Leadership 101 - Leadership Lab
Leadership is often thought about as a position or job you get, but at L+D, we think of it more as a practice for anyone and everyone. Leadership is needed from all levels of system, and anyone can be a leader in any given moment. Additionally, we observe that in schools people are promoted out of positions where they excel into leadership, and there is no guarantee that what made someone good at their job prior to leadership will generalize into their new leadership roles. Often, people report they are not prepared to:
Supervise people that a year ago were peers and now report to them.
Provide feedback in areas that must either improve or change to people that are struggling to take accountability.
Negotiate and facilitate productive conflict or manage parents or colleagues that are emotionally triggered or escalating in meetings.
Shoulder and carry the weight of being blamed when things go wrong.
Carve out time to do all the things that need to get done while also managing the larger picture and goals that require more adaptive and co-created outcomes.
Manage the feelings of never being done, not being able to outwork the job, and feeling as if one is not able to get traction on one thing before another pops up.
Plan, facilitate and follow up great meetings.
If you are reading this, and you are new to leadership, going to be new to leadership next year, or you have recently hired or will be hiring new leaders that need training and support, Leadership Lab is a great 101 level opportunity for any and all leaders. In addition, teams are welcome to attend Leadership Lab together. Whether a new team that is working together for the first time or a small team of new leaders from the same school, Leadership Lab is a great experience for someone on their own or in a team. For teams, the lab is a chance to build shared language, and a build a plan as to how to start the year together as a team.
At L+D, we have heard from leaders, "Leadership isn't about telling others what to do, it is about creating the conditions for groups to co-create." "Leadership isn't about controlling others, rather it is about understanding and working with others." "Leadership isn't about having the answers, but rather building teams of people that are brave enough to ask big questions and co-create answers together." Leadership is so different in practice than the implicit messages our society sends about what it is, and Leadership Lab is a great place to explore the best practices as well as practice the skills, habits and mindsets needed to tackle adaptive challenges in complex environments where things are constantly shifting. If Leadership isn't the above list, what is it? How does one have a leadership practice?
The most important aspect of Leadership Lab is the practice. What works in leadership is known, but what makes these skills hard is that they are counter-intuitive and difficult to execute under stress. Of course, there is always stress and the stakes always feel high with parents and colleagues, so it is imperative that we create places and opportunities for leaders to practice together where the stakes are low, and learning is the goal.
In addition, participants from Leadership Lab build a network of colleagues that they can call on in moments where they need an outside perspective. We all need to increase our rolodex of "phone a friend" options, and this lab is a place to meet other leaders in similar situations and roles, build relationships during the lab, and grow your network.
Sound like you might be interested in either attending or sending an individual or team to Leadership Lab on June 24-25th, 2025 hosted at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, NY, you can register by clicking below:
