As I look back over last year’s writing, podcast conversations, and coaching work, I’m struck by how often I’ve returned to the theme of listening as a core disposition of effective coaching and leadership.  I find that growth, trust, and collaboration emerge not from the brilliance of what we say, but from the quality of […]

How do the words teachers hear from school leaders, instructional coaches and peers provide an uplift and motivation? Are there time that the words teachers hear create a subtle source of stress, confusion, or disengagement? Our language can be a vehicle through which expectations, emotions, and commitments are transmitted.  What we say—and just as importantly, […]

In coaching—whether you’re supporting a teacher, leading a professional learning team, or working with a school leader—listening is foundational. And yet, in the name of productivity, efficiency, or simply staying on schedule, we can too easily slip into haste. “We nod instead of reflect. We respond instead of inquire. We react instead of understand.” A […]

Several times in the last few weeks I have been in conversations or presentations where the topic of trust building in coaching emerged. I was reminded of an activity that I often explore with teachers examining the role of relationships in learning. I ask participants to consider a time that they learned something quickly and […]