fail. With the term ahead of you and with lots to do, it is worth spending time this week to plan out each week so you smoothly work through…

Welcome to Monday Motivation. It is the start of a new term. One thing I particularly like about the profession of teaching is we have opportunities to start a new. Each year, each term, and each time we deliver the same lesson to another class, maybe that week or the following semester. So many opportunities…

Welcome to Monday Motivation. We are at, or nearing, the end of the term. Every term in education is a big one. I often describe my working life in education as 4 ten-week-sprints and in between we rest. There is quite a bit of discussion at the moment around teacher wellbeing and I want to…

As part of the Elevating Leadership Program, in Module 2, Managing Conflict, there is a segment called Beware of the Monkey.  The ‘monkey’ is an analogy for a task and we talk about how the slippery ‘monkey’ can so quickly jump from someone else’s back to yours before you have even noticed. The term ‘monkey…

Being a leader is so rewarding, from the influence you can have on the way the team works together, what it achieves and the direction it takes, to developing the capacity and expertise in each member of your team. It is definitely a busy role. People are constantly asking things of you – complete this,…

I have always been determined. I remember as a teenager, I would take on some big jobs, like painting the old metal outdoor setting that had rusted and the paint had become all crusty. That job took weeks across a school holiday. Another; while a single mum raising two boys, was painting my entire house…

The other day I was talking with a colleague. She had been interviewing recently, knowing my work, she shared with me the applicant’s question near the end of their interview. We all know that you need to have a question, or two, ready for when at the end of the interview they ask, “Do you…

Leadership is defined as ‘a process of social influence which maximizes the efforts of others toward the achievement of a greater good’. Notice the key elements of this definition: Leadership stems from social influence, not authority or power. Gone are the days of leadership being about power and control. Those leaders are thankfully, retiring, or realising the new way and…

“Leave it with me. I’ll deal with it.” And there it is. The fatal mistake. Plus you’ve done it in record time. Well done. The transfer was clean and effortless.   You have just taken on someone else’s problem.   This is perfect, to escalate, or even just maintain, your hero status. Or perhaps you…

As a Science teacher, I understand ‘osmosis’. It is an important concept taught not only as part of the science syllabus but also finds its way into Biology and Chemistry too. If science is not your thing let me explain what it is in simple terms. It is a chemical process that uses differences in…

This is my son. He is an outdoor recreation instructor. Rock climbing for most of us, is not easy. It requires concentration, skill, physical strength and agility. Most of all it needs a great deal of determination. There is no point going rock climbing unless your goal is to get to the top; half way…