Strategic Educational Leader

Whether you feel overwhelmed from time to time in your current position, want to better handle the challenges you face, or simply would like more fulfillment in your life and career . . . this program is for you!

This four-workshop course designed by and for professional educators will help you improve the quality of your life.

Strategic Educational Leader is a comprehensive coaching and accountability course in learning how to:

Face Reality - and achieve a better work life / home life balance. Uncover what is and what is not working and discover how to improve. 

Leverage Your Strengths - and spend less time on what you do not enjoy or do well. Leverage your strengths for greater productivity and fulfillment. 

Improve Relationships - because leaders are only as effective as the people and relationships around them. To get where you want to be - professionally and personally - these relationships have to be managed and nurtured. 

Focus & Prioritize - and stop feeling like a puppet for students, colleagues or administrators. While there may be a million items on your "to do" list, you need to focus on your next step. You cannot be all things to all people. 

Refine Your Vision & Goals - about your career and life. How does your time fit into the bigger picture of what you want your school/district and life to look like . . . and . . . how is that vision recieved by people in the significant relationships around you?

Workshop Information 

Quarter 1	Intro to Coaching & Strategic Educational Leadership
Quarter 2	Strategic Thinking, Influence & Persuasion
Quarter 3	Leadership Leverage & Relational Management
Quarter 4	Strategic Planning, Focus & Action

Audience: Anyone working in a career in educational organizations and institutions.

"Strategic Educational Leader" is a series of four full-day workshops, one per quarter. At each workshop you will prepare a 90-day planner - a road map to help you focus on what you need to do in your school / district / life. Successful completion of the course can earn you up to 6 graduate credits from Viterbo University's Servant Leadership Program. 

For more information or to register, contact The Growth Coach.

What's Your Dream?

Cheryl — not her real name, but she told me I could relate our conversation — was talking to me because her friend strongly recommended she do so. It can be very difficult to find a qualified individual to discuss your business with and know that you can get the answers you want. Referrals come because you have earned someone's trust.

"So what's going on?" I asked and that's all it took for Cheryl to start talking. Her story is familiar.

• "I started this business because I was good at what I did and I really enjoy doing it. But I'm working 60 hours a week or more."
• "I seem to have hit a plateau about 2 years ago and I just can't seem to get beyond it. I'm so frustrated."
• "Vacation? I think I took two days off last year . . . I don't know. It feels like forever since I could get away from it. If I'm not there, it would all go to pieces."
• "I'm afraid of anyone finding out what's really going on or they'll stop doing business with me. And I need to stay in business or I can't pay my bills."
• "I'm so tired."
• "I think I need to do more marketing. But that means more business and I'm not sure I can handle that. It feels like a Catch 22."

The sound of the coffee makers, the aroma of an exotic light roast from a distant land, and the casual conversations around us seemed surreal. Cheryl's voice hushed and her eyes watered up. "Would you like to buy my business?" She gave a weak smile. If someone came along and offered her the right amount, she'd snatch it up quick. But who would want to buy a job that offered stagnated growth and 60-plus hours a week? 

The conversation paused and she waited. 

"Cheryl," I interjected, "When was the last time you gave yourself permission to dream?"

*****

Dream. Remember the day you walked out on the skinny limb armed with nothing but a great idea, lots of energy, a simple plan and the support of friends and family? You didn't know everything but you knew you could do it. The world was an empty canvas and you were ready to make a splash.

Then one day the alarm went off. You woke up and discovered that the stuff you didn't know was following you very closely and all of a sudden overtook you. 

• How do you separate yourself from your business? Can you? Should you? 
• How do you hire the right people? The ones who share your vision, values and passion? The people who are skilled and committed . . . and actually come to work to work?
• How do you develop a realistic plan with measurable results?
• How do you sift through the trends and big ideas and find the stuff that will guarantee results?
• How do you make lots of money, keep your happiness running in fifth gear, and leave the world a better place?

What if you could break away long enough to dream again? And in the process get a better grip on what's really going on in your business and life? 

*****

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.
Dr. Dale E. Turner

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.
Ben Stein

*****

It is my privilege to help business owners in the Minneapolis / St Paul metro area to dream again and take their businesses to a better level.