CERRA Book Club discussion

Hello teacher leaders! Please respond to as many of the following as you wish.

1. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind. (pg. 48)
Are there times when you think you are being kind by telling half-truths or over-explaining? How can you incorporate more clarity into your own communications with your colleagues?

2. Brown realizes that one of her main faults stems from her own fear. She sets unreasonable deadlines for fear that someone else will accomplish what she is trying to accomplish before her. (pg. 51)
How often does fear drive your decisions? What steps can you take to change your driving forces?

3. Brown wonders if the scarcity and anxiety she feels are happening because she has no business being a leader. (pg. 51)
Does this resonate with you? Do you feel worthy of your role?

4. On pages 51-52, Brown outlines the steps from self-doubt to judging and undermining others.
Is self-doubt or another negative emotion leading you to make judgments or take actions that you might not take otherwise?

5. Joseph Campbell wrote that the “cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek.” (pg. 52) He goes on to say that a leader does not reap the benefits of the treasure for himself but shares the boon with others so that all may benefit.
In what ways does this speak to you as a teacher leader?

6. Brown’s team utilizes permission slips. (pg. 53)
What 2-3 things will you give yourself permission to do/accomplish before we meet again? How did you decide upon those things?

7. In your team, is one person the connective tissue, or do you truly have a team? If everyone is looking towards one person and trying to follow or even emulate that person, has that person truly led the team? How can you avoid the halo effect? (pp. 54-56)

8. “Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior” (67). What steps can you take to dig deeper to the thinking and feeling driving problematic behaviors of your own and of your team members? (This question will likely drive your reflections as a teacher as well, but let’s focus on teacher leadership.)

9. Teachers often identify as perfectionists. Read what Brown has to say about perfectionism on pages 79-80. Respond.

10. Starting on page 78, Brown describes sixteen examples of armored leadership. Which one(s) resonate with you, and how can you put down the armor?

I look forward to your conversations! Please be sure to share your own thoughts and your thoughts about what others write.

3. I can relate to anxiety making you feel that you shouldn't be a leader. Recognizing leadership in others blinds you to any doubts that they may be having or they hide them well so you feel like if you're not totally confident then you shouldn't be stepping up. But with age, I've found that it is stepping up despite those doubts that separate those willing to lead. I usually don't feel worthy of recognition or leadership, even when I agree to take it on. I've learned to do it anyway though. A good example is the Teacher Forum conference. You can't help but feel intimidated by the great people you meet from around the state and compare yourself. I'm so glad you all addressed that "imposter syndrome" as soon as we started the sessions.
5. Entering that cave and facing your doubts is rewarding. I am active in political advocacy now even though I was very scared at first. I try to share by involving others, inviting them along, and demystifying the process.
10. I'd say that #5 Being a Knower and Being Right is an armored leadership that resonates with me. I am a librarian, after all. We like to know things. It bothers me when I'm wrong or get corrected. I need to work on that. I've been teaching for 14 years so I don't feel like I have as much to prove as I did when I first started so I've improved, but it is still a character flaw of mine.

Tamara wrote: "3. I can relate to anxiety making you feel that you shouldn't be a leader. Recognizing leadership in others blinds you to any doubts that they may be having or they hide them well so you feel like ..."

Tamara, imagine the impact it would have if those leaders you describe allowed you to see their fears and their vulnerabilities. Then you may not have felt that they had something you didn't. That may be something to keep in mind as others need to see your fears.

Also, instead of thinking of yourself as having character flaws, perhaps you might think that these are opportunities for you to work on personal growth. As a librarian, you know how to find answers that you don't already possess; that is just as powerful.

Thanks for sharing!

2. How often does fear drive your decisions? What steps can you take to change your driving forces?

Reading this section made me realize I make more decisions out of fear than I originally thought. Even the small voices that you can't seem to quiet - steer me away from taking on new challenges, roles and leadership positions. I need to face those fears and be honest with why I make the choices I make. Not just create excuses. I need to deal with my underlying fears. Reflecting on specific patterns and finding ways of getting better at specific aspects of leadership will hem me change my driving forces.

Perfectionism - that is something that does not completely possess me, but at times undermines my progress toward my goals or personal growth. I find that when I am suffering from the disease of perfectionism I do see signs of "depression, anxiety, addition, and life paralysis or missed opportunities" like she outlined on page 79. We don't have time to achieve all we need to accomplish if we are hindered by perfectionism. When I find myself blinded by this unattainable goal, I take a step back and reevaluate my purpose. Then I realign my priorities. In those moments, I gain greater clarity and that helps me move forward.

Tamara wrote: "3. I can relate to anxiety making you feel that you shouldn't be a leader. Recognizing leadership in others blinds you to any doubts that they may be having or they hide them well so you feel like ..."

I love your comments in #3! All of what you said I have experienced. One new way that helps me is to think about what I would add to an organization or how I would grow. Knowing that my strengths and leadership style might look different than those who have gone before me is okay. I am less intimidated and more focused on what I can add to the group, instead of comparing myself to others and focusing on my weaknesses. Thank you for sharing.

Jessica wrote: "Perfectionism - that is something that does not completely possess me, but at times undermines my progress toward my goals or personal growth. I find that when I am suffering from the disease of pe..."

This I can definitely understand. I have always been a perfectionist but have been working on letting go of that unrealistic expectation over the last few years. Now when I make a mistake, I just admit it. I still gringe and think about it for days (weeks, months), but I own it. I have the words "perfectly imperfect" taped to my office wall. If I worry too much about being perfect, I will miss out on trying new things and putting myself out there. Mistakes are just a sign that I tried something.

I am late to the party this time. I am still reading and I hope to reflect and add to the discussion by the end of the weekend! Still enjoying the book, life has just been in the way of me reading as much as I would like the past couple of weeks.

Jessica wrote: "I am late to the party this time. I am still reading and I hope to reflect and add to the discussion by the end of the weekend! Still enjoying the book, life has just been in the way of me reading ..."

Life has a way of doing that sometimes. I am looking forward to your thoughts about this section.

#2 How often does fear drive decisions...I have a fear of letting others down. This turns into a problem when I take on more than I can logistically get done. I think I worry that if I say "no" the opportunity won't come around again. Estimating how much time I need for a project or to complete my to do list is not a strong suit for me. My husband calls me out on it regularly. I need to start prioritizing what needs to be done and only take on responsibilities when I am able to give the attention and focus required to do what is expected well, not just to get it done.
There is also the fear of not being as good as others think I should be. I am sure this is one of those self confidence things that I need to work on. This fear goes right into question #3. I agree with Tamera, I sat in the meeting in November amazed by the wonderful teacher leaders around me. I did not feel like I belonged there at all! I am confident about what I teach in my classroom (Preschool Special Education) and I feel like a leader in my area, but not in my school. Since November I have been looking at myself a little more openly and I see how I can be a teacher leader in my school and in my district.