TheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadersJudyJablon
AsaHilliardinspiredmeyearsagoataconferenceofteachereducatorswhenhesaid:Relationshipsmattermorethan
anythingelse.Humanbeingsneedtobe
nurtured.Ourjobaseducatorsistonurture
inwaysthattapintothegeniusineach
child.Headded:Ourjobasteacherleadersistonurturethegeniusineachteacher.
IbelievethathearingDr.HilliardthatdaybeganajourneythatresultedinLeadingforChildren.OurmissionatLeadingforChildrenistoelevatethepractitioner,tocreateanoptimistictrajectoryforeachchild'ssuccessinschoolandlife.IbeganLeadingforChildrentostrengthenearlylearningsystems.Ibelievethatifwepromotehealthyandproductiverelationshipswithinandacrossallrolesandsettings,educatorscanthrive.And,insodoing,childrencanexperiencethestrongnurturingrelationshipsforlearningthattheyneedtothrive.InspiredbyAsaHilliard,andsomanyofyou,I'vedevelopedamodelthatIbelievecanimprovehowearlylearningeducatorsengageintheirwork:TheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadership.TheFoundationforOptimisticLeadershipForyearsourfieldhasdeeplyengagedinthinkingabouthowtoachievehigherqualityearlylearningprogramsforchildrenbirthtoagefive,andhowtoimprovechildren’slearningoutcomes.Theelementsofqualityprogramsthatresultinbetteroutcomesaresupportedbyextensiveevidence.However,wecurrentlyhavedirectorsandteachers,parentsandpolicymakers,receptionistsandcooks,allworkingatcrosspurposes.Wearenotrowinginthesamedirectionandneitherareweassuringthateducatorsineachofthesecriticalrolesunderstandtheimportanceofassumingaleadershipstanceforchildren.Despiteeverythingweknowabouthowlearningmustbuildonstrengths,wehaveaculture
TheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadership:• ThinkImpact–tomake
informeddecisions.• CultivateSelf-Awareness–to
guidethought,emotion,andbehavior.
• NurtureRelationships–tosupportlearningandcollaboration.
• RefineCommunication–formutualclarityandunderstanding.
• ActivateCuriosity–tofindconnectionsandcontinuelearning.
©2017.JudyJablon,LeadingforChildren.
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inearlylearningthatisfocusedondeficits.Insomanyeffortstoachievehigherqualityprograms,staffandadministrativeinteractionsarebreedingdistrustratherthancollaboration.Inthisclimate,howcanwepossiblyadheretoAsaHilliard'sassertionthattonurturethegeniusinchildrenwemustnurturethegeniusintheadults?IbelievethatbyadoptingtheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadership,wewillenhanceprogramclimateandstrengthenearlylearningsystems.Beforewediscussthefivecommitments,wemusthaveasharedunderstandingofleadership,optimism,andcommitment.Leadership.Leadershipmeansrecognizingtheimpactyouhaveonothersandusingthatknowledgeinproductiveways.Eachofushasanimpactontheorganizationwherewework.Ouractionsandwordsimpactothersandcontributetotheclimateinalargeagency,apreschoolclassroom,orafamilychildcarehome.Regardlessofourtitlesorroles,weareallleadersforchildren;andchildrendeserveleaderswholearn.Optimism.Optimismisnotaboutbeingpositiveorhappy.Merelybeingpositivedoesn'thelpachievequality.Insteadof"thinkingpositive"wecanfocusonapathforwardandhaveconvictionthatwhentheinevitableobstaclesoccur,theycanbehurdledwithanalysisandpersistence.Thinkofoptimismasthelightattheofthetunnel,ratherthanthesmileyface.
Commitment.Commitmentisvitaltoachievingthehigh-qualityprogramschildrenandfamiliesdeserve,andinwhichearlylearningprofessionalsthrive.Commitmenttakeseffortandpersistenceanditismorelikelytobecomeapartofthecultureofprogramswhenitisasharedendeavor.
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TheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadersLeadersrecognizetheirimpact.OptimisticLeadersfocusonthepathforward.Optimisticleadersarepassionateaboutachievingavisionandwillpersevereevenwhenthegoinggetstough.Imagineifeveryoneinanearlylearningsettingembracedtheirrolesasleaderscommittedtoworkingtogethertoenhancechildren'sopportunitiestobesuccessfullearners?Let'sexamineeachofthefivecommitmentstounderstandhowearlylearningeducators–acrossroles–arechangingtheirpracticesbasedontheirlearningaboutoptimisticleadership.1.ThinkImpacttomakeinformeddecisions.Everythingwedoandsay—allofouractions—haveconsequencesorbenefits.Researchshowsthateducatorsmakemorethan1,500decisionsdaily—that'saboutfourdecisionseveryminute(GoodandBrophy2008).Whatwoulditmeanforchildrenifmoreofusweremoreawareoftheimpactofthesedecisionsonourprofessionalrelationships?Onchildren'slearning?Ontheclimateinourprograms?ThinkImpact:Reflectionsfromthefield“Thishelpsmerealizemyinfluenceandhowthroughmyword
choices,tone,stance,andperspectiveIcancreatethetypeofwork
environmentthatencouragesordiscourages.Before:IwastoomalleableandinfluencedbytheoutcomesI
perceivedotherswanted.Ioftenhushedmyownvoicetocarryout
thevoicesofothers,especiallymysupervisors.Isoughtapprovaland
feareddisappointment.Now:Ifeelempowered.Ipausemore.Iamreflectiveofmypresence,especiallymynon-verbal
actions,mypace,mytone,myimpulsivitytoreactandrespondimmediately.Iamtryingtothink
beforeIspeakandgathermoreinformationbeforemakingdecisions.”
2.CultivateSelf-Awarenesstoguidethought,emotion,andbehavior.Self-awarenessisthecapacitytorecognizeyourownfeelings,behaviorsandcharacteristics,andtounderstandyourcognitive,physicalandemotionalself.Selfawarenessallowsyoutomonitoryouremotions,thoughts,andfeelings;understandyourstrengthsandweaknesses;andknowwhatmotivatesyoutowardwhatyouwantoutoflife.Whenyouhaveself-awareness,yourecognizeyourimpactonotherpeopleandadapttobemoresuccessfulinyourinteractions.Selfawarenessisthecornerstoneofemotionalintelligence,andunderliesalltheotheraspectsofselfmotivationandemotionalintelligence.
Refine Communication
Nurture Rela
tions
hips
Think Impact
Cultivate Self-Awareness
Activ
ate Cu
riosit
y
5Commitments of Optimistic Leaders
ThinkImpact-oneactiontopractice:Beforeyouactorspeak,pauseandask:What
willhappenif...?andperhapsmoreimportantly,WhatdoI
WANTtohappenif...?
©2017.JudyJablon,LeadingforChildren.
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CultivateSelf-Awareness:Reflectionsfromthefield“IhavefoundthatworkingtowardagreatersenseofhowIamina
situationhelpsmetonoticehowothersare.Then:Iwasquickto“sayanddo”.Ithoughtthatinordertobehighlyeffective,Ihadtothinkonmyfeet,actfast.Now:Ivaluethepracticeofself-reflectionwhichincreasesmyself-
awareness.I’mmakingmoreinformeddecisions–goingfrom
reactivetoproblem-solvingandbuildingpartnerships.Byslowing
down,Icanidentifywhethermyactionswillorstrengthenorhinder
myrelationships.”
3.NurtureRelationshipstosupportlearningandcollaboration.StevenCoveysaid:Trustisthehighestformofhumanmotivation.Itbringsouttheverybestin
people.Researchhasconsistentlyshowntheimportanceofhighquality,trustingrelationshipsinachievingeducationaloutcomes.Studieshavealsoshownthatstrongcollegialrelationshipsamongeducatorsleadtohigherlevelsofprofessionalsatisfaction,strongerorganizationalcommitmentandproblemsolving,astrongerorganizationalbeliefthatpositivestudentoutcomesarepossible,andastrongerorganizationalcommitmenttoconsistentlyprioritizingthebestinterestofthechildrenserved(BrewsterandRailsback2003).NurtureRelationships:Reflectionsfromthefield
“Withaviewofmyselfasaleaderforchildren,Isetandcontribute
tothetoneinmyclassroomandschool.Ineedawarenessaswell
astimetoreflect.Then:Iwasoblivioustoemotionalcuesduringinteractions.I
wasn’tgaugingthenon-verbalfeedback.Irealizedthiswasdriven
bymyfearofmakingmistakes.Now:Iamlearningtolistentoothers’ideasandtakingthetimeto
understandandevaluatetoseehowtheirideascanbe
incorporatedintoanyprocess.”4.RefineCommunicationformutualclarityandunderstanding.Communicationiskeytomaintainingpositiveandeffectiverelationships.Effectiveleadersuseconversationanddialogueratherthantop-downcommands.Communicationincludespausingbeforespeaking,monitoringtone,listeningwell,askingquestions,beingsensitivetoculturalandlinguisticdiversity,andusingself-awarenesstoreflectandadjusttothepersonwithwhomyouarespeaking.
CultivateSelf-Awareness-oneactiontopractice:Trytobehumbleratherthandefensive.Whenyouareunsettledbyasituationortheactionsorwordsofachild,acolleagueorachild'sfamilymember,takealookinside.Ask,HowcouldIlookatthis
anotherway?
NurtureRelationships-oneactiontopractice:Thinkaboutrelationshiprepair.Eventhebestrelationshipshavestruggles.Beingtheonetostepforwardandsay,"Iblundered,Iapologize,"goesalongwayinbuildingtrust,strengtheningrelationships,andimprovingprogramclimate.
©2017.JudyJablon,LeadingforChildren.
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Refinecommunication:Reflectionsfromthefield
“Beingmindfulofmyspokenwordsandwrittenmessagesmakes
meamoreeffectiveleader.Before:Iwasunawareofmytone,orfailedtoadjustit.Asa
result,positiveclimatewaseroded.Now:Ihavecultivatedahabitofpausingtocomposeamessage
orquestioninmymindbeforewritingorspeakingit.”5.ActivateCuriositytofindconnectionsandcontinuelearning.Whenweactivatecuriosity,wearemorewillingtotakerisks,experiment,andtrythingsout.Acuriousandopenmindinviteslearning.Ratherthanworryingaboutfailure,thecuriousleaderknowsthaterrorscanpromotelearning.Whenworkingwithchildrenandfamilies,curiositymeanslettinggoofyouragendaandwatchingandlisteningtolearnwhatmatterstothechildorhisfamily.Thismayrequireadegreeofholdingback,andwatchingorlisteningbeforesayingordoinganything.ActivateCuriosity:Reflectionsfromthefield“Beingcuriousandwantingtofindconnectionsbetweencurrent
knowledgeandnewlearninghassupportedmygrowthand
helpedmecreateandstrengthenrelationships.Before:InoticedthatIsometimesfeltinadequatewhenIneeded
toaskquestionsaboutsomethingthatwasunfamiliartome.Now:Iliketoplacemyselfinsituationswith“greatminds”so
thatIcanengageinconversationsthatofferdifferent
perspectivesandideas.”
*****
Consider,whatmightitlooklikeifeveryoneinyoursettingpracticedtheFiveCommitmentsofOptimisticLeadership?
RefineCommunication-oneactiontopractice:Noticethegiveandtakeyouhaveinprofessionalconversations.Sometimeswegetcaughtupinwhatwehavetosayandweforgetthelistener,failingtoseethecuestheotherpersonmaygive.Asthetalker,wemisssignalsthatthelistenerwantsaturntorespondoraskaquestion.
ActivateCuriosity–oneactiontopractice:Considerroutinepracticesthatdriveyourworkonadaily,weekly,ormonthlybasis.Thinkaboutquestionsyoumightasktorethinkingrainedprotocols:• WhatwouldhappenifI…
• Itmightchangethe
dynamicif…
• HowcouldIchangethe
impactof…
Achangeisbroughtaboutbecauseordinarypeopledoextraordinarythings.BarackObama
©2017.JudyJablon,LeadingforChildren.
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Resources:Covey,StephenR.The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople:RestoringtheCharacterEthic.NewYork:FreePress,2004.Good,T.L,&J.E.,(2008).Brophy.LookinginClassrooms.10thedition.Edition.Pearson/AllynandBacon.Nappi,J.S.(2014).Theteacherleader:Improvingschoolsbybuildingsocialcapitalthroughsharedleadership.DeltaKappaGammaBulletin,80(4),29-34.NicolJ.&Sparrow,P.R.(2010).Powerfulleadership:theimportanceofself-awarenessinextendingrange.LancasterUniversityManagementSchoolCentreforPerformance-ledHRThoughtLeadershipPaper,Number2010-01,available:http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/cphrBrewster,Cori,andJenniferRailsback."BuildingTrustingRelationshipsforSchoolImprovement:ImplicationsforPrincipalsandTeachers.ByRequestSeries."(2003).
© 2017. Judy Jablon, Leading for Children.
Optimistic Leadership: A Reflection Tool
Think Impact
A moment I’ve paused before I’ve acted in the past year:
Ways I plan to integrate the commitment of thinking about my impact moving forward:
Cultivate Self-Awareness
Name the last time I reflected on myself and my impact on others:
Ways I plan to integrate the commitment of cultivating my self-awareness moving forward:
Nurture Relationships
Identify a relationship I know I have not nurtured effectively in the past year:
Ways I plan to integrate the commitment of nurturing relationships with stakeholders moving forward:
Refine Communication
Remember a time I intentionally communicated with someone before making a decision:
Ways I plan to integrate the commitment of refining my communication style moving forward:
Activate Curiosity
Pinpoint a recent time when being curious and asking questions led to successful change:
Ways I plan to integrate the commitment of activating my curiosity moving forward:
Ways my practice will change when I practice the 5 commitments of Optimistic Leadership:
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