The Five Commitments of Optimistic Leaders Judy Jablon Asa Hilliard inspired me years ago at a conference of teacher educators when he said: Relationships matter more than anything else. Human beings need to be nurtured. Our job as educators is to nurture in ways that tap into the genius in each child. He added: Our job as teacher leaders is to nurture the genius in each teacher. I believe that hearing Dr. Hilliard that day began a journey that resulted in Leading for Children. Our mission at Leading for Children is to elevate the practitioner, to create an optimistic trajectory for each child's success in school and life. I began Leading for Children to strengthen early learning systems. I believe that if we promote healthy and productive relationships within and across all roles and settings, educators can thrive. And, in so doing, children can experience the strong nurturing relationships for learning that they need to thrive. Inspired by Asa Hilliard, and so many of you, I've developed a model that I believe can improve how early learning educators engage in their work: The Five Commitments of Optimistic Leadership. The Foundation for Optimistic Leadership For years our field has deeply engaged in thinking about how to achieve higher quality early learning programs for children birth to age five, and how to improve children’s learning outcomes. The elements of quality programs that result in better outcomes are supported by extensive evidence. However, we currently have directors and teachers, parents and policy makers, receptionists and cooks, all working at cross purposes. We are not rowing in the same direction and neither are we assuring that educators in each of these critical roles understand the importance of assuming a leadership stance for children. Despite everything we know about how learning must build on strengths, we have a culture The Five Commitments of Optimistic Leadership: • Think Impact – to make informed decisions. • Cultivate Self-Awareness – to guide thought, emotion, and behavior. • Nurture Relationships – to support learning and collaboration. • Refine Communication – for mutual clarity and understanding. • Activate Curiosity – to find connections and continue learning.
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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.
©2017.JudyJablon,LeadingforChildren.
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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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