1
00:00:00,560 -->
00:00:03,920
Welcome to your Booster shot
from the AWB Education Network.
2
00:00:04,560 -->
00:00:07,960
This podcast series is our
opportunity to dive even deeper into
3
00:00:07,960 -->
00:00:10,560
the topics and skills that
will help you lead your school with
4
00:00:10,560 -->
00:00:11,040
confidence.
5
00:00:11,680 -->
00:00:15,080
Check out information on our
partners, along with additional resources
6
00:00:15,080 -->
00:00:19,440
and services@www.awbeducation.org.
7
00:00:19,920 -->
00:00:21,760
now, here is your booster shot.
8
00:00:22,320 -->
00:00:24,760
All right, I am here today
with Jim Wichman.
9
00:00:24,760 -->
00:00:26,360
Jim, thanks for joining me today.
10
00:00:26,360 -->
00:00:29,120
We're going to talk a little
bit about your work with Inspired
11
00:00:29,200 -->
00:00:30,080
Edification.
12
00:00:30,080 -->
00:00:31,120
Can you tell me a little bit
13
00:00:31,120 -->
00:00:34,940
about what that Inspired
Edification is a LLC that my wife
14
00:00:34,940 -->
00:00:35,900
and I kind of put together.
15
00:00:36,140 -->
00:00:39,660
We started off as working with
aspiring administrators, and we saw
16
00:00:39,660 -->
00:00:40,860
kind of a cause that went there.
17
00:00:40,860 -->
00:00:44,300
I actually had a good buddy of
mine, Jeremy Braden, work with us
18
00:00:44,300 -->
00:00:47,899
on that, and that kind of
evolved into really more of what
19
00:00:47,899 -->
00:00:50,140
we're doing locally and nationally.
20
00:00:50,140 -->
00:00:50,700
Okay.
21
00:00:51,180 -->
00:00:53,700
Now you've been in school
leadership for a long time.
22
00:00:53,700 -->
00:00:56,700
Talk to me a little bit about
that path through school leadership
23
00:00:56,700 -->
00:00:57,820
and where you're at today.
24
00:00:58,140 -->
00:00:59,180
What's got you here?
25
00:00:59,260 -->
00:01:00,380
What's made Jim Wichman?
26
00:01:00,380 -->
00:01:01,100
Jim Wichman.
27
00:01:01,820 -->
00:01:03,500
That's actually a scary and
good question.
28
00:01:03,500 -->
00:01:07,100
Along the way, there's been a
lot of people and instances that
29
00:01:07,100 -->
00:01:11,420
have built me to who I clearly
started in Ottumwa, but we'll get
30
00:01:11,420 -->
00:01:12,420
back to that a little later on.
31
00:01:12,420 -->
00:01:15,260
But really, I've been a school
administrator for 25 years.
32
00:01:16,220 -->
00:01:18,300
Majority of my time has been
spent at the middle school.
33
00:01:18,300 -->
00:01:19,420
That's really where my heart is.
34
00:01:19,420 -->
00:01:24,220
Along the way, although it
wasn't planned, a lot of my journey
35
00:01:24,540 -->
00:01:27,500
have been around systems that
might need to be.
36
00:01:27,900 -->
00:01:30,340
I write the ship, I guess you
would say, Right, the ship, maybe
37
00:01:30,340 -->
00:01:32,860
academically, culturally along
the way.
38
00:01:32,860 -->
00:01:36,540
And, and really that's kind of
led me to, well, every location I've
39
00:01:36,540 -->
00:01:39,980
ever been ending with my time
here at the last middle school I
40
00:01:39,980 -->
00:01:40,340
was at.
41
00:01:40,340 -->
00:01:41,820
Yeah, I mean, the.
42
00:01:41,820 -->
00:01:44,940
The job of educational
leadership is hard and it changes
43
00:01:45,340 -->
00:01:46,220
constantly.
44
00:01:46,700 -->
00:01:47,500
Constantly.
45
00:01:48,220 -->
00:01:52,300
Why do you think that is so
critical to have good, strong leadership?
46
00:01:52,300 -->
00:01:55,500
And then also, how do you
continue to grow as a leader?
47
00:01:55,980 -->
00:01:57,420
So leadership has grown.
48
00:01:57,420 -->
00:02:01,060
I mean, when I think about 25
years, what it was, I can also say
49
00:02:01,060 -->
00:02:02,220
what it was five years ago.
50
00:02:02,940 -->
00:02:05,260
I evolved from a lot of
different lessons.
51
00:02:05,260 -->
00:02:07,820
Some of them were from the
school of hard knocks.
52
00:02:08,140 -->
00:02:10,740
But I've been really
surrounded by wonderful humans.
53
00:02:10,740 -->
00:02:13,660
And I gotta really shout out
to all the assistant principals that
54
00:02:13,660 -->
00:02:17,620
I've worked with their
students, mostly because they, they
55
00:02:17,620 -->
00:02:20,060
help me see a different light
or a different lens.
56
00:02:20,620 -->
00:02:24,900
A majority of the people who
have built me into what I Was, as
57
00:02:24,900 -->
00:02:25,820
a school leader was.
58
00:02:26,420 -->
00:02:30,220
Have been female leaders,
clearly an underappreciated, in my
59
00:02:30,220 -->
00:02:31,300
mind, population.
60
00:02:32,260 -->
00:02:35,420
If it wasn't for them, I
wouldn't be the person I am today
61
00:02:35,420 -->
00:02:36,820
with just a ton of lessons.
62
00:02:36,820 -->
00:02:41,420
But them, but the fact that
they leaned in, they honored me enough
63
00:02:41,420 -->
00:02:45,180
to tell me what their lens
looked like, and then I had to reciprocate
64
00:02:45,180 -->
00:02:45,460
that.
65
00:02:45,700 -->
00:02:48,900
So when you ask the question
about leaders today, there are a
66
00:02:48,900 -->
00:02:50,740
lot of things coming in our principles.
67
00:02:50,740 -->
00:02:51,220
Yes.
68
00:02:51,710 -->
00:02:52,070
Clearly.
69
00:02:52,070 -->
00:02:55,470
Make no mistake about it, when
we have so much coming at us, it
70
00:02:55,470 -->
00:02:58,790
becomes very difficult to
filter out and keep our own perspective.
71
00:02:58,790 -->
00:02:59,150
Yeah.
72
00:02:59,150 -->
00:03:01,950
And what happens is we feel
guilty because we're servant leaders.
73
00:03:02,190 -->
00:03:05,270
We feel guilty for putting our
self at the center and taking care
74
00:03:05,270 -->
00:03:05,790
of ourselves.
75
00:03:06,270 -->
00:03:09,070
So you heard a lot of about
like work, life, balance and how
76
00:03:09,070 -->
00:03:10,150
do we establish that?
77
00:03:10,150 -->
00:03:13,030
Of course, I was terrible at
that when I started off.
78
00:03:13,030 -->
00:03:14,710
I mean, I was terrible at it.
79
00:03:14,710 -->
00:03:15,150
Yeah.
80
00:03:15,470 -->
00:03:16,870
So I don't think I was at the center.
81
00:03:16,870 -->
00:03:19,400
Heck, my wife and kids weren't
even at the center.
82
00:03:19,400 -->
00:03:19,800
Yeah.
83
00:03:20,120 -->
00:03:20,480
And.
84
00:03:20,480 -->
00:03:22,560
And I. I think there's guilt
there, obviously.
85
00:03:22,560 -->
00:03:25,600
But I don't want the current
people to feel that way.
86
00:03:25,600 -->
00:03:28,560
I think if I would have had
someone to help coach me, like now.
87
00:03:28,560 -->
00:03:29,400
This is the perspective.
88
00:03:29,400 -->
00:03:31,800
You don't have to be the first
one at school every day.
89
00:03:32,120 -->
00:03:33,479
You don't have to be the last.
90
00:03:33,479 -->
00:03:34,840
Take your superman cape off.
91
00:03:35,400 -->
00:03:36,840
Take your Superman cape off.
92
00:03:37,240 -->
00:03:38,600
Set it right next to your ego.
93
00:03:38,600 -->
00:03:38,960
Yeah.
94
00:03:38,960 -->
00:03:40,120
You know, that kind of like.
95
00:03:40,360 -->
00:03:40,680
And.
96
00:03:40,680 -->
00:03:44,280
And I think that perspective
is really what I set out to do.
97
00:03:45,210 -->
00:03:47,290
So I stepped away from being a
school principal.
98
00:03:47,450 -->
00:03:49,050
I think it was 20, 22.
99
00:03:49,530 -->
00:03:53,090
And I remember sitting at my
desk, it was the fall of 21, thinking
100
00:03:53,090 -->
00:03:54,970
about, I have to do something different.
101
00:03:55,290 -->
00:03:58,370
We have so much white noise
that's coming at our teachers telling
102
00:03:58,370 -->
00:04:00,570
them how to do their job or
what an education.
103
00:04:00,650 -->
00:04:04,330
I should just say teachers and
our educators are so dang humble
104
00:04:04,410 -->
00:04:06,970
that they sat there and they
just took the pounding over and over
105
00:04:06,970 -->
00:04:07,290
again.
106
00:04:07,690 -->
00:04:09,210
And they would say things I don't.
107
00:04:09,210 -->
00:04:09,730
It's okay.
108
00:04:09,730 -->
00:04:10,210
It's okay.
109
00:04:10,210 -->
00:04:11,530
Well, it's not okay.
110
00:04:12,400 -->
00:04:14,080
Politician is not who I wanted
to be.
111
00:04:14,080 -->
00:04:14,640
But I didn't.
112
00:04:14,640 -->
00:04:15,680
I needed to do something.
113
00:04:15,680 -->
00:04:17,920
And right now I want to
disrupt the educators.
114
00:04:18,160 -->
00:04:19,680
I want them to be celebrating.
115
00:04:20,080 -->
00:04:22,360
I want them to be letting
people know what they're actually
116
00:04:22,360 -->
00:04:22,720
doing.
117
00:04:23,200 -->
00:04:24,640
What's crazy about this?
118
00:04:25,120 -->
00:04:26,400
Going through the pandemic.
119
00:04:26,640 -->
00:04:31,000
We'll think 20, 20 kids had to
go home and everybody wanted the
120
00:04:31,000 -->
00:04:33,440
kids back at school because
they were the trained teachers.
121
00:04:33,520 -->
00:04:34,040
Isn't it?
122
00:04:34,040 -->
00:04:34,200
Right.
123
00:04:34,200 -->
00:04:34,720
Remember that?
124
00:04:34,720 -->
00:04:35,440
Absolutely.
125
00:04:36,080 -->
00:04:39,950
Two years later, all of a
sudden, everybody's the educator.
126
00:04:40,110 -->
00:04:42,990
Everybody who has not been in
a classroom becomes the.
127
00:04:43,390 -->
00:04:46,710
The experts telling us what
books to read, how to do it, how
128
00:04:46,710 -->
00:04:50,150
to teach, what to teach, and
then all, by the way, navigating
129
00:04:50,150 -->
00:04:52,670
all the behaviors of our kids
that are struggling with as well.
130
00:04:52,830 -->
00:04:57,630
Yeah, I want to get in and
help people celebrate all the work
131
00:04:57,630 -->
00:04:58,190
we're doing.
132
00:04:58,910 -->
00:05:02,230
And maybe, maybe if we kind of
like get this celebration happen,
133
00:05:02,230 -->
00:05:05,030
we become form like a
vibration that goes up and we start
134
00:05:05,030 -->
00:05:07,670
working together and then all
of a sudden we start silencing the
135
00:05:07,670 -->
00:05:08,830
outside, the white noise.
136
00:05:09,300 -->
00:05:10,260
Now, as a principal, I did.
137
00:05:10,260 -->
00:05:13,060
I feel like I did a pretty
good job of protecting those that
138
00:05:13,060 -->
00:05:14,820
I served at the last school.
139
00:05:15,620 -->
00:05:17,660
However, I want it bigger and better.
140
00:05:17,660 -->
00:05:18,420
I want this.
141
00:05:18,900 -->
00:05:22,380
I want to impact all of the
systems to make sure that people
142
00:05:22,380 -->
00:05:26,740
know that they matter and that
what they do is worthy of celebration.
143
00:05:26,900 -->
00:05:30,100
Along the way, as you can see,
I get a little excited.
144
00:05:30,260 -->
00:05:33,380
So I think the reason you're
excited is because you, you defined
145
00:05:33,380 -->
00:05:33,860
your why.
146
00:05:34,260 -->
00:05:37,420
Now we talk about that a lot
with leaders about how do you define
147
00:05:37,420 -->
00:05:37,780
your why?
148
00:05:37,780 -->
00:05:40,100
And if you don't really know
what that is, that might be the first
149
00:05:40,400 -->
00:05:41,240
part to start at.
150
00:05:41,240 -->
00:05:41,480
Right.
151
00:05:41,480 -->
00:05:43,200
Like you really had to
determine that.
152
00:05:43,600 -->
00:05:45,080
What got you to your why?
153
00:05:45,080 -->
00:05:47,760
I mean, I can, you can feel
the passion from you.
154
00:05:47,760 -->
00:05:48,640
What got you there?
155
00:05:48,640 -->
00:05:50,160
How did you, how did you get there?
156
00:05:50,640 -->
00:05:54,200
It was probably 2018, so I'd
been a principal for a while.
157
00:05:54,200 -->
00:05:54,680
Yeah.
158
00:05:54,680 -->
00:05:57,600
Then I had an instructional
coach at the school I was at.
159
00:05:58,080 -->
00:05:59,920
Say, Jim, I think they need to
hear your why.
160
00:06:00,720 -->
00:06:04,440
And I gotta tell you, I hated
it, despised it when people would
161
00:06:04,440 -->
00:06:05,360
say, who's your why?
162
00:06:05,360 -->
00:06:05,960
What's your why?
163
00:06:05,960 -->
00:06:06,680
What's your purpose?
164
00:06:06,680 -->
00:06:07,720
Remember your why, all that.
165
00:06:07,720 -->
00:06:10,300
I hated it because I don't
know if really people understood
166
00:06:10,300 -->
00:06:11,540
what that really meant.
167
00:06:12,020 -->
00:06:13,700
And so I was challenged to do it.
168
00:06:14,260 -->
00:06:17,220
And I kind of really did a lot
of thinking over that winter break
169
00:06:17,220 -->
00:06:20,420
and came back and shared it
was the day back, I think it was
170
00:06:20,420 -->
00:06:22,180
20, 19, 18, something like that.
171
00:06:22,980 -->
00:06:24,420
And really it came down to this.
172
00:06:25,060 -->
00:06:30,220
I have a single mother raising
four kids in a town called Ottomo,
173
00:06:30,220 -->
00:06:30,740
Iowa.
174
00:06:31,700 -->
00:06:33,380
And in that town it is.
175
00:06:33,700 -->
00:06:37,480
They may not have a lot of
things, but what they do have, it's
176
00:06:37,480 -->
00:06:40,520
true grit and care for the
people that live in that town.
177
00:06:40,520 -->
00:06:41,080
Absolutely.
178
00:06:41,640 -->
00:06:46,760
And I remember that school
district never once judged my mom
179
00:06:46,760 -->
00:06:49,400
for not being there in the
morning when we went to school.
180
00:06:49,880 -->
00:06:53,520
Didn't judge my mother once
for not being There at home when
181
00:06:53,520 -->
00:06:54,320
the kids got home.
182
00:06:54,320 -->
00:06:54,760
Yeah.
183
00:06:55,160 -->
00:06:56,680
In fact it was just the opposite.
184
00:06:56,680 -->
00:07:00,080
I remember a sixth grade
student back when we had half day
185
00:07:00,080 -->
00:07:00,600
kindergarten.
186
00:07:00,600 -->
00:07:01,080
Yeah.
187
00:07:01,960 -->
00:07:04,240
The principal would pay me to
be the.
188
00:07:04,480 -->
00:07:05,160
What do you call it?
189
00:07:05,160 -->
00:07:08,560
Safety patrol during the
lunchtime for the kindergartners.
190
00:07:08,800 -->
00:07:09,360
Five bucks.
191
00:07:09,360 -->
00:07:11,080
Now I didn't know where that
money came from back then.
192
00:07:11,080 -->
00:07:11,840
Sure I do.
193
00:07:11,840 -->
00:07:13,840
Now I know exactly where it was.
194
00:07:13,840 -->
00:07:15,680
Or Friday night football.
195
00:07:16,400 -->
00:07:18,960
And the teachers or someone
would reach out to my mom and say,
196
00:07:18,960 -->
00:07:20,640
hey, Jimmy's got a game at Fairfield.
197
00:07:20,720 -->
00:07:22,480
Teresa, do you have a ride for him?
198
00:07:22,960 -->
00:07:27,400
And just making sure that she
got there because everybody knew
199
00:07:27,400 -->
00:07:29,360
she wanted to be at all her
kids games.
200
00:07:29,780 -->
00:07:30,100
Yeah.
201
00:07:30,740 -->
00:07:33,580
And I could go on and talk
about the Larry Zolkes of the middle
202
00:07:33,580 -->
00:07:36,420
school who made me feel like I
belonged as a human.
203
00:07:36,660 -->
00:07:39,740
I could talk about all the
teachers at the high school that
204
00:07:39,740 -->
00:07:43,020
no matter how many lemons I
gave them, they returned a glass
205
00:07:43,020 -->
00:07:43,660
of lemonade.
206
00:07:43,660 -->
00:07:44,100
Yeah.
207
00:07:44,580 -->
00:07:45,260
There was a.
208
00:07:45,260 -->
00:07:48,220
There was a scholarship,
teaching scholarship, whatever the
209
00:07:48,220 -->
00:07:48,660
case is.
210
00:07:48,660 -->
00:07:51,780
And, and someone said, jim, I
knew I was going to be in education
211
00:07:51,940 -->
00:07:52,980
since probably eighth grade.
212
00:07:52,980 -->
00:07:54,900
Yeah, Jim, how come you didn't
apply for that?
213
00:07:55,470 -->
00:07:58,110
I looked at him and said,
because my GPA isn't high enough.
214
00:07:59,070 -->
00:08:03,990
They looked at me and said,
sit down, fill it out, apply now.
215
00:08:03,990 -->
00:08:05,230
I won the scholarship.
216
00:08:06,190 -->
00:08:10,950
Lesson there is, we have to
see the human before the title, the
217
00:08:10,950 -->
00:08:14,030
human before the gpa, the
human before name all that, whatever
218
00:08:14,030 -->
00:08:15,710
it is, we got to see the human.
219
00:08:16,110 -->
00:08:17,790
I didn't really understand
that then.
220
00:08:18,030 -->
00:08:22,310
Sure, maybe it felt as pity,
whatever the case is, but I believe
221
00:08:22,470 -->
00:08:27,510
every, every student to my
being needs to have that same experience
222
00:08:27,510 -->
00:08:29,510
as I did at a Tomoah community school.
223
00:08:30,230 -->
00:08:32,390
They were there for my whole family.
224
00:08:32,550 -->
00:08:36,230
They were there for my mother
and they still are today.
225
00:08:36,470 -->
00:08:39,030
It's amazing, amazing group of people.
226
00:08:39,510 -->
00:08:42,070
I don't care what school
district you're in.
227
00:08:42,310 -->
00:08:46,630
And I would venture to say
across the country those stories
228
00:08:47,290 -->
00:08:49,210
are there, or at least
certainly could be.
229
00:08:49,210 -->
00:08:51,290
The opportunity for that story
is there.
230
00:08:51,450 -->
00:08:54,690
And I know that school
leaders, we're always trying to just
231
00:08:54,690 -->
00:08:57,690
manage all of the fires and
everything else that comes along,
232
00:08:58,250 -->
00:08:58,970
but we're.
233
00:08:58,970 -->
00:09:00,890
I mean, your story is about
one family.
234
00:09:01,370 -->
00:09:02,490
I'm sure there were more.
235
00:09:02,490 -->
00:09:03,130
Amen.
236
00:09:03,370 -->
00:09:06,730
But the impact was that large
for one.
237
00:09:06,810 -->
00:09:10,650
And sometimes even just
venturing out to make that impact
238
00:09:10,650 -->
00:09:12,490
for one person or one family.
239
00:09:13,320 -->
00:09:14,600
It's worth all of that effort.
240
00:09:15,000 -->
00:09:17,320
I can give stories after
stories now.
241
00:09:17,400 -->
00:09:18,600
That's still happening.
242
00:09:18,840 -->
00:09:22,240
I was hosting an orientation
and I was speaking and a parent got
243
00:09:22,240 -->
00:09:23,560
in late and it was very.
244
00:09:23,560 -->
00:09:24,360
It was crowded.
245
00:09:24,840 -->
00:09:25,760
Parent sits down.
246
00:09:25,760 -->
00:09:29,160
And I can't take my eyes off
this parent because I know this guy.
247
00:09:29,160 -->
00:09:29,960
I know him.
248
00:09:30,920 -->
00:09:32,360
I can't figure out who it is.
249
00:09:32,440 -->
00:09:34,880
So it became the assistant
principal's time to talk.
250
00:09:34,880 -->
00:09:39,040
I went over to him and I said,
excuse me, sir, but you look so familiar
251
00:09:39,040 -->
00:09:39,360
to me.
252
00:09:39,360 -->
00:09:40,400
My wife laughs.
253
00:09:40,400 -->
00:09:42,280
Because I think everybody
looks familiar to me.
254
00:09:42,840 -->
00:09:46,760
So he looks at me and he goes,
Mr. Wichman, it's me, Mark.
255
00:09:47,800 -->
00:09:49,880
And I thought, oh, yeah, I
remember now.
256
00:09:49,880 -->
00:09:51,000
It just took me right back.
257
00:09:51,000 -->
00:09:52,972
Yeah, it was 99.
258
00:09:53,188 -->
00:09:54,160
97.
259
00:09:54,160 -->
00:09:54,600
Excuse me.
260
00:09:54,600 -->
00:09:56,640
97 is when the last time I saw
this young man.
261
00:09:56,640 -->
00:09:57,080
Yeah.
262
00:09:57,400 -->
00:09:59,160
Afterwards, we're talking
around, and he.
263
00:09:59,160 -->
00:10:00,000
He told a story.
264
00:10:00,000 -->
00:10:01,760
There was a bunch of parents
standing around, and I'm sitting
265
00:10:01,760 -->
00:10:02,040
there.
266
00:10:02,360 -->
00:10:03,560
He tells the story about.
267
00:10:04,040 -->
00:10:05,400
So I never had Mark as a student.
268
00:10:05,400 -->
00:10:06,840
I had him as I coached him in wrestling.
269
00:10:06,840 -->
00:10:07,200
Okay.
270
00:10:07,200 -->
00:10:09,000
But it was in the middle
school at that time.
271
00:10:09,530 -->
00:10:10,650
And he tells a story about.
272
00:10:11,450 -->
00:10:14,810
You saw me one morning and you
knew something wasn't right, and
273
00:10:14,810 -->
00:10:15,970
you tried to talk to me.
274
00:10:15,970 -->
00:10:17,050
I wouldn't talk with you.
275
00:10:17,610 -->
00:10:18,610
You stayed with me.
276
00:10:18,610 -->
00:10:21,770
You followed me into my locker
because you knew something wasn't
277
00:10:21,770 -->
00:10:22,090
right.
278
00:10:22,730 -->
00:10:26,010
Then you got me to another
room, and then I started crying.
279
00:10:27,050 -->
00:10:32,650
He said, you saw me not well
at that moment, and you stayed with
280
00:10:32,650 -->
00:10:33,050
me.
281
00:10:33,610 -->
00:10:34,090
Yeah.
282
00:10:34,570 -->
00:10:36,850
He had found out the night
before that his parents were getting
283
00:10:36,850 -->
00:10:37,450
a divorce.
284
00:10:38,160 -->
00:10:38,480
Yeah.
285
00:10:39,040 -->
00:10:39,680
What is that?
286
00:10:39,680 -->
00:10:43,680
20 year, 25 years later, he's
telling me this story that was just
287
00:10:43,680 -->
00:10:47,560
like, one little thing that
doesn't happen if my experience in
288
00:10:47,560 -->
00:10:50,720
school doesn't see that
character and nurture that along
289
00:10:50,720 -->
00:10:51,200
the way.
290
00:10:51,760 -->
00:10:53,760
And like you said, name the school.
291
00:10:53,840 -->
00:10:54,280
Yeah.
292
00:10:54,280 -->
00:10:56,800
I mean, really, it's just their.
293
00:10:56,800 -->
00:11:00,040
Their stories are there, and
we don't spend time celebrating them.
294
00:11:00,040 -->
00:11:02,840
We were just so worried about
doing the next email.
295
00:11:02,840 -->
00:11:05,280
One more email, one more
conversation, one more phone call.
296
00:11:05,280 -->
00:11:05,680
One more.
297
00:11:05,680 -->
00:11:06,720
One more, one more.
298
00:11:06,720 -->
00:11:09,750
And we forget our perspective
when we just got to stop and celebrate.
299
00:11:09,820 -->
00:11:10,220
Celebrate.
300
00:11:10,220 -->
00:11:10,780
Just stop.
301
00:11:10,940 -->
00:11:12,460
I can go on to other situations.
302
00:11:12,460 -->
00:11:15,220
As a principal, I'd have
teachers say, jim, it's time to slow
303
00:11:15,220 -->
00:11:15,500
down.
304
00:11:15,980 -->
00:11:18,180
So then I would say, okay,
we're going to have forced family
305
00:11:18,180 -->
00:11:18,540
fun.
306
00:11:18,540 -->
00:11:19,020
Yeah.
307
00:11:19,100 -->
00:11:21,700
And then we would do something
as a staff to kind of just like,
308
00:11:21,700 -->
00:11:23,460
relax a little bit within
there and
309
00:11:23,460 -->
00:11:24,660
then not feel guilty about it.
310
00:11:24,660 -->
00:11:26,540
And not feel guilty about it.
311
00:11:26,540 -->
00:11:28,380
That's the hardest part, I
think sometimes.
312
00:11:28,380 -->
00:11:28,660
Yeah.
313
00:11:28,660 -->
00:11:29,980
We got to give ourselves permission.
314
00:11:29,980 -->
00:11:30,620
Absolutely.
315
00:11:30,860 -->
00:11:33,380
I know I'm still getting fired
up with that, but that's exactly
316
00:11:33,380 -->
00:11:33,580
right.
317
00:11:33,580 -->
00:11:33,940
Adam.
318
00:11:33,940 -->
00:11:37,160
We got to give ourselves
permission to keep ourself in the
319
00:11:37,160 -->
00:11:37,600
center.
320
00:11:37,680 -->
00:11:40,880
So if you think about yourself
in the center and then maybe your
321
00:11:40,880 -->
00:11:43,560
spouse, girlfriend, whatever
it is, Kids on the outside of that
322
00:11:43,560 -->
00:11:43,880
ring.
323
00:11:43,880 -->
00:11:44,320
Yep.
324
00:11:44,480 -->
00:11:46,320
And probably the core values.
325
00:11:46,400 -->
00:11:47,280
Yeah, right.
326
00:11:47,440 -->
00:11:47,960
Yep.
327
00:11:47,960 -->
00:11:51,040
You leave here, you find 10
people, you ask the first 10 people
328
00:11:51,040 -->
00:11:54,080
you see, or go to your work
and ask them the first 10 people
329
00:11:54,080 -->
00:11:54,440
you see.
330
00:11:54,440 -->
00:11:55,760
What are your three core values?
331
00:11:56,160 -->
00:11:57,520
I bet you get zero.
332
00:11:57,920 -->
00:11:59,800
People know what their three
core values are.
333
00:11:59,800 -->
00:12:00,160
Yeah.
334
00:12:00,400 -->
00:12:03,630
We're certainly gonna stop and
take a long time to think about it.
335
00:12:03,710 -->
00:12:04,030
Stop.
336
00:12:04,030 -->
00:12:04,550
And we don't.
337
00:12:04,550 -->
00:12:06,070
Yeah, we don't take time for it.
338
00:12:06,070 -->
00:12:07,550
Because he's like, oh, yeah, I
know what they are.
339
00:12:07,550 -->
00:12:08,430
What do you.
340
00:12:08,430 -->
00:12:08,830
Yeah.
341
00:12:08,830 -->
00:12:10,350
Because here's what happens
when those.
342
00:12:10,350 -->
00:12:11,230
We don't know them.
343
00:12:11,230 -->
00:12:15,870
Those core values get damaged,
crossed, impacted, and we instantly
344
00:12:15,870 -->
00:12:17,949
go to emotional side because
it hurts.
345
00:12:18,110 -->
00:12:21,470
But if we name them and wait,
what if we shared them with people?
346
00:12:21,550 -->
00:12:24,710
So that as you see that
something's compromising my faith,
347
00:12:24,710 -->
00:12:26,150
my family and my integrity.
348
00:12:26,150 -->
00:12:26,550
Yeah.
349
00:12:26,550 -->
00:12:27,550
You're going to lean in.
350
00:12:28,080 -->
00:12:31,520
You're going to know that the
day I take my mom to the Care center,
351
00:12:31,680 -->
00:12:33,640
you're going to need to lean
into me and you're going to know
352
00:12:33,640 -->
00:12:37,280
that I need a little bit more
support because we're humans now.
353
00:12:37,280 -->
00:12:40,560
Vulnerability is hard for a
lot of people because unfortunately,
354
00:12:40,560 -->
00:12:42,880
I think the mantra for some is
that if I.
355
00:12:43,200 -->
00:12:46,480
If I show vulnerability, I
show weakness.
356
00:12:46,480 -->
00:12:47,040
Yep.
357
00:12:47,200 -->
00:12:48,560
And where it's.
358
00:12:48,560 -->
00:12:50,080
It's typically the opposite.
359
00:12:50,160 -->
00:12:53,800
It's honestly me being willing
enough to say, hey, I can't do it
360
00:12:53,800 -->
00:12:54,040
all.
361
00:12:54,040 -->
00:12:55,920
It's not possible to do it all.
362
00:12:56,280 -->
00:12:57,240
Especially do it all.
363
00:12:57,240 -->
00:13:01,840
Well, having that ability to
talk to somebody or to at least have
364
00:13:01,840 -->
00:13:03,720
a good colleague that you
confide in.
365
00:13:03,720 -->
00:13:06,400
I mean, there's a lot of
opportunities out there for people
366
00:13:06,400 -->
00:13:08,440
to be able to get a chance to
get to that.
367
00:13:08,440 -->
00:13:08,720
Why.
368
00:13:08,720 -->
00:13:10,280
Or get to those core values.
369
00:13:10,280 -->
00:13:12,840
And it's okay not to do that
all on your own.
370
00:13:12,840 -->
00:13:14,600
And in fact, it's probably
better if you don't.
371
00:13:14,760 -->
00:13:15,520
The vulnerability.
372
00:13:15,520 -->
00:13:17,560
You had asked me earlier about how.
373
00:13:17,720 -->
00:13:19,640
What was my journey and how
did I evolve?
374
00:13:20,520 -->
00:13:22,520
I was forced vulnerability at times.
375
00:13:23,430 -->
00:13:25,190
From my mistakes or from coaching?
376
00:13:25,190 -->
00:13:25,870
Well, we learn.
377
00:13:25,870 -->
00:13:26,710
Yeah, absolutely.
378
00:13:26,710 -->
00:13:28,150
Well, some of us learn quicker
than others.
379
00:13:28,150 -->
00:13:28,670
But yeah.
380
00:13:28,670 -->
00:13:29,110
Yeah.
381
00:13:29,190 -->
00:13:32,470
I can't say I'm one of those,
but I remember one time being in
382
00:13:32,470 -->
00:13:34,630
my office having a
conversation with an instructional
383
00:13:34,630 -->
00:13:35,190
coach who.
384
00:13:35,430 -->
00:13:38,430
Our conversations, if you
think of Brene Brown getting into
385
00:13:38,430 -->
00:13:39,750
the arena without armor on.
386
00:13:39,750 -->
00:13:40,390
Absolutely.
387
00:13:40,390 -->
00:13:41,350
Come for a cause.
388
00:13:41,590 -->
00:13:44,350
Well, we've been in the arena
with our armor on at times and our
389
00:13:44,350 -->
00:13:45,030
armor off.
390
00:13:45,030 -->
00:13:45,430
Sure.
391
00:13:45,830 -->
00:13:48,750
And one time we were in
conversation and I was.
392
00:13:48,750 -->
00:13:51,790
I was so confused why people
are so worried about taking chances
393
00:13:51,790 -->
00:13:52,870
of whatever the case is.
394
00:13:53,220 -->
00:13:55,620
And she closed her book and
she said.
395
00:13:55,780 -->
00:13:56,860
She talked in my language.
396
00:13:56,860 -->
00:13:57,180
I understand.
397
00:13:57,180 -->
00:13:57,540
Do you.
398
00:13:57,540 -->
00:13:58,580
Do you want to get real with this?
399
00:13:58,580 -->
00:14:00,860
Do you want me to tell you why
I'm like, yeah, tell me.
400
00:14:00,860 -->
00:14:01,780
I'm comfortable.
401
00:14:01,940 -->
00:14:02,420
Yeah.
402
00:14:02,660 -->
00:14:04,340
She said, you built a recently.
403
00:14:04,340 -->
00:14:06,740
You built a culture of compliance.
404
00:14:07,860 -->
00:14:08,980
I said, that's not true.
405
00:14:09,060 -->
00:14:09,860
Check the box.
406
00:14:10,020 -->
00:14:10,380
Yeah.
407
00:14:10,380 -->
00:14:11,380
I check in with Jim.
408
00:14:11,380 -->
00:14:12,180
Jim's going to do this.
409
00:14:12,180 -->
00:14:12,980
I didn't like that.
410
00:14:13,460 -->
00:14:14,740
I argued with her.
411
00:14:14,900 -->
00:14:18,260
And then she did something I
just, to this day I'll never forget.
412
00:14:18,670 -->
00:14:21,710
She started naming examples, everything.
413
00:14:21,950 -->
00:14:25,870
She got to about 8, and then I
got up and stormed out of my own
414
00:14:25,870 -->
00:14:26,190
office.
415
00:14:26,830 -->
00:14:27,630
She stayed.
416
00:14:27,950 -->
00:14:32,230
I walked around, came back,
sat down, and then said, where do
417
00:14:32,230 -->
00:14:32,670
we start?
418
00:14:32,910 -->
00:14:34,350
Now people would think, you're
the principal.
419
00:14:34,350 -->
00:14:35,230
You should know all this.
420
00:14:35,230 -->
00:14:35,630
Yeah.
421
00:14:35,630 -->
00:14:37,230
Well, yeah, that was the day.
422
00:14:37,870 -->
00:14:41,790
Yeah, that was the day when I
learned it's not about me.
423
00:14:41,950 -->
00:14:43,790
The humans are working together.
424
00:14:44,580 -->
00:14:47,940
The title just tells us what
our job role, responsibilities is.
425
00:14:47,940 -->
00:14:52,060
And nowhere, nowhere on any
job description for a principal does
426
00:14:52,060 -->
00:14:53,540
it say, know everything.
427
00:14:53,940 -->
00:14:54,980
Yeah, absolutely.
428
00:14:55,540 -->
00:14:56,900
But we think it's supposed to.
429
00:14:57,700 -->
00:14:58,740
And it's crazy.
430
00:14:58,900 -->
00:15:00,020
Just crazy to me.
431
00:15:00,340 -->
00:15:03,780
So after that, we started
leaning into ever the staff strengths.
432
00:15:03,940 -->
00:15:05,780
Professional development
looked differently.
433
00:15:05,780 -->
00:15:06,340
Yeah.
434
00:15:06,580 -->
00:15:09,980
Because we started giving them
the professional development that
435
00:15:09,980 -->
00:15:10,740
they needed.
436
00:15:10,900 -->
00:15:12,020
Differentiating a little bit.
437
00:15:12,020 -->
00:15:12,420
Yeah.
438
00:15:13,180 -->
00:15:14,860
And I'm going to tell you, it
was uncomfortable.
439
00:15:15,740 -->
00:15:17,900
But I found out, though, that
I was the problem.
440
00:15:18,060 -->
00:15:18,580
Hi, me.
441
00:15:18,580 -->
00:15:18,820
It's.
442
00:15:18,820 -->
00:15:19,420
I'm the problem.
443
00:15:19,740 -->
00:15:23,100
Because I was trying so hard
to protect everything, everybody
444
00:15:23,100 -->
00:15:26,460
from things that I didn't
allow them the opportunity to lead,
445
00:15:26,860 -->
00:15:27,740
show their strength.
446
00:15:28,300 -->
00:15:32,940
And as a result, I started
sliding myself back to the center
447
00:15:33,100 -->
00:15:34,140
because I could.
448
00:15:34,380 -->
00:15:36,140
Yeah, gave yourself permission.
449
00:15:36,140 -->
00:15:39,180
In fact, we're talking about
leaning into strengths.
450
00:15:39,400 -->
00:15:41,000
I remember sitting at a staff meeting.
451
00:15:41,000 -->
00:15:44,520
It's probably 80 people in
there, and I'm trying to give directions.
452
00:15:45,240 -->
00:15:47,400
It's not my forte to give directions.
453
00:15:49,000 -->
00:15:53,360
And I remember someone in the
audience raising their hand, hey,
454
00:15:53,360 -->
00:15:57,920
Jim, love your enthusiasm, but
do you think Kathleen, the assistant
455
00:15:57,920 -->
00:15:59,960
principal, can give the
directions moving forward?
456
00:16:00,280 -->
00:16:02,480
Two things happen with that one.
457
00:16:02,480 -->
00:16:06,130
I know you can see my body
language just like, oh, God, yes.
458
00:16:06,370 -->
00:16:07,410
This is so stressful.
459
00:16:07,410 -->
00:16:07,890
Gave me.
460
00:16:08,450 -->
00:16:11,130
You just gave me permission to
give KATHLEEN Permission.
461
00:16:11,130 -->
00:16:12,290
Exactly 2.
462
00:16:13,010 -->
00:16:14,770
I modeled vulnerability with that.
463
00:16:14,770 -->
00:16:15,250
Absolutely.
464
00:16:15,250 -->
00:16:19,290
I guess in the third one would
be I also empowered someone else.
465
00:16:19,290 -->
00:16:19,730
Yeah.
466
00:16:19,890 -->
00:16:20,450
Yep.
467
00:16:20,450 -->
00:16:21,490
And how cool is that?
468
00:16:21,490 -->
00:16:21,890
Yeah.
469
00:16:22,050 -->
00:16:23,970
And certainly leaned into
those strengths.
470
00:16:24,210 -->
00:16:25,650
So you talk about that.
471
00:16:25,810 -->
00:16:27,010
How do you now.
472
00:16:27,010 -->
00:16:28,330
Now in the role that you're in
right now?
473
00:16:28,330 -->
00:16:28,530
Yeah.
474
00:16:28,530 -->
00:16:28,890
Okay.
475
00:16:28,890 -->
00:16:29,250
Yes.
476
00:16:29,250 -->
00:16:33,430
How do you help school leaders
create an environment where they
477
00:16:33,430 -->
00:16:37,110
feel inspired to make
meaningful change like you're talking
478
00:16:37,110 -->
00:16:37,350
about?
479
00:16:37,510 -->
00:16:40,190
Because that meaningful
change, typically when we use that
480
00:16:40,190 -->
00:16:43,310
term in education, we're
talking about some sort of an initiative
481
00:16:43,310 -->
00:16:45,430
or something else we're going to.
482
00:16:45,430 -->
00:16:48,910
But really what you're talking
about there is the meaningful change
483
00:16:48,910 -->
00:16:53,310
within yourself, within your
culture, and just within how you
484
00:16:53,310 -->
00:16:53,830
do business.
485
00:16:54,150 -->
00:16:56,550
How do you inspire a leader to
get to that part?
486
00:16:57,110 -->
00:16:57,910
There's a book.
487
00:16:58,640 -->
00:16:58,960
Yeah.
488
00:17:00,880 -->
00:17:04,640
One book that kind of responds
to here is called QBQ Question behind
489
00:17:04,640 -->
00:17:05,920
the Question by John Miller.
490
00:17:05,920 -->
00:17:06,480
Okay.
491
00:17:07,040 -->
00:17:08,240
39 chapters.
492
00:17:08,320 -->
00:17:10,080
Each chapter is about one to
two pages.
493
00:17:10,160 -->
00:17:10,840
Love the book.
494
00:17:10,840 -->
00:17:11,360
Yeah.
495
00:17:11,920 -->
00:17:15,680
In that one of those chapters,
it says, it takes a play on the serenity
496
00:17:15,680 -->
00:17:15,960
prayer.
497
00:17:15,960 -->
00:17:18,080
God grant me the serenity to
accept the things that cannot change.
498
00:17:18,480 -->
00:17:19,320
Things can of wisdom.
499
00:17:19,320 -->
00:17:19,920
No, the difference.
500
00:17:20,160 -->
00:17:23,360
He says, God grant me the
serenity to accept the people I cannot
501
00:17:23,360 -->
00:17:27,840
change, courage to change the
one I can, and wisdom to know that
502
00:17:27,840 -->
00:17:28,360
it's me.
503
00:17:29,320 -->
00:17:32,400
You see, you can't change a
system if you don't look at yourself
504
00:17:32,400 -->
00:17:36,040
and see where you need to
modify your operation, which is putting
505
00:17:36,040 -->
00:17:37,240
yourself back in the center.
506
00:17:37,560 -->
00:17:41,360
And if you were to talk about
Jimmy, listen to Jimmy Costas podcast
507
00:17:41,360 -->
00:17:46,040
or read his books, he talks
about, you can lead from the perimeter,
508
00:17:46,040 -->
00:17:49,000
so you tell them, everybody
what to do, or you can step in and
509
00:17:49,000 -->
00:17:50,840
really kind of name the issue and.
510
00:17:50,840 -->
00:17:52,040
And really lean into that.
511
00:17:52,040 -->
00:17:54,640
So when I'm working with
people, whether it be as a coach,
512
00:17:54,640 -->
00:17:57,840
a workshop, or even as a
keynote, you're not going to ever
513
00:17:57,840 -->
00:17:58,360
get me.
514
00:17:58,520 -->
00:18:02,120
I'm not going to ask you to
fill out forms or you do these magical
515
00:18:02,120 -->
00:18:03,440
things and all of a sudden, poof.
516
00:18:03,440 -->
00:18:04,680
Yeah, everything's great.
517
00:18:04,680 -->
00:18:05,160
Yeah.
518
00:18:05,160 -->
00:18:06,999
Actually, that just drives
people crazy.
519
00:18:07,400 -->
00:18:09,440
We also have people just doing
their best.
520
00:18:09,440 -->
00:18:11,720
Like, if they want to support
the administrators, they.
521
00:18:11,880 -->
00:18:13,160
They pull them into a group.
522
00:18:13,400 -->
00:18:15,720
When they're pulling them into
a group, you're not really necessarily
523
00:18:15,720 -->
00:18:16,520
differentiating.
524
00:18:16,780 -->
00:18:18,900
But we're pulling them away
from a building, and then whatever's
525
00:18:18,900 -->
00:18:19,620
done there, we.
526
00:18:19,620 -->
00:18:20,300
We lose.
527
00:18:20,460 -->
00:18:23,700
I walk with people, so I start
with them.
528
00:18:23,700 -->
00:18:26,460
I get to know them, who they
are, what they're about.
529
00:18:26,460 -->
00:18:27,420
I know their families.
530
00:18:27,580 -->
00:18:28,940
I know what they're trying to do.
531
00:18:29,260 -->
00:18:31,980
And once we get that
relationship that's pretty tight,
532
00:18:33,180 -->
00:18:34,220
then it becomes real.
533
00:18:34,860 -->
00:18:37,180
And we talk about, what do you
want your name tagged to?
534
00:18:37,660 -->
00:18:38,700
Oh, I like that.
535
00:18:38,780 -->
00:18:39,540
When do you want to.
536
00:18:39,540 -->
00:18:40,780
Are you ready to level up?
537
00:18:41,020 -->
00:18:42,500
And they'll say, what do you
mean, level up?
538
00:18:42,500 -->
00:18:44,060
Well, you've been swimming in
this for a while.
539
00:18:45,090 -->
00:18:46,610
Okay, how about we level up?
540
00:18:46,850 -->
00:18:50,170
Because if we level up, that
means what we're taking care of procedures,
541
00:18:50,170 -->
00:18:53,810
stretchers and everything else
so that you can take care of yourself.
542
00:18:53,890 -->
00:18:58,730
I've had people text me and
say, hey, Jim, I Left school at
4:00543
00:18:58,730 -->
00:19:00,530
or 5, you know, whatever it
is, early.
544
00:19:01,330 -->
00:19:03,890
And sometimes I'm like,
celebrate the heck out of that.
545
00:19:03,890 -->
00:19:04,690
Yeah, no kidding.
546
00:19:04,690 -->
00:19:07,970
Sometimes I'll say, great, now
let's go 30 minutes earlier.
547
00:19:08,130 -->
00:19:09,010
You can do it.
548
00:19:09,010 -->
00:19:09,690
You can do it.
549
00:19:09,690 -->
00:19:10,130
Yeah.
550
00:19:10,730 -->
00:19:13,090
And they just need that
reassurance because a lot of times
551
00:19:13,090 -->
00:19:15,250
they don't give themselves
permission to do so as well.
552
00:19:15,250 -->
00:19:16,410
So they're looking for some of that.
553
00:19:16,410 -->
00:19:16,730
Sure.
554
00:19:16,810 -->
00:19:19,370
And we'll look at the clarity concepts.
555
00:19:19,610 -->
00:19:20,930
Let's get it clear then.
556
00:19:20,930 -->
00:19:22,570
They don't have the Kim keep
coming to you.
557
00:19:22,570 -->
00:19:23,210
Absolutely.
558
00:19:23,290 -->
00:19:26,490
Because otherwise our people
are just putting out fires left and
559
00:19:26,490 -->
00:19:28,170
right, jumping on the hamster wheel.
560
00:19:28,170 -->
00:19:30,450
We're just kind of struggling
with that every day.
561
00:19:30,450 -->
00:19:32,930
You just never even get a
chance to breathe, let alone see
562
00:19:32,930 -->
00:19:33,530
the end of that.
563
00:19:33,530 -->
00:19:34,130
That tunnel.
564
00:19:34,130 -->
00:19:34,370
Right.
565
00:19:34,370 -->
00:19:34,730
No.
566
00:19:34,890 -->
00:19:35,290
No.
567
00:19:35,530 -->
00:19:37,930
So you talked a little bit
about your keynote speaking.
568
00:19:37,930 -->
00:19:42,050
I know that I have heard that
your keynotes can often be described
569
00:19:42,050 -->
00:19:46,050
as more inspirational than motivational.
570
00:19:46,130 -->
00:19:46,650
And I.
571
00:19:46,650 -->
00:19:47,730
And I get that.
572
00:19:47,730 -->
00:19:48,250
I can.
573
00:19:48,250 -->
00:19:49,330
I can feel it here.
574
00:19:49,330 -->
00:19:52,370
But when you hear that, can
you explain that difference to me?
575
00:19:52,370 -->
00:19:55,450
And why does the focus on
inspiration really mean so much to
576
00:19:55,450 -->
00:19:55,730
you?
577
00:19:56,130 -->
00:19:57,730
Yeah, it does mean a lot to me.
578
00:19:57,730 -->
00:19:59,010
And so it really set me back.
579
00:19:59,010 -->
00:20:01,810
It was from an aspiring
administrator in.
580
00:20:02,450 -->
00:20:03,730
In Arizona.
581
00:20:04,780 -->
00:20:09,220
Motivating to me is, you know,
my football coach did a great job
582
00:20:09,220 -->
00:20:09,820
of motivating.
583
00:20:09,820 -->
00:20:10,260
Absolutely.
584
00:20:10,260 -->
00:20:10,940
I'm gonna get out there.
585
00:20:10,940 -->
00:20:11,580
I'm gonna do this.
586
00:20:11,580 -->
00:20:12,700
Like it's a little spurt.
587
00:20:12,700 -->
00:20:13,180
Yep.
588
00:20:13,740 -->
00:20:16,380
But we all know that our
motivation fades.
589
00:20:16,460 -->
00:20:17,180
Absolutely.
590
00:20:17,660 -->
00:20:19,020
Enter the month of February.
591
00:20:19,180 -->
00:20:20,380
Enter the month of January.
592
00:20:20,780 -->
00:20:21,940
Name it, whatever it is.
593
00:20:21,940 -->
00:20:24,100
Second armpit of the year that
we're in right now.
594
00:20:24,100 -->
00:20:25,100
Right, right.
595
00:20:25,100 -->
00:20:25,700
And we're there.
596
00:20:25,700 -->
00:20:26,140
Yep.
597
00:20:26,300 -->
00:20:30,380
So inspirational to me means
that I said something or did something
598
00:20:30,890 -->
00:20:35,570
that struck an emotion inside
of someone, an emotion that maybe
599
00:20:35,570 -->
00:20:38,730
they were wrestling with at
some point along the way, and that
600
00:20:38,730 -->
00:20:42,650
maybe I gave them permission
to step into those emotions versus
601
00:20:43,130 -->
00:20:44,810
suppress those emotions.
602
00:20:45,210 -->
00:20:45,930
You know, when.
603
00:20:46,170 -->
00:20:50,210
When people say we have these
shatterings, these shatterings go
604
00:20:50,210 -->
00:20:53,050
about, you know, where it
could be something is a disruptor,
605
00:20:53,290 -->
00:20:55,530
whether be you're on your way
to work and you Get a flat tire in
606
00:20:55,530 -->
00:20:55,930
the rain.
607
00:20:56,260 -->
00:20:57,980
Okay, you daze tossed for a
little bit.
608
00:20:57,980 -->
00:20:58,900
It's over, it's over.
609
00:20:59,380 -->
00:21:02,660
You're on the way to host a
meeting as a principal and you're.
610
00:21:02,660 -->
00:21:06,060
Or a teacher and, and your,
your two year old throws up on your
611
00:21:06,060 -->
00:21:06,420
shoulder.
612
00:21:06,420 -->
00:21:06,900
Yeah.
613
00:21:07,300 -->
00:21:08,220
Just disrupts you.
614
00:21:08,220 -->
00:21:12,299
And it could be bigger events
as, you know, life passes on, some
615
00:21:12,299 -->
00:21:13,380
bigger events as well.
616
00:21:14,020 -->
00:21:18,740
But instead of stuffing those
down, saying what they are, and stop
617
00:21:18,900 -->
00:21:22,180
trying to self medicate by
saying, it's okay, I'm good, it's
618
00:21:22,180 -->
00:21:22,820
okay, I'm good.
619
00:21:22,820 -->
00:21:23,860
And keep shoving it down.
620
00:21:24,790 -->
00:21:27,070
Now if people are listening to
this, they'd probably say, oh my
621
00:21:27,070 -->
00:21:27,990
gosh, Jim, you say that.
622
00:21:27,990 -->
00:21:29,070
You used to say that all the time.
623
00:21:29,070 -->
00:21:29,830
Which is true.
624
00:21:29,910 -->
00:21:30,550
It's true.
625
00:21:30,550 -->
00:21:32,190
Yeah, we all learn.
626
00:21:32,190 -->
00:21:32,830
We all learn.
627
00:21:32,830 -->
00:21:34,230
But I didn't learn for a while.
628
00:21:34,230 -->
00:21:38,710
I remember a teacher, teachers
would get in, you know, conversations
629
00:21:38,710 -->
00:21:41,030
with me and they started
sharing some personal things and
630
00:21:41,030 -->
00:21:44,310
I didn't know really know to
help, but I do know that our, our
631
00:21:44,310 -->
00:21:46,910
school system had three free
therapist visits.
632
00:21:46,910 -->
00:21:47,750
Yeah, absolutely.
633
00:21:47,910 -->
00:21:49,990
And so I'm like, I want to
promote that.
634
00:21:49,990 -->
00:21:53,190
I support mental health, so I
should encourage people to go there.
635
00:21:53,190 -->
00:21:56,950
Until I had one teacher ask me
the question, what's it like at therapy,
636
00:21:56,950 -->
00:21:57,310
Jim?
637
00:21:58,110 -->
00:22:00,030
Well, I don't know.
638
00:22:00,030 -->
00:22:00,830
I've never been.
639
00:22:01,150 -->
00:22:03,790
And in my head I'm thinking,
because I don't need a therapist,
640
00:22:04,110 -->
00:22:06,430
I'm good, just keep shoving
things down.
641
00:22:07,150 -->
00:22:11,470
So I went, I went to a
therapist and the first meeting was
642
00:22:11,470 -->
00:22:11,870
fine.
643
00:22:12,590 -->
00:22:13,590
I get two more.
644
00:22:13,590 -->
00:22:14,630
Get to know each other a
little bit.
645
00:22:14,630 -->
00:22:16,750
Yeah, I could get to know each
other a little bit.
646
00:22:16,830 -->
00:22:17,310
Yeah.
647
00:22:17,960 -->
00:22:20,640
I go to the second one and
then it was the same thing.
648
00:22:20,640 -->
00:22:23,120
And then towards halfway
through it, she said, what's your
649
00:22:23,120 -->
00:22:24,960
earliest memory as a kid?
650
00:22:24,960 -->
00:22:25,320
Yeah.
651
00:22:25,320 -->
00:22:26,440
Oh yeah, sure, no problem.
652
00:22:27,160 -->
00:22:28,160
I was 4 years old.
653
00:22:28,160 -->
00:22:30,720
I got woke up in the middle of
the night by some noise.
654
00:22:30,720 -->
00:22:33,679
So I go out and I, I turn to
my left and I see my dad on top of
655
00:22:33,679 -->
00:22:36,040
my mom with his hands around
her neck.
656
00:22:36,280 -->
00:22:38,400
I think it was because
something wasn't cleaned underneath
657
00:22:38,400 -->
00:22:39,480
the sink or something like that.
658
00:22:39,480 -->
00:22:42,120
And I can remember her saying,
jimmy's watching.
659
00:22:42,680 -->
00:22:43,640
But I was fine.
660
00:22:43,890 -->
00:22:44,090
Was good.
661
00:22:44,090 -->
00:22:46,130
There was some disruption
there, but we got back on track.
662
00:22:46,130 -->
00:22:46,850
It was good.
663
00:22:47,410 -->
00:22:50,370
And then the therapist was
looking at me now with a little different
664
00:22:50,370 -->
00:22:53,890
eyes wide open, a little bit
more hearing how easily it was for
665
00:22:53,890 -->
00:22:54,770
me to talk about this.
666
00:22:55,250 -->
00:22:58,850
So then she says things, y'
all talk to me about your house,
667
00:22:58,850 -->
00:23:00,570
your bedroom, car, whatever
this is.
668
00:23:00,570 -->
00:23:01,650
And I thought Those are weird.
669
00:23:01,650 -->
00:23:02,570
But you're the therapist.
670
00:23:02,570 -->
00:23:03,010
Yeah, sure.
671
00:23:03,010 -->
00:23:04,210
I'll do what you ask me to do.
672
00:23:04,210 -->
00:23:05,210
Yeah, I got a clean car.
673
00:23:05,210 -->
00:23:05,930
Always got a clean car.
674
00:23:05,930 -->
00:23:07,890
If you don't see my car clean,
there's probably something going
675
00:23:07,890 -->
00:23:08,130
on.
676
00:23:08,130 -->
00:23:08,490
Yeah.
677
00:23:08,490 -->
00:23:11,640
You know, my head, whatever
the case is, I always like a clean
678
00:23:11,640 -->
00:23:13,640
counter in the kitchen counter.
679
00:23:13,800 -->
00:23:17,320
I clean that counter, and I
swear, the more I clean it, people
680
00:23:17,320 -->
00:23:18,520
want to put stuff on it.
681
00:23:18,600 -->
00:23:20,520
I clear it, put stuff on it.
682
00:23:21,080 -->
00:23:25,800
And she said, jim, I think
you're equating tidiness to safety.
683
00:23:26,040 -->
00:23:28,200
She said, next time when you
come back, we're going to talk about
684
00:23:28,200 -->
00:23:28,440
that.
685
00:23:28,440 -->
00:23:29,880
I'm like, oh, this is going to
be great.
686
00:23:30,520 -->
00:23:33,080
Because she's going to give me
something I could say to my whole
687
00:23:33,080 -->
00:23:35,920
family that says, you guys
have to pick up and how rude review
688
00:23:35,920 -->
00:23:36,920
to be doing this to me.
689
00:23:37,600 -->
00:23:38,200
So I tell them.
690
00:23:38,200 -->
00:23:39,000
They're like, oh, boy.
691
00:23:39,000 -->
00:23:42,800
I go back to Shannon the next
time, and she says this to me, and
692
00:23:42,800 -->
00:23:43,440
she goes, all right.
693
00:23:43,440 -->
00:23:45,440
And I got my notebook out and
I'm ready to write.
694
00:23:45,440 -->
00:23:46,960
I'm going to write whatever
she says.
695
00:23:46,960 -->
00:23:49,440
She says, okay, the next time
you see that counter messy, Next
696
00:23:49,440 -->
00:23:53,359
time I see that counter messy,
as I write it down, she says, I want
697
00:23:53,359 -->
00:23:56,640
you to look at all the mess on
there and say this.
698
00:23:56,800 -->
00:23:59,920
And I wrote down, look at the
mess, say this.
699
00:24:01,120 -->
00:24:04,410
No matter what, under any
circumstance, I'm safe.
700
00:24:04,730 -->
00:24:06,370
No matter what, under any circumstance.
701
00:24:06,370 -->
00:24:10,090
I say, if I wrote it down, I
underlined it, no matter what, under
702
00:24:10,090 -->
00:24:11,410
any circumstance, I'm safe.
703
00:24:11,410 -->
00:24:11,810
Okay?
704
00:24:11,810 -->
00:24:12,370
So I say.
705
00:24:12,370 -->
00:24:12,850
I say that.
706
00:24:12,850 -->
00:24:13,370
Then what?
707
00:24:13,530 -->
00:24:14,450
She goes, then you can go.
708
00:24:14,450 -->
00:24:15,770
Put the stuff wherever it goes.
709
00:24:16,330 -->
00:24:17,610
Put the stuff I wrote down.
710
00:24:17,610 -->
00:24:18,609
Put the stuff wherever it goes.
711
00:24:18,609 -->
00:24:19,050
And I'm.
712
00:24:19,050 -->
00:24:19,730
I'm writing it.
713
00:24:19,730 -->
00:24:22,410
Cause I'm pressing on my
paper, I'm underlining and everything.
714
00:24:22,730 -->
00:24:24,250
And then I said, then what?
715
00:24:24,650 -->
00:24:27,130
And then she said, let's go
about your business.
716
00:24:27,290 -->
00:24:27,770
Yeah.
717
00:24:28,260 -->
00:24:32,620
Because you get the choice to
get angry at everybody or know that
718
00:24:32,620 -->
00:24:33,060
you're safe.
719
00:24:33,060 -->
00:24:34,660
See, Jim, you have to retrain
your brain.
720
00:24:35,140 -->
00:24:36,900
The clutter doesn't mean
you're not safe.
721
00:24:37,700 -->
00:24:39,620
Just means that how you
internalize it.
722
00:24:39,620 -->
00:24:40,060
Yeah.
723
00:24:40,060 -->
00:24:41,980
So I go home and I'm ready to
tell everybody.
724
00:24:41,980 -->
00:24:43,860
You know, I'm thinking, I
thought I was gonna come home and
725
00:24:43,860 -->
00:24:44,660
tell everybody this.
726
00:24:44,980 -->
00:24:45,980
They're waiting for me.
727
00:24:45,980 -->
00:24:48,900
They know that the thunder's
coming or whatever the case is.
728
00:24:49,380 -->
00:24:51,140
And I told them, just like I
told you.
729
00:24:51,140 -->
00:24:55,310
And then I. I said, I guess
therapy's all about me.
730
00:24:55,950 -->
00:24:58,030
And then I just walked off.
731
00:24:58,590 -->
00:24:59,710
Now I say that Story.
732
00:24:59,710 -->
00:25:02,230
Because I think it's okay that
people know that I go to a therapist.
733
00:25:02,230 -->
00:25:02,630
Yeah, sure.
734
00:25:02,630 -->
00:25:03,950
In fact, I was having so much success.
735
00:25:04,270 -->
00:25:05,670
This is probably five, six
years ago.
736
00:25:05,670 -->
00:25:06,350
So much success.
737
00:25:06,350 -->
00:25:08,430
The therapist says, jim, so
we're good, or you.
738
00:25:08,670 -->
00:25:10,390
I'm like, wait a second, are
you breaking up with me?
739
00:25:10,390 -->
00:25:12,270
No, I'll see you next month,
man, I'm.
740
00:25:12,510 -->
00:25:13,870
I need that regular basis.
741
00:25:14,030 -->
00:25:15,430
But I say that not just to.
742
00:25:15,430 -->
00:25:17,550
To celebrate the power of therapy.
743
00:25:18,190 -->
00:25:21,750
I say that because that just
gave me freedom.
744
00:25:22,470 -->
00:25:25,350
You know, the distance between
a stimulus and a response.
745
00:25:25,910 -->
00:25:29,310
The greater you can create
that space, the more freedom we have
746
00:25:29,310 -->
00:25:30,630
in the rational sense of mind.
747
00:25:30,630 -->
00:25:31,350
I like that.
748
00:25:31,430 -->
00:25:31,790
And.
749
00:25:31,790 -->
00:25:34,310
And the more that we have that
opportunity to do so.
750
00:25:34,310 -->
00:25:36,430
So when you go back to when
you're talking to me about the principles
751
00:25:36,430 -->
00:25:39,990
and everything's coming out of
that space is narrowing, or because
752
00:25:39,990 -->
00:25:44,350
we think that everything has
to be done right away, we do need
753
00:25:44,350 -->
00:25:45,590
to have it done within our
time frame.
754
00:25:45,590 -->
00:25:49,540
That means, sure, but we could
build capacity within a system.
755
00:25:50,020 -->
00:25:53,540
And the bigger the capacity is
and have those clear expectations,
756
00:25:54,660 -->
00:25:56,660
the more we can keep ourself
at the center.
757
00:25:56,660 -->
00:26:00,540
You see, I got better as a
principal because I had people.
758
00:26:00,540 -->
00:26:02,420
I allowed people to lean in to
help me.
759
00:26:03,460 -->
00:26:05,380
I allowed people to see me as
a human.
760
00:26:06,180 -->
00:26:07,100
In fact, they would.
761
00:26:07,100 -->
00:26:10,180
Often, it's at one point in my
career, they would say, you don't
762
00:26:10,180 -->
00:26:10,980
really know us.
763
00:26:11,060 -->
00:26:15,050
And I thought it did until I didn't.
764
00:26:15,370 -->
00:26:17,770
Which means I needed to sit
down and I needed to listen.
765
00:26:17,770 -->
00:26:21,010
Instead of trying to solve
people's problems, you just needed
766
00:26:21,010 -->
00:26:22,170
to listen sometimes.
767
00:26:22,970 -->
00:26:26,850
Well, Jim, before we let you
go here, I do want to ask you one
768
00:26:26,850 -->
00:26:27,210
question.
769
00:26:27,210 -->
00:26:30,170
And that is, what are you most
excited about?
770
00:26:30,330 -->
00:26:32,330
I mean, we get caught in the.
771
00:26:32,410 -->
00:26:33,930
Yes, this job is hard.
772
00:26:33,930 -->
00:26:39,540
And there's a lot going on in
politics and in everything around
773
00:26:39,540 -->
00:26:41,140
the world of education today.
774
00:26:41,780 -->
00:26:44,500
However, there's still a lot
of exciting things that are going
775
00:26:44,500 -->
00:26:45,660
on in education, too.
776
00:26:45,660 -->
00:26:48,380
It's hard to see them
sometimes because we get caught up
777
00:26:48,380 -->
00:26:48,900
in the other.
778
00:26:49,220 -->
00:26:51,620
What are you most excited
about today?
779
00:26:52,100 -->
00:26:53,940
About what you see in the
field of education.
780
00:26:54,660 -->
00:26:56,180
You are correct.
781
00:26:56,580 -->
00:27:00,260
We don't make the time to
celebrate those little things.
782
00:27:01,220 -->
00:27:02,980
First of all, our energy changes.
783
00:27:03,620 -->
00:27:07,680
And second of all, our kids
deserve us to celebrate versus blasting
784
00:27:07,680 -->
00:27:07,960
us.
785
00:27:08,040 -->
00:27:10,120
So you see, we can't control
all those politics.
786
00:27:10,120 -->
00:27:12,720
I mean, you can vote, but we
can't control what they say, can't
787
00:27:12,720 -->
00:27:14,680
control what the public says, says.
788
00:27:15,080 -->
00:27:18,280
But what we can do is we can
define our narrative.
789
00:27:18,760 -->
00:27:22,080
It's kind of like, what if you
were to ask me, I wonder what my
790
00:27:22,080 -->
00:27:23,440
legacy will be when I leave.
791
00:27:23,440 -->
00:27:23,800
Sure.
792
00:27:24,120 -->
00:27:27,640
How about you define your
legacy and then live the behaviors
793
00:27:27,640 -->
00:27:30,800
that support that school
systems, the people that work in
794
00:27:30,800 -->
00:27:33,720
education as schools, they
have a lot more control than they
795
00:27:34,130 -->
00:27:37,490
believe they can because no
one's stopping us from celebrating
796
00:27:37,490 -->
00:27:37,890
each other.
797
00:27:37,890 -->
00:27:41,330
No one's stopping us for being
there or being vulnerable with each
798
00:27:41,330 -->
00:27:41,650
other.
799
00:27:42,210 -->
00:27:46,570
What excites me about this
opportunity that I'm in now is I
800
00:27:46,570 -->
00:27:50,089
get to be a part of disrupting
the negative, Clear it out a little
801
00:27:50,089 -->
00:27:52,490
bit so people can see the
superpowers that each one of them
802
00:27:52,490 -->
00:27:55,250
has and then bring it together.
803
00:27:55,250 -->
00:27:56,890
Like the Justice League, if
you will.
804
00:27:56,890 -->
00:27:57,410
Yeah.
805
00:27:57,410 -->
00:27:59,890
And we do that by simple actions.
806
00:28:00,320 -->
00:28:03,640
Reading people, complimenting
their clothes, complimenting the
807
00:28:03,640 -->
00:28:07,480
work they did, sitting in the
classroom just to celebrate the magic
808
00:28:07,480 -->
00:28:08,560
that each teacher does.
809
00:28:08,800 -->
00:28:13,240
It takes seconds to minutes to
do so, but the impact is huge.
810
00:28:13,240 -->
00:28:14,120
The impact is huge.
811
00:28:14,120 -->
00:28:14,640
Huge.
812
00:28:15,440 -->
00:28:18,800
So if I go back to Otoma, they
sent me to a conference one time
813
00:28:19,040 -->
00:28:20,760
in that conference, leadership conference.
814
00:28:20,760 -->
00:28:23,960
I always joke, because it's
true that I flew my first airplane
815
00:28:23,960 -->
00:28:27,160
that time and I was, they,
they, they upgraded me to the non
816
00:28:27,160 -->
00:28:28,680
smoking section on the airplane.
817
00:28:29,000 -->
00:28:29,720
You remember that?
818
00:28:29,720 -->
00:28:30,280
Oh, yeah.
819
00:28:30,280 -->
00:28:31,880
But I was all in my feels.
820
00:28:32,440 -->
00:28:37,360
And Terrell had said to me,
hey, Jimmy, you don't have to move
821
00:28:37,360 -->
00:28:40,200
the world, just shake it as
you go by.
822
00:28:40,280 -->
00:28:41,800
I didn't know what it meant then.
823
00:28:42,280 -->
00:28:43,960
I clearly know what it means now.
824
00:28:44,680 -->
00:28:46,280
It's doing what you're doing, Adam.
825
00:28:46,280 -->
00:28:49,240
It's, you're, you're, you're
getting a message out that there's
826
00:28:49,240 -->
00:28:50,600
a lot of great things in education.
827
00:28:51,160 -->
00:28:53,480
It's talking with people, it's
joking with people.
828
00:28:53,480 -->
00:28:56,120
It's, it's, it's celebrating
the little things.
829
00:28:56,530 -->
00:29:00,850
Yeah, the glasses, the brace
was, whatever the case is, it's the
830
00:29:00,850 -->
00:29:01,970
little things that matter.
831
00:29:02,530 -->
00:29:05,970
And if we do a lot more
shaking the world as we go by, then
832
00:29:05,970 -->
00:29:07,490
we've got something really special.
833
00:29:08,050 -->
00:29:10,210
And educators are leaning into
each other.
834
00:29:10,370 -->
00:29:12,850
And before too long, the
parents are going to come back and
835
00:29:12,850 -->
00:29:13,890
we're going to be doing this.
836
00:29:13,970 -->
00:29:16,850
I've been blessed that parents
have been so supportive of me.
837
00:29:17,810 -->
00:29:21,250
I just want everybody else to
feel that same experience or that
838
00:29:21,250 -->
00:29:22,050
same excitement.
839
00:29:22,420 -->
00:29:24,140
I feel very honored to be a
part of here.
840
00:29:24,140 -->
00:29:28,900
Representing inspired
edification and Jay Kasas and associates.
841
00:29:29,220 -->
00:29:31,540
I'm a senior associate there.
842
00:29:32,260 -->
00:29:33,220
That's what it is.
843
00:29:33,460 -->
00:29:37,460
We're humans supporting humans
who are supporting humans.
844
00:29:38,100 -->
00:29:39,300
Well, that is awesome, Jim.
845
00:29:39,300 -->
00:29:40,260
I thank you.
846
00:29:40,260 -->
00:29:42,980
Can't even begin to thank you
enough for jumping on today.
847
00:29:43,300 -->
00:29:44,700
Your story is just amazing.
848
00:29:44,700 -->
00:29:47,940
And if you're wanting to hear
more of this story and be able to
849
00:29:47,940 -->
00:29:50,340
get some of Jim's work
alongside your work, because that's
850
00:29:50,340 -->
00:29:50,900
what it's going to be.
851
00:29:50,900 -->
00:29:53,820
It's going to be right next to
you as you work through your challenges
852
00:29:53,820 -->
00:29:54,700
every day as well.
853
00:29:54,940 -->
00:29:57,740
In the information within this
podcast you will find all that information
854
00:29:57,740 -->
00:29:59,420
that you need to be able to
get a hold of Jim.
855
00:29:59,500 -->
00:30:03,020
We've got his information on
our AWB Education webpage as well.
856
00:30:03,100 -->
00:30:04,260
Jim, one more time.
857
00:30:04,260 -->
00:30:05,460
Thanks again for joining me today.
858
00:30:05,460 -->
00:30:05,940
I love this.
859
00:30:05,940 -->
00:30:07,500
Adam, thank you very much for
having me here.
860
00:30:07,740 -->
00:30:10,580
Thank you for listening to
this episode of your Booster shot
861
00:30:10,580 -->
00:30:11,900
from AWB Education.
862
00:30:12,540 -->
00:30:14,060
Want to join in this mission?
863
00:30:14,380 -->
00:30:17,300
We are always looking for
partners to help provide what our
864
00:30:17,300 -->
00:30:19,340
school leaders need to thrive
and survive.
865
00:30:19,930 -->
00:30:25,770
Contact us through our webpage
at www.awbeducation.org to get connected.
866
00:30:26,330 -->
00:30:29,650
Otherwise, remember, you are
doing the job that only a few are
867
00:30:29,650 -->
00:30:30,650
strong enough to do.
868
00:30:31,050 -->
00:30:32,570
Thanks for being one of the few.
869
00:30:32,970 -->
00:30:34,650
We will talk with you again next.
