Groundhog Day is a great chance to review one's habits

Two weeks ago I was at a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game and was delighted to learn that Punxatawney Phil was also in attendance. He had driven over to Pittsburgh with two of his handlers and was making a guest appearance. There was a huge crowd gathered around to see him, so I couldn't get the best picture. But here he is in his enclosure:

The movie Groundhog Day helped catapult Phil to celebrity status. Seeing him reminded me of the movie's lesson about the importance of living life with awareness, one day at a time. It's really easy to wake up and go through life in a series of habits or routines without being aware of the things we do, or don't do. Bill Murray's character suffered through some hilarious days when it seemed that nothing he did mattered because he kept repeating the same day. But eventually he realized that his actions did have consequences, and that he had choices to make. And once he made the right choices, he was able to get on with his life wiser and happier.

Are there habits that you have which you'd like to change? What's stopping you from taking a small step or two in the direction you want to head? Groundhog Day is a great movie but you don't need to be living it yourself. If you are actively seeking a new position right now, or thinking about starting a job search, what will you do today that makes you wiser than yesterday and better prepared for your next opportunity when it comes along?

Join CalWest next Thursday (February 5th) for our 10th Annual Diversity Program in San Francisco. This year's program, Advancing Equity and Inclusion will be a filled with thoughtful discussion and meaningful take-aways.

Click here for more details and to register.

We offer huge thanks to our 4 co-sponsoring schools for their support and for planning such a compelling program:

• Bentley School
• Marin Academy
• Mark Day School
• San Francisco University High School

Looking forward to seeing you at the Diversity Program and Connection Event which follows.

Sincerely,

Fleisch

The power of candid feedback, as shown by the Seattle Seahawks

Would you have wanted to be in the locker room at halftime during the NFC Championship Game this past Sunday?! 

They had an incredible come from behind victory. Recently  the Wall Street Journal published an article on how the Seahawks' team members are extremely candid with each other. Direct feedback might be a little cringe-inducing at the moment it is delivered, but the overall effect seems to be better cooperation and tighter cohesion. I wonder if there is a lesson here for schools and organizations. A little (feedback) pain might yield an incredible gain...

Read the full article here -  http://ow.ly/Hxaay

Excited for the NAIS People of Color Conference that starts tomorrow

Tomorrow the pre-conference seminars at PoCC begin in Indianapolis. CalWest is excited to be sponsoring the seminar,

VISION, ALIGNMENT, EXECUTION:
The PoCC Leadership Seminar for People of Color and Women

Stay tuned for more details as the seminar gets underway. I'm boarding a plane right now and heading for Indianapolis!

Fleisch

School visits bring it all to life

In the past 4 weeks I’ve had the chance to visit over 30 schools throughout California. Wish I could clone myself to see even more, and I’m committed to reaching all CalWest Association member schools that would like a visit from us.

There’s something magical about seeing a school through the eyes of its head of school, a senior administrator, or a member of the faculty. It’s abundantly clear that the people I meet love their jobs and the ability to impact others.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to see school environments first-hand. Time is the most valuable commodity a person has, even more than money. All people are given only 168 hours in a week, and time spent with me during a school visit is time not spent in the classroom, calling a prospective donor, mentoring a faculty member or another aspect of their work.

You can learn a lot about a head of school, and her/his priorities based on their office layout, the photos and artwork on the walls. I appreciate each school for what makes it a great place to learn (for students), to work (for faculty, staff and administration), and to belong (for families, alumni, and other other constituent groups). The photo above is a slogan outside a classroom at the Gateway School in Santa Cruz. The photo below is the view that Pre-K students now enjoy from a new building at St. Matthew's Episcopal School in San Mateo.

Thanks for the trust that you’ve placed in me, and in my colleagues at CalWest. We take the relationship very seriously and look forward to strengthening our connections with you in the months ahead.

Warmly,
Fleisch

Take steps to accelerate your career path with our Emerging Leaders Program on Oct 22nd

We’re now 3 weeks away from CalWest’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) on October 22nd in Los Angeles. There are still a few spots left if you feel this could be a good professional development opportunity for yourself, or someone on your team.

This year’s program is geared towards teacher who, over the next 1-3 years, want to move into administration, or junior administrators who want to seek out other leadership opportunities within the next 2-4 years. Interested? You can register here.

The faculty brings with them expertise as former and current heads, assistant heads and division heads. There will be case studies, a leadership assessment model (Strengths Finder) and lots of nuggets of wisdom you can take back to your school and begin to implement.

Want more details? You can learn more here. Alternatively, please email or call me or contact my colleague Jui Joshi (jjoshi@calwesteducators.com).

Thanks,
Fleisch

The power to move boulders

There was a great article I found online today. Scientists revealed the process by which rocks, some weighing up to 700 pounds, seemingly moved of their own accord and slid across a flat stretch of   desert in Death Valley National Park. I don't want to spoil the science behind how the rocks move. Take a look at the article to learn more.

Racetrack Playa researcher Richard Norris standing by a trail likely formed more than a decade before this December 16, 2012 photo. Trails can last for years or decades between events. Photo from Richard Norris courtesy of Scripps Oceanography (original caption that accompanied the photograph on GrindTV.com)


What I'd like to highlight in this week's post, though, is the patience that the scientists brought to this experiment. They were prepared for it to take a decade or more to gather conclusive evidence. Luckily for them it took only a few years.

Most educators who come to CalWest are seeking a position immediately, or for the coming school year. We make a concerted effort to help everyone who becomes a candidate, and often times we are successful in placing them within a span of weeks or months. Sometimes it takes longer, though, for any number of reasons. In those situations, we often counsel people to be patient. They may need to stay in their current job for another year or two before switching, or take a job outside of teaching if they are not currently in a school.

Easier said than done, perhaps, but often there are factors beyond a person's control that impact the job search. What is within a person's control, however, is what they do to develop themselves professionally and personally. Every day it's worth spending a few minutes (or more) reading, thinking, planning, networking and making progress towards goals you set for yourself.

At some point an exciting career opportunity will present itself, and you will be ready. What are you reading right now in terms of books, blogs, newspapers, or other media to grow your potential?

Fleisch

PS If you are currently working at an independent school, please consider attending CalWest's Emerging Leaders Program on October 22nd. School administrators can nominate 1 or 2 people from their school, so if you are interested please share the website information with them.