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A School Leaders Playbook: Proven Methods for Leadership,
Team Building, and Problem Solving in any Organization
Information & concepts are generic and applicable or any
type of organization. All that is needed is to consider the concept
as it might relate to your specific situation.
Click here to purchase a copy of "A
School Leaders Playbook."
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From the Foreword
"Once this knowledge is in hand, it becomes clear
that smooth-running organizations don't just happen... "This work
represents an excellent blueprint for any organization."... "It
defines good communication and demonstrates what it takes to go beyond
reactive management to proactive leadership."
Robert D. Akenhead
From The Introduction
"It is the ability to continually assess the environment
and make necessary course corrections that brings about success. Even
small corrections may make a big difference in an organization's effectiveness..."
"Without specific attention to when correction
is needed, it is often pressure that brings it about. When pressure
for correction occurs, it is often because the organization is under
fire. This taking of fire may come from perceptions about mismanagement,
use of money, ... disharmony... or a mismatch of ... values."
... "leaders know that success in making these
critical corrections will depend on their leadership approach and their
attention to ... a "team mentality."
"What makes team development a challenge is the
very idea that we need to train people to function as a team. ... it's
almost as if there is a paradigm, which prevents even the consideration
that we need to develop specific skills and understanding in order to
function more effectively as a team."
From the Afterword
"In short, leaders must have the courage to resist
the temptation to give-in rather than search for positions that can
unite at least the largest percentage of those who would be impacted
by them. They must also resist the use of position power, formal or
informal, to force a decision before it's rational are understood and
accepted."
"All in all, there is a need for the mental toughness
to make the process work. And there is a need for leaders who can separate
or put on hold personal wants and emotional reactions in order to insure
that the process is accomplished, even when others with power and influence
would rush to conclusion.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Dedication |
"Without specific
attention to when correction is needed, it is often pressure that
brings it about." (xiv) |
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Acknowledgements |
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Forward |
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1.
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Moving Forward |
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Origin of Ideas |
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The Biggest Challenge |
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2.
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The Mindset |
"If an action
falls within the acceptable range of the value or belief system
of the staff and community, chips are added to the pile. Each misjudgment
costs one or more of those chips." (p7) |
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Being "Liked" |
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A Game Plan |
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Rules of the Game |
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Building Chips |
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3.
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Foundations |
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Expanded Exposure |
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Understanding Power Sources |
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Emergence of a Model |
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An Experiential Approach |
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Expansion of a Working Model |
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Lessons in Perception |
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Learning Points |
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Basic Principles |
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4.
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Unions and Organizations |
"Our basic operating
model starts with the subtle programming we receive early in life."
(p8) |
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Unions as Teams |
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Subtle Bias |
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Creating an Atmosphere |
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5.
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Commitment |
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What It Takes |
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Impact of Prior Experience |
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Recognizing Reality |
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Expectations |
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Reasons to Wait |
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How Much is Too Much |
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Modeling |
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The Feel-Good Mentality |
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6.
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Ignorance |
"Is there
ever a time when things calm down enough that nothing will interfere
with a team building process?" (p23) |
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A Perspective on Diversity |
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Correcting a Fallacy |
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7.
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Nepotism |
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The Other Side of the Coin |
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A Fair Determination |
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Life as an Outcast |
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The Final Analysis |
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8.
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The Policy Quagmire |
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Time for Process |
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The Decision-Making Quagmire |
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Guard Against Misinterpretation |
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9.
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Long Term Success |
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A Misconception |
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People in Teams |
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A Personal Model |
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10.
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Analyzing Teams |
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Interest and Expertise |
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Knowledge versus Process |
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How Each Position Contributes |
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Assessing Position Tasks |
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Responsibility Matrix: Sample |
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"The trap is that
once people get comfortable with the idea that things are going
well, it is easy to relax and just let things run on their own."
(p53) |
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11.
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Where to Start |
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Don't Be Dissuaded |
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Where to Go Next |
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How Fast to Move |
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Momentum |
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Keeping It Going |
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12.
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Structure of Teams |
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Definition of a Team |
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The Best Kind of Team |
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Team Formats |
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Efficiency |
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Where Teams Can Exist |
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Realistic Expectations |
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13.
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Team Development |
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Identifiable Stages |
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Recycling |
"A common mistake
is to place substantial attention on opening training sessions and
then assume that the team will continue on its own momentum."
(p74) |
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Content and Process |
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Necessary Leadership |
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14.
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Assess, Interview, and Train |
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Mission |
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Point Team |
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Analyze the "Films" |
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Interview Strategy |
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The Right Questions |
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Withhold Judgment |
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Avoid Paranoia |
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A Plan for Training |
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15.
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Impact of Personal Style |
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Identifying Style |
"We need to
understand what behavior we use most frequently and what kind of
impact our behavior has on others in various situations." (p86) |
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Components of Style |
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Is There a Best Style? |
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Task versus Relationship |
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Style, Comfort, and Competence |
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Style and Job Choice |
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Areas of Impact |
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Finally |
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16.
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Style Assessment |
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Observation and Feedback |
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Use of Instrumentation |
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Choosing Instruments |
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17.
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Belief Systems |
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The Little Voice in My Head |
"Many decisions
appear to be factual in nature. In reality a large number of those
decisions are not based on scientific facts but rather represent
collected opinions..."(p114) |
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A Computer-Based Analogy |
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Just Give Me The Facts |
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The Issue of Flexibility |
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Impact on Motivation |
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18.
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Training Camp |
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A Foundation for Success |
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A Skill-Based Approach |
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Training and Personal Comfort |
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19.
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Debris and the Playbook |
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Agreements |
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Don't Kid Yourself |
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Grinding Through Old Stuff |
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Really Deep Debris |
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Building a Playbook |
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Avoid the Set-Up |
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20.
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Inclusion and Camaraderie |
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Forming a Unit |
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"no self-respecting
coach would put a team on the field without running a training camp
and a series of practices designed to teach or enhance the skills
of every member." (p117) |
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21.
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Communication Tools |
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Practice Formats |
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Processing and Debriefing |
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Action Activities |
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The Total Communication Picture |
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Props and Tools |
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Real versus Simulated Issues |
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Worst Case Scenario |
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22.
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Performance Improvement |
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Follow the Playbook |
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Continuous Evaluation |
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Beware of the Trap |
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Hold Players Accountable |
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23.
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Developing Players |
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Backup and Utility Players |
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A Feeder System |
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Titles versus Functions |
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Establishing Boundaries |
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Rookies |
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"Even highly
skilled and knowledgeable teammates will need time to find their
place on a new team." (p153) |
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24.
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A Better Game Plan |
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Scout the Opposition |
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Adjust to Game Conditions |
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Organized Practices |
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Changes in the League |
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Dress Rehearsals |
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Listen to the Players |
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Popularity of the Coach |
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Empowering Your Team |
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Rookie Camp |
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Adjust Practice Time |
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Special Team Practice |
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In Touch with the Owners |
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What Works |
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"Anyone who
follows professional teams or enjoys an excellent symphonic orchestra
knows that the surest way for a coach, conductor, or key performer
to lose his job is not to focus on the values of the owners and
patrons of the franchise." (p170) |
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25.
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Time as Context |
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A Personal Perception |
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Feelings and Philosophy |
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Adding Structure |
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Mutual Needs |
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At Peace with Time |
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26.
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Acknowledgment and Unity |
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Tell Your Team |
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Personal Acknowledgments |
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Group Acknowledgments |
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Send It Home |
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Written versus Verbal |
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Directing Focus |
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27.
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Marketing and Perception |
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Subtle Communication |
"One of the biggest traps
we can fall into is the belief that because we're doing the right
thing we don't need to worry about public perception." (p184) |
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A Marketing Team |
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Planning Sequence for Marketing |
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Where to Focus |
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Marketing as Manipulation |
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Players in the Spotlight |
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Celebrate Victories |
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28.
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Staff Discussions Groups |
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Size Makes a Difference |
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Discussion Groups |
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Tips on Process |
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Positive Fallout |
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Topic-Focused Groups |
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"If you have hierarchical power
over teammates, getting them to see you as a person, not just a
position, is a significant challenge." (p196) |
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29.
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Student Interaction Groups |
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Logistics |
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Group Process |
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30.
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Community Forums |
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Impact of the Invitation |
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Organization and Logistics |
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Inviting Participants |
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31.
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Facilitation and Consensus |
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Win, Lose, or Draw |
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A Matter of Opinion |
"There is no magic in a crisis.
The problem solving and planning skills that are the foundation
of your team's success are what you will rely on ..."(p225) |
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Judging Decisions |
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Why It Works |
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No Panacea |
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32.
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Crisis |
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Call Out the Troops |
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Use Team Skills and Processes |
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Media Relations |
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Security |
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Organization |
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Closure |
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33.
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Stress and Self-Preservation |
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Finding Answers |
"...it's crucial
to recognize that large systems are capable of draining all of a
person's energy." (p232) |
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What Works for You |
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Finding the Formula |
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Maintaining a Balance |
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Use Positive Self-Talk |
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Capitalize on Support |
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34.
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Staff Development |
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Graduate Schools |
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Graduate Students |
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Conventions and Meetings |
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In-Service Programs |
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35.
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Public Money |
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Do They Understand |
"...it's plausible
to wonder if, when people don't support education, it is because
their perception of what their money is buying is out of sync with
their values." (p249) |
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Two Faces of the Job |
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Specific Strategies |
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Comparisons |
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Do They Value Education |
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Staff in the Spotlight |
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Rational for Salaries |
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Stay in the Black |
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Develop Tangible Budgets |
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Communicate Continuously |
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36.
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Job Choices |
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The Ego and the Reality |
"All in all, there is need
for the mental toughness to make the process work." (p267) |
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How Hiring Happens |
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The System's History |
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Good Old Girls and Boys |
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Age versus Youth |
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37.
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Considering Team Change |
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Pros and Cons |
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Questions that Need Answers |
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Once The Decision is Made |
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Afterword |
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Discussion Questions |
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Changepoint Perception Assessment |
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References & Resources |
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Permissions Received |
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About the Author |
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Purchasing Information
A School Leaders Playbook: Proven Methods for
Leadership, Team Building, and Problem Solving in any Organization.
May be purchased from the following sources:
First Books Library is the Publisher and may
offer the best price. For individual copies or to arrange multiple
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