Who We’re Meant to Be

I’ve been swept up lately in what Covey would call “the whirlwind.” There is rarely a dull moment in a school, and as they explain in The Four Disciplines of Execution, no matter what industry, roughly 80% of our time is swept up in the whirlwind with only 20% of our brain power remaining for strategic goals and priorities.

Ironically, I was having this exact conversation with a principal yesterday about the whirlwind and goals when minutes before dismissal, the fire alarm went off.

This was clearly not a drill. Everyone is safe. There was no fire. But we didn’t know that at the time. Parents were lined up to pick up their students. Buses were pulling in alongside fire trucks. It was the definition of a whirlwind.

And it’s in these moments, you truly see people pull together. Teachers stayed calm and kept their classes calm as they got them safely evacuated from the building and accounted for. Parents showed immense grace and understanding while waiting in line to receive their student(s) who would not be bringing their belongings home for the weekend since firefighters were hard at work ensuring the building was safe.

A community came together. And I couldn’t help but think, “This is who we are meant to be.” Not in the sense that we are meant to go through awful scenes such as this one. But in the sense that we are meant to work together for the greater good.

Just hours prior, I had been in a team meeting alongside a talented team of teachers on special assignment where we were proudly reviewing state testing results. While the results are impressive and staff should be immensely proud, with that kind of high achievement comes fear. Fear that if try something new, the results won’t follow. And what does it look like to support educators when this is the case? Not simply trying something new for the sake of trying something new. But taking risks we believe will benefit students, their learning, and their learning experience.

That question felt heavy. Our immense care for this community of educators led to a great but complex conversation. I knew I didn’t have the answer.

And then one of our teammates quoted “an author.” As she started to read, it dawned on me.

She was quoting Legacy of Learning.

I couldn’t believe it. Part of the quote she read, “What if we said no to obsessing over state test results and said yes to obsessing over raising competent, deeply thinking, deeply feeling humans?”

Last Monday, I had the opportunity to speak to incredible rooms of instructional coaches and teachers at Tippecanoe Schools. I felt so grounded and connected to them. They had such a profoundly positive impact on me and my learning, reminding me that there are people out there (across state lines even) who share my heart and beliefs in this profession.

And it dawned on me that my stress never comes from being who I am meant to be. It comes from worrying whether who I am is in conflict with what is expected in my role.

But the beauty of it all is that our schools need us to be who we were meant to be. Because not one of us can be what everyone needs or expects. And that’s not the job. The job is best described by Shawn Achor, “The more you help others find their light, the brighter you both will shine.”

That’s the job. Show up as our deeply human selves. Bring out the best in others. And empower others to utilize their unique skills, gifts, and abilities for the greater good. That’s the job.

Less me. More we.

I spent the afternoon with my mom today. I love seeing her. Seems like no matter what I say or do, she’s rooting for me, thinking I’m the cat’s pajamas when others do not, ha.

My husband and I don’t have kids. I’m often asked if we do and typically turn it into a joke, “No kids. Just cats. That’s our life motto.”

I do that to make it more comfortable for all of us. Because the conversation can get a little awkward in that moment. Not for me but for the other person. And their discomfort can make me question myself if I’m not careful.

But after I spent time with my mom today, I was reminded that some of us are meant to be good mothers. Others of us great friends. We all need to be who we were meant to be. We are all many things and more.

I was meant to be a loving daughter. Among other things. And I feel very much so myself when I have the opportunity to spend time with my beautiful mom and be that for her.

When we find ourselves stressed and anxious, I hope we make a little space to ask ourselves:

“Am I being who I am meant to be?”

“Am I living out my values?”

“Am I trying to do it all by myself?”

Because when we live out our values in our work, and we work to bring out the best in each other, collaborating for the greater good…

That feels right and good.

When anyone asks me what my ultimate goal is professionally, the response is always the same.

Work I believe in.

With people I enjoy.

And when the work feels like it’s more than we can bear, too much for us to handle, perhaps we have overcomplicated things, and we need to get back to who we (collectively) were meant to be. Back to what we value. Together.

Hugs, my friends. We’ve got this. Keep showing up. And maybe wear your sneakers. Because there’s never a dull moment in a school.