THIS Is the Most Effective Strategy I Use to Calm A Disgruntled Parent

As a superintendent, when a parent reaches my office, it’s never for a feel-good moment. Like you, I also dread these conversations. I get butterflies in my stomach and wonder how I can fix this, not knowing where the conversation will end.

This scenario used to stress me out—until I found THIS powerful strategy! 

I start the conversation with, "How can I help? I’m listening." That’s all it takes. 

The parent then has the green light to talk, venting all their emotions and frustrations. Just that always makes them feel good, and you want them to feel good when starting a conversation!

From there, I can listen, read body language, and tone of voice, and navigate the meeting accordingly. Try this out the next time you must meet with an irate parent; I guarantee it will be a game-changer! The parent felt seen, heard, and validated! And from there we could work out a plan.

If you liked this strategy, enroll in my NEW low-ticket course called From Discord to Dialogue.

It’s a short course offering five strategies to help you navigate any stressful conversations! 

See you inside the student portal!

Here's How I Trained Myself To Wake Up At 5 am (or earlier) To Work On My Personal Growth

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➡️ Being a new mom at the time, early mornings were the only time I had to work on personal projects such as writing a book, designing websites, or taking courses. These activities were like fuel for me.⁠

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➡️ It was already a challenge to rise at the crack of dawn, so I wanted to ensure my time was productive. I made sure to focus on only one project at a time—whether it was writing a book, taking courses, or creating content for my coaching business.⁠

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➡️ Time flies by in the morning—ever notice that? That’s why I made sure to have all my tools, passwords, highlighters, and other essentials ready and waiting at my desk. Plus, you don’t want to wake up the household rummaging through the house for a pen!⁠

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➡️ I also jotted down what I wanted to work on to avoid ping-ponging from task to task.⁠

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➡️ Before signing off, I would review my work and write on a post-it note what to focus on the next morning. This was important because I had momentum, and my ideas were fresh. It was the perfect time to outline the next steps. This is one of the MOST IMPORTANT STEPS!⁠

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If you want help crafting your unique Morning Power Hour, click on this LINK! You're 30 minutes away from stepping into a WHOLE new world!

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9 Pieces of Advice I Would Offer New (and seasoned) Principals

The other day, I had the pleasure of presenting to a group of aspiring principals during their principalship training.

As I thought about what would be super useful for them, I reflected on my own experiences. What would I have wanted to hear when I was in their shoes?

Drawing inspiration from my book Beyond The First-Year Principal, I shared nine pieces of advice I believe are crucial for the first six weeks of their principalship:

1.Start building relationships from day one! Get inside the school and talk to everyone, starting with the custodian and the secretary—two pillars of any school!

2. Get to know your school intimately—through DATA!

Dig deep into report card scores, standardized test scores, the special ed profile, mental health profile, etc. Understand its personality.

3. Seek and develop leadership from within. This is essential for initiatives and projects. You can’t do it all on your own, and involving others will make them feel validated. It’s also beneficial for their mental health—purpose!

4. Be visible and accessible. Set the standard high from day one. Walk into classrooms, ask questions, stay curious, and always look for ways to support instruction.

5. Develop a solid communication plan. You can NEVER over-communicate. If you don’t have all the answers, that’s okay! Take control of the messaging before someone else does.

6. Develop a reflective practice through journaling. Reflect on how you contribute to successes or failures—there’s no room for ego here.

7. Prioritize your health and well-being. Engage in creative, meaningful pursuits. Have hobbies, exercise, sleep, set boundaries, and breathe! Your work isn’t going anywhere.

8. Find more than one mentor. One person can’t possibly have all the answers or strengths. Seek out people with the skills you want to develop and let them guide you, adding “pins” of knowledge to your map!

9. BONUS LESSON: Prioritize professional development. You don’t need a 2-hour course to check off your PD box. My new Digital Product Suite offers short courses focusing on one or two elements you can explore deeply (in 25-30 minutes) and implement right away for quick wins! Now, who doesn’t want that to start their principalship?