Teams rise and fall on culture, leadership, relationships, attitude, and effort.  – Jon Gordon

We are a team.  Our success isn’t dependent on our strategic plan or curriculum.  Our success is dependent on our culture and our behavior.  Culture and behavior drive results . . . it starts with each of us.  You . . .  yes, you . . . in your 20 square feet are a key component to the team.  It starts with each of us, as individual, working in concert together.

Work each and every day to be a positive force on the culture of your team.  Build relationships . . . give maximum effort.  When you bring a positive attitude every day, you make the team stronger.

When you encounter “energy vampires” on your team, call them out.  It’s time to step-up and lead.  It’s time for each of us to create the culture we know produces results.

“Everyone of us can be a superhero. We possess the greatest power in the universe. The power to make a difference in someone’s life.” – Jon Gordon

Greatness isn’t about self. Greatness is about serving others. In any organization, success is defined by making those around you better.

Look around you today. At each moment, in an intentional manner, seek to make those around you better. You have the power to inspire and to motivate others . . . use it.

As educators, we change the future each and every day. We are dream makers . . . we inspire the next generation of American leaders. You have the power to make a difference in many lives . . . TODAY! Don’t let each and every moment pass you by . . . make a difference.

“Nothing influences daily execution more strongly than the culture of the organization.” – Tim Kight

Any organization’s health is determined by the culture of the team. A strong culture, built on trust and relationships, can withstand nearly any storm. A poor culture, built on top-down control and autocratic leadership, folds when times get tough.

My hope is to create an elite culture . . . a culture that far outlasts any individuals or current operation. We know that leadership matters – leadership of each individual’s 20 square feet. It isn’t what happens “at the top” but rather what happens within the fiber of the team. We strive to create a culture of trust and support in our organization knowing that it will influence daily execution as we strive to be elite.

“Fame doesn’t last. Character through hard work does.” – Jon Gordon, Training Camp

The phase “15 minutes of fame” is credited to Andy Warhol; fame is fading and doesn’t last. In today’s social media and instant celebrity world it is easy to strive for those 15 minutes. We want more followers, we strive for more “likes” and we create content simply to drive views.

There is nothing we can create, post, or send that will improve our character. In fact, for many fame is achieved through infamous behavior – and who wants to be remember for the life-altering poor decisions?

Your character is your legacy; your character is foundation. Build your purpose on character and service . . . let that be your legacy.

“Complaining distracts you from focusing on what you can control – eliminate it. It’s simple – just don’t complain – take action.” – Tim Kight

Leading a discipline life take self-control . . . it takes the ability to press pause and act with purpose.

Our self-talk provides us a tool to stop default behaviors before we get too far down the path of negativism and complaining. We know nothing positive ever happens from complaining; it doesn’t make any situation better.

Today, when you hear yourself beginning to complain – when that voice in your head is acting by default – have the discipline to stop. Focus on regaining focus, on acting with discipline, and on taking action. The choice is yours – the decision is entirely up to you.

“To become a great leader we must be a servant leader. Only through service and sacrifice do we become great.” – Jon Gordon, The Carpenter

The ultimate joy is making others great. The ultimate accolade for a leader is when the team performs at elite levels. Leadership is built on building connections, demonstrating skill, and cultivating trust. Leaders serve the organization, leaders are willing to walk that extra mile, and leaders synthesize situations to bring out the best in others.

Each of us is a leader – each of us leads in our 20 square feet. Regardless of our roles, regardless of our position in any organization, we all serve and sacrifice for elite performance.

How can you serve others today? What can you do to lift-up others on the team? Today, make a commitment to purposefully and intentionally serve three people in a way you wouldn’t have yesterday. Press pause . . . act with purpose . . . and serve the team.

“What happens to you at the edge? Does your focus stay locked in? Do you maintain effort?” – Tim Kight

My edge . . . the place between where I am comfortable and what I can do today . . . is an almost daily location. I find my edge all the time. I push myself – my job pushes me. In my three plus years as the Hilliard Superintendent I’ve passed my edge some days . . . I have faltered, I have fallen, and I have failed.

When my default behavior takes over . . . when I lose focus and feel sorry for myself . . . I am unable to maintain effort and succeed.

When I remain discipline, when the team provides strength and support, I not only succeed at the edge but I redefine capacity. The joy in living and learning at the edge is we redefine our capacity each and every day.

There is great joy in performing better today than I did yesterday. There is tremendous productivity when our team refines what’s possible . . . when we redefine the edge.

“You can’t know your purpose without a relationship with the one who created you for a purpose.” – Jon Gordon, The Seed

In Rich Warren’s Purpose Driven Life the question, “What on earth am I here for?” provides the framework for a spiritual, faith-based look at purpose. For each of us, this is a personal journey. This journey, guided by individual faith and taken with those closest to us, leads us down a continual path of defining, and redefining, our purpose here on earth.

One of the joys in my life is I get to live my purpose each and every day. I am confident, and secure in my work and service as an education leader. My job isn’t just a career . . . it’s a calling.

Are you living your calling? If not, it doesn’t necessarily mean a change in career, but more a change in perspective. Maybe you haven’t found the purpose in the work . . . maybe you need to reconnect with faith in the foundations you’ve created and the one who created you.

“Adversity requires you to make a choice: react on Default or respond with Discipline. The choice, not the adversity, is what matters most.” – Tim Kight

We know that we will face adversity in our lives. We face adversity – to differing degrees – each and every day. The events in our lives that present challenges provide opportunities. We can either step up and act with purpose or we can react by default. In many cases our default reactions make situations worse . . . we either ignore the adversity all together or our default exacerbates the challenge.

When our default response to an event is ignoring the situation all together, we permit the adversity to continue and to grow. Each of us can look back on a situation we should have addressed earlier, only to have the adversity worsen over time. From avoiding a critical conversation with a colleague to witnessing a bully in action without mustering-up the courage to stop the behavior.

When our default response is angry, emotional, or defensive we fail to play a role in the solution. Only through discipline action – only by taking the time to evaluate options, get our minds right, and stepping up – can we lead as part of the solution. The choice is up to you.

“Team members that love and appreciate each other enhance their chemistry, grit, and performance.” – Jon Gordon, You Win in the Locker Room First

In almost every facet of our lives we achieve more together . . . we are stronger in teams than we are alone. This isn’t new . . . going back to the 3rd century BCE as shared in Ecclesiastes, “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up.”

The chemistry, the culture of any organization is created by the team: by the willingness to work together, to serve with shared vision and purposed and to commit to the team leads to more success and greater performance.

One of our goals – part of our values as a district – is to provide young people the life skills to work in teams. Life isn’t about competing against others; it is about being better each and every day. Life is about helping each other up.