“We don’t get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.”  – Jon Gordon 

As public school educators, our work is kid-centric. We come to work each and every day to prepare students to be successful tomorrow. Our fourth grade teachers are preparing students to be successful fifth grade students next August. Our high school teachers are preparing students for college, workforce, or military.

We don’t get burned out preparing students. We don’t get burned out teaching or instruction. We get burned out with all of the other things . . . we get burned out by the adult world and the pressures placed on us that aren’t student related.

As this school year comes to an end . . . as we wind things down and prepare for summer . . . don’t forget why we do what we do. Each day with students is an opportunity to teach, to demonstrate, and to instruct. Don’t let any moments slip past you – don’t miss an opportunity to learn. Even at field day or the end of year pool party, we have a chance for instruction, to model, and to teach. It is why we do what we do.

“People think you have to choose between positivity and winning. You don’t have to choose. Positivity leads to winning.”  – Jon Gordon 

Elite athletes spend thousands of hours training, practicing, and rehearsing their craft. When they step onto the field or court . . . when the competition begins . . . they visualize the desired result. Elite athletes are confident, they are positive they are going to win. Their attitude . . . the trust in their teammates and their preparation . . . is often the difference between winning and losing.

Attitude wins . . . a superior attitude leads to superior preparation and leaders to superior performance. Being positive, having confidence is earned through actions. Having this attitude isn’t a result of happenstance or developed through inaction. Being positive . . . winning . . . is the result of preparation, reflection, and purposeful action.

I had the pleasure of hearing New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick speak last month to a group of football coaches. Coach Belichick talked about games not being won on Sunday. The games are won Monday through Friday in the preparation, training, and practices during the week. He said every aspect of the organization must be at a championship level . . . from the offensive line to the video team . . . everyone must improve every day.

I wouldn’t describe Bill Belichick as a “warm and fuzzy” guy, but he is positive. His confidence and actions cultivate positive results. He creates an optimistic, positive environment through his actions.

“It’s the leader’s ability to unite and connect people that truly creates great teams and organizations.”   – Jon Gordon 

Yes, without debate, technology has permeated almost every aspect of our society. The rapid evolution of technology has changed many aspects of our daily lives – most of them for the better. One aspect of life technology has not, and cannot, change is our human need to build relationships and connections.

We are social beings. We strive for connections. We seek trusting relationships with others . . . it is who we are and how we function.  

True leaders bring people together, earn trust through their character, and create connections within teams and organization. True leaders are consistent; they are true to their core values. True leaders both talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk. Communication is key – actions speak volumes.

Do you want to successfully lead your team? Build relationships and create connections . . . live your values through your actions.  

“The most important characteristic of a leader is optimism.”—Bob Iger, CEO of Disney”

Leadership is most important when faced with adversity and challenge. Leadership is required when events create opportunities. Leaders step-up, empower collaboration, and inspire innovation.

No one wants to work for a negative leader. No one is inspired by dictatorial tactics. Leaders bring an air of positivity to the room. Leaders remove barriers and empower problem solving. Leaders acknowledge the challenges and build the team up to see them as opportunities for success.

“You must create a culture where people don’t just hear your talk but rather they feel your walk.” – Jon Gordon 

It’s easy to talk about your culture. Making posters, printing flyers, and talking about culture doesn’t get it done. There are many places that have the visuals and printed materials. There are many leaders who talk the talk and preach the values.  

Culture isn’t what’s on paper. Culture is what people feel. Culture is how your team, how your organization behaves. Sure, having a common vocabulary and visuals is important, but it isn’t culture.  

Creating a culture takes action, intentional behavior, and discipline actions. Creating a culture means cultivating what is desired and eliminating what you will not permit. It takes work, it takes dedication, and it takes leadership.

“Culture is not just one thing. It’s everything.” – Jon Gordon 

Culture is more important than any plan, strategy, or forecast. The best strategies are just words on paper, a document in a file. The best plans can sit in a binder on a bookshelf. A great forecast is worthless without the people to carry it out.

Culture trumps plans, strategies, and forecasts. Yes, we need to plan and strategize – without question. BUT, we must simultaneously create the culture, the value and belief structure, to make plans and strategies successful. With the right culture, plans and strategies are roadmaps to a shared vision. With the right culture, plans and strategies improve with implementation because the organization is functioning with a growth mindset.

Focus on culture first . . . build relationships and shared values. Develop a common vocabulary and a system for empowering everyone to own their work. Once you have the culture on the right path, the strategies simply come together.

“Being positive doesn’t just make you better; it makes everyone around you better.” – Jon Gordon, The Power of Positive Leadership 

Positive people improve any culture. Negative people bring down any culture.

Organizations function at a higher level when the culture is positive. They function at a lower level when the culture is negative.  

When we are discipline, when we intentionally and purposefully cultivate positivity, we function at a higher level. We are also happier, inspired to reach new levels of performance and more focused on what really matters.  

When we permit negativity, without calling it out, we encourage a negative culture. Don’t permit negativity in your world. Confront negative behavior with positive behavior. Don’t be a bystander and let others bring you, and your team, down. When you permit it, you promote it. Make those around you better.

“We are positive, not because life is easy. We are positive because life can be hard.” – Jon Gordon
The work we do is difficult – and it seems to have greater and greater challenges.  It is easy to fall into a complaining, negative rut when faced with challenge after challenge.  This is when it is most important that we stay positive.  When faced with obstacles we must remain positive.   Staying positive doesn’t guarantee success, but acting from a negative place guarantees failure.
This is even more critical when we work in teams.  As a member of an organization, of a team, it is important that we keep each other positive.  The Power of the Team is the support and energy we give each other.  We pick each other up when we are down . . . we encourage each other when we need a spark . . . we inspire each other . . . we keep each other on a positive path.
When faced with a negative event today, counter it with three positives.  When faced with an “I have to . . . ” change it to an “I get to . . .”  The positive approach to challenges will certainly lead to better outcomes.

You can’t wait for inspiration.  You have to go after it with a club.  – Jack London

Life isn’t a spectator sport.  Success in life means jumping in with both feet – it requires effort and work.

I hear people talk about waiting to find their inspiration – or wanting others to inspire them.  If you wait around to find your inspiration, you could be waiting for a long time.  Inspiration comes from the heart . . . it lives in the soul.  You need to go after it . . . to live it . . . with every fiber of your being.

We are all inspired in different ways and at different levels.  The magic happens when your spiritual, professional, and personal inspirations are aligned.  For me, this is when I am at my best . . . when I feel like I am living my purpose and mission.

Don’t wait to be inspired . . . go after it.  Don’t wait to be inspired . . . inspire others.

No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.  – Joyce Brothers

It is amazing what you can accomplish when you are at your best.  No one can give 100% every hour of every day.  Stepping away . . . removing yourself from the stress of the moment . . . makes us better when we engage again.

Think of it like a batter stepping out of the batter’s box between a pitch – that brief moment to take a deep breath, to refocus, and to start again.  In my daily activities, there are times I step out of the box – times I just take a deep breath.  I can’t sit in meetings for long periods of time without moving, stepping out, and refocusing.  I become unproductive.  So, I get up . . . step out . . . and refocus.

Be mindful of how you are spending your time.  Escape the pressure, if even for only a moment, to relax and refocus.  It will make the other 55 minutes of each hour more productive.