One Simple Strategy to Overcome Resistance to Your Vision

One of the most important parts of leadership is communication. And no matter how much you try to communicate, it seems there is always room for improvement. But why is it that so many new ideas flame out before they really get established?

In Adam Grant's book Originals: How Non-Comformists Move the World, he writes about the exposure effect. People tend to gravitate to ideas or methods that are more familiar, while they tend to avoid things that are less familiar.

The mere exposure effect has been replicated many times—the more familiar a face, letter, number, sound, flavor, brand, or Chinese character becomes, the more we like it. It's true across different cultures and species; even baby chickens prefer the familiar. My favorite test was when people looked at photographs of themselves and their friends that were either regular or inverted, as if seen in a mirror. We prefer the regular photos of our friends, because that's how we're used to seeing them, but we like the inverted photos of ourselves, because that's how we see ourselves when we look in the mirror. "Familiarity doesn't breed contempt," says serial entrepreneur Howard Tullman. "It breeds comfort."

The exposure effect might explain why teachers tend to teach as they were taught. And why parents can get a little anxious when their child's schooling deviates from what they experienced as a student. It might also explain why new ideas may not gain traction right away, even if they are great ideas that might be game-changers for student learning. People need time to warm-up to a new idea, and the research seems to prove it.

So if you want to move your vision forward, you have to help people become more comfortable with the vision. You have to overcommunicate the vision. But usually the opposite happens. Leaders often communicate far too little and too infrequently. Grant writes that leaders tend to assume everyone else is familiar with their ideas. They spend hours thinking about the vision from just about every angle. It seems easy to the person most familiar with it.

You know the lyrics and the melody of your idea by heart. By that point, it's no longer possible to imagine what it sounds like to an audience that's listening to it for the first time.

It's easy to forget the perspective of the audience. But perhaps they aren't on Twitter all the time discussing the topic. They might not be constantly engaged in conversations with other forward-thinking educators. They may not have the opportunity to go to as many conferences or attend as many workshops. To them, the message seems foreign and difficult to understand. It's hard to take the message and fit it with their current thoughts and ideas. You possess a clarity they do not.

As I read this part of the book, I was reflecting on my own communication as a leader. I can actually think of lots of ways I've failed to consistently communicate our vision. It's easy to add just one more thing and make our goals too complex. Then the communication is just a muddled mess of one new idea after another. There isn't opportunity for people to really adopt an idea, get behind it, and see how it works in their world. The next new thing is just around the corner.

Just last year, our district admin team was reading Finding Your Leadership Focus by Doug Reeves. But in spite of the study of priorities, I don't think we eliminated a single initiative. We just continued spinning plates. You work on spinning a few over here, and then give attention to some others before they come crashing down. Because nearly everything seems to be a priority, in reality it means that nothing is a priority. We are killing any chance at a transforming vision by initiative fatigue.

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But I actually thought of one example that was a success. So let's focus on the positive, right? 

In the years leading up to our 1:1 initiative, we didn't have the budget to make it happen. We just didn't have the money. That provided plenty of time for staff to warm-up to the idea. They heard me tell stories of other schools who were going 1:1. I constantly was dreaming about how awesome it would be when all of our students had consistent access. I talked about it a lot. And other people talked about it too. I think all those years helped most everyone embrace the idea. Our budget woes may have been a blessing in disguise. The delay was probably helpful in setting the stage for the success of 1:1 at BHS.

In the fall of 2015, when 1:1 became a reality, we totally hit the ground running. I'm not saying it was perfect. But the buy-in was at a high level, and our digital transformation was off to a great start. For several years, our team was getting ready for this future reality. There was plenty of time to become familiar with the concept of 1:1, why it was important, and how it could be helpful in each classroom. We communicated the 'why' of 1:1 over and over again. 

As Grant suggested, "If we want people to accept our original ideas, we need to speak up about them, and then rinse and repeat."

So as your leadership team plans to move your vision forward, consider the importance of the exposure effect. Really listen to the feedback from your team to understand how the ideas are being received. And make sure you don't underestimate how much exposure your audience needs to understand your vision and embrace it.

When Harvard professor John Kotter studied change agents years ago, he found that they typically undercommunicated their visions by a factor of ten. On average, they spoke about the direction of change ten times less often than their stakeholders needed to hear it. In one three-month period, employees might be exposed to 2.3 million words and numbers. On average during that period, the vision for change was expressed in only 13,400 words and numbers: a 30-minute speech, an hour-long meeting, a briefing, and a memo. Since more than 99 percent of the communication that employees encounter during those three months does not concern the vision, how can they be expected to understand it, let along internalize it? The change agents don't realize this, because they're up to their ears in information about their vision. 

So as a result of Grant's ideas, I'm considering ways I can be more consistent, focused, and systematic in my communication. I need to refine the message and then use the "slow-drip method" to keep it in front our staff. And I want to listen to feedback and revise the vision as needed. Ultimately, the vision should belong to the team. It's really about giving an idea time to "percolate" so there is opportunity to process, evaluate, and ultimately act upon it.

An unfamiliar idea requires more effort to understand. The more we see, hear, and touch it, the more comfortable we become with it, and the less threatening it is.

Question: What are ways you are communicating a focused message to your team? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Making Technology Pay

"Is there really a difference in student performance with technology compared to without technology? My students seem to be doing just fine without it."

I guess that depends on how you define student performance and success. If success is measured only by a test score or by mastery of content, then perhaps students are successful without technology.

"My classes are always engaged and seem to do just fine without technology."

I guess that depends on how you define engaged. I think it's important for students to do things that reflect the world we live in, not the world we grew up in.

"I want to see the proof that technology improves learning before we purchase any new tech."

Whether technology improves learning or not isn't about the technology itself, but how teachers and students use the technology to improve learning. 

I hear many stories about failed technology initiatives in schools. The technology was not used to the fullest, or worse it was not used at all. The narrative is all too familiar. Little was done to gather input or get buy-in from stakeholders up front, and little was done to support the implementation after the fact. How many smartboards in this country are being used as glorified projector screens? Almost always, these types of failures are avoidable with proper planning and ongoing support. 

But is it really worth it to invest thousands for technology in schools. Is it reasonable to provide a connected device to every student? For years, I've asked my graduate students to think about technology purchases in their own schools. Did it really pay off to buy the technology? Did the technology allow something to be done that couldn't be done before? Was the total cost of ownership considered? 

After all, most studies I've encountered don't really support the idea that technology raises student achievement. Of course, student achievement in these studies is usually narrowly defined by test scores. One study I read concluded that technology even widens the achievement gap. It found that more privileged students tend to use the devices more often for learning, while less privileged students tend to use the devices for entertainment. 

In spite of these discouraging reports, I believe we need to look further before concluding that technology isn't worth it. As schools consider spending for new technology, there needs to be a clear vision of what success will look like. We need to really explore why we are doing what we're doing. In addition to the questions mentioned before, I would also suggest the following as food for thought.

1. Can we afford NOT to place up-to-date technology in the hands of our students?

Technology is how things get done in our modern world. We aren't preparing students for the world we grew up in. We aren't even preparing students to be successful in the world they grew up in. Our world is changing so fast, our students are going to have to be prepared for anything. That requires adaptability. And it will certainly also include adaptability with the use of technology. Those skills aren't measured on standardized tests. They are measured in authentic situations where real work is being done. 

2. Is technology being used in ways that give students greater ownership of learning? Does technology result in a shift in agency to the learner?


It's wise to think of technology in terms of value added. How does technology allow us to do something better than before? And, how is it allowing us to do something we couldn't do before? There are many ways tech improves things we do or allows for new things. But some uses of technology take learning to the next level. These uses are game-changers.

I would like to see technology being used to create big shifts in learning. One of the biggest shifts is to create more authentic, student-driven learning experiences. Technology is a game changer when it is used to shift agency to the learner. It's a game-changer when students take greater ownership of their learning.

So let's consider interactive white boards. They have some possibilities for student agency I guess, but they are probably used more often for direct instruction, led by the teacher. That doesn't mean we should stop using these tools altogether, but I do think we should strive for technology to be used in more authentic ways, where students are given voice and choice and are creating and solving problems.

The most powerful potential for a shift in agency is for students to have access to a connected device in a BYOD or 1:1 scenario. But access is not enough. Just like there are lots of interactive white boards being used as glorified projector screens, there are also lots of laptops being used as overpriced word processors.

To use technology to the fullest, we need leaders in our classrooms and schools who can facilitate a pedagogy that creates greater student ownership of learning. How we use the technology is the critical issue that determines whether the investment pays off or not. So whether you invest in iPads or Chromebooks or some other device, the key question to remember is how will this technology improve student learning?

Question: How do you know technology use is successful in your school? Is it worth the cost? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Why High Schools Are Getting Rid of Valedictorians (Response)

A recent article came across my feed that caught my attention, Why High Schools Are Getting Rid of Valedictorians. It was especially timely since I'd just had a conversation about this topic with a principal from another school in our area. He was interested to know if we still recognized valedictorian or not. We do not. In fact, we haven't had a valedictorian since before I arrived on the scene 8 years ago. I'm not sure how long that decision had been in place before my arrival.

Why High Schools Are Getting Rid of Valedictorians

According to a recent article in The Washington Post, American students today are unmotivated and apathetic about their schoolwork, and teachers actually care more about students' grades than the student. Teachers are expected to make lessons more engaging and fun, and to serve more like entertainers than old-fashioned teachers.

The author of the article contends that schools are ending the valedictorian award "because it might make others feel badly about their GPAs." According the article, this decision is just more evidence that schools are lowering expectations. The author seems to draw connections between elimination of valedictorian and student apathy, mediocrity, and even the performance of the United States education system in international rankings. Those are sweeping generalizations with very little evidence to support the claims.

In truth, the school leaders I've spoken with have very different reasons for dumping valedictorian than those presented in the article. Valedictorian recognizes the top student in the class based on GPA. However, GPAs are a terrible way to determine one student as being the best. Often, the difference between the top few students can be less than one-thousandth of a decimal point. And the factors that determine that difference usually have more to do with what classes the students did or did not take than actual academic performance. 

For example, we had a student a few years ago who was a National Merit Scholar finalist and had perfect grades in high school. That's right, straight A's. However, his class rank was not even in the top 3 or 4 of his graduating class. How can that be? Well, he was an all-state musician and took multiple music classes every semester. These classes are not weighted in the GPA. Fortunately, he didn't play the GPA game to be the "top of his class" or we would have missed his outstanding musical contributions in our school.

And it is a mathematical game. I could go on with more examples of how the system can be manipulated and often results in students taking classes strategically to have the highest GPA instead of taking classes because they are beneficial to their own future aspirations.

So the decision to get rid of valedictorian has nothing to do with lowering expectations or protecting other students' feelings. In place of valedictorian, our school honors the highest performing students with a cum laude system, so students who earn above a certain GPA are recognized for their academic achievements. Our students wear medallions at graduation to note this distinction.

Moreover, we no longer provide information to students on class rank. It's no longer on the grade card or the official transcript. We only provide the class rank information if it's needed specifically for scholarship purposes.

And that decision is based on a purpose larger than the fairness of the GPA system. We want to encourage students to learn from mistakes, explore a variety of interests, and become better people as a result of their schooling. The GPA system does not reward growth or risk-taking. It rewards perfection and right answers. Stanford Professor Carol Dweck's research on growth mindset is clear that labeling performance is not healthy for improving performance. Instead, the focus should remain on effort, improvement, and dealing with setbacks. 

Students cannot always control the results or outcomes in life, but they can always control their effort and their attitude. The loss of valedictorian isn't harmful for motivation or performance. However, labeling students can be harmful for motivation and hurtful to healthy attitudes about learning. One mom shared how the pursuit of valedictorian was not beneficial to her perfectionist daughter.

The trouble with high school valedictorian awards - The Boston Globe

When educators talk about why their high schools have given up the award, they note the negative message it sends to the kids who lose by a fraction of a point, or the kids who are never in the competition. I am here to argue that it's not even necessarily good for the valedictorian.

The pro-valedictorian author seems to imply that the valedictorian award is important as a celebration and reinforcement of achievement. But is a simple GPA formula appropriate to determine who is achieving the most?

Consider the student who is a victim of abuse, practically raises younger siblings, serves as designated driver for dad, and still manages to make B's and C's in school while holding down a part-time job. Anyone want to question this student's merits as "high-achieving?" Again, effort and attitude are hard to quantify, but there are lots of students overcoming incredible odds to succeed in school. These inspiring students deserve to be recognized too.

That's why schools should focus more on effort, enthusiasm, and attitudes. Rewarding only the highest achieving students won't improve apathy in schools.

Question: What are you thoughts on schools ending the valedictorian honor? How does your school handle recognizing student achievement? I would like your feedback. Leave a comment below or respond on or .

Stay Out of the Social Media Madness

"Stay out of the social media madness!"

That was a comment I received on a recent survey asking teachers for feedback on how I'm doing as building principal. I think it's always good to ask for feedback, but you have to be willing to accept the responses, whatever they are.

And every response is a great opportunity for reflection. It's a starting place for understanding. It makes me curious to know where individuals are coming from and how I can serve better. 

So how is my use, and promotion, of social media bumping into something for this person?

I'm not exactly sure. Maybe they only see the negatives of social media. Maybe they think I'm self-promoting. Or distracted. Or have my priorities out of line. Or maybe I've let this person down in some other area and this is just where it's directed?

It makes me wonder if I've fallen short in sharing the positives of social media? How it can be used to build community, discuss ideas, celebrate learning, and tell the story of our school. That there are new and different ways to use social media, ways that might be positive and productive.

So I am having an honest dialogue with myself, "Have there been negatives to my social media involvement?"

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The answer is yes. There have been negatives. Social media does have pitfalls. I've felt it pull me too far in at times. There are dangers that must be avoided. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

But I've worked on not letting it pull me in too far. I've set boundaries for my workflow. Family time is family time.

So for me, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I feel good about what I contribute and the connections I make using social media. I can be proud of that.

But I also realize Twitter won't work for everyone. Some people are turned off by social media and might better learn and connect in a different way. 

The feedback I received was valuable. Even if I don't change my approach to social media, the comment I received gives me insight. And it causes me to reexamine if social media is as beneficial as I believe it to be. It's good to reflect on feedback we receive, whether we agree with it or not.


5 Positive Ways To Use Social Media

1. The best free professional development I've encountered. It's available 24/7 and 365 days a year! Where else can you connect with people all over the world to learn and grow, to share ideas, and to get inspired? I've even chatted with some of my biggest heroes in education. Through these conversations, I learn new things. I develop shared meaning with others. That's true collaboration.

2. A platform to advocate for ideas that matter to me (personal voice). There are things that are important to me that I want to promote. I want to see better opportunities for students, stronger schools, and empowered teachers. That's why I share my thoughts on leadership, innovation, #FutureReady, #EdTech, and more.

3. A way to engage with our students, school, and community. I use social media to connect with our community through our school Facebook and Twitter. It's great to post pictures and highlight outstanding accomplishments. I like to share things from the classroom and from the extracurricular side. Go Liberators!

4. A platform to uplift, encourage, and celebrate. Just like in my face-to-face interactions, when I share positive words with others online, it lifts me up as well as others. I've found a positive community of dreamers, believers, and thinkers who challenge me and make me stronger.

5. An example for students of how social media can be used in positive and productive ways. Social media doesn't have to be shallow, vein, and a waste of time. We can use it to promote big ideas, to energize a cause, and to develop professionally. Right now, millions are using social media to network professionally, start a business, and build a personal brand. It's important for students to have digital literacy skills, now and for their future success.



Question: How are you using social media to improve your professional life? Leave a comment below or share on or .

Doing your best may involve doing less?

I recently read the blog post linked below about education in Finland. It is a reflection from an American teacher who spent time in Finland's classrooms as part of a Fulbright research assignment. Much has been made about the education system in Finland since the country has ranked near the top of international benchmark tests on student achievement. It seems there are those who would have us believe schools in the U.S. are inferior to those in Finland or Singapore or other countries where test scores are higher than they are here in the States. However, I don't believe test scores provide enough information to compare the quality of schools to one another, and for the most part I believe comparisons like these are counter-productive.

11 Ways Finland's Education System Shows Us that "Less is More".

The overall theme of the Finland post was that the learning culture is not the pressure-cooker that it is here in the U.S. Here teachers are jumping through all sorts of hoops in the name of better learning. There is pressure from administrators, politicians, parents, the media, you name it. The perception is constantly reinforced in the media and public discourse that schools and teachers could and should do more. And no doubt there are some schools and teachers that need to do more. But shame, embarrassment, and high-pressure tactics are poor strategies to create positive change. A better solution is for all schools to strive to improve, regardless of how effective they are currently. We need educators with a growth mindset who are filled with purpose and working to improve opportunities for students.

20 ideas to make it more about learning and less about the grade

In a compliance driven culture, students are not likely to pursue learning for intrinsic reasons. They have learned to expect compensation for every learning activity they do. It's evident by the questions they ask, "Do we get a grade on this?" Or, "How many points is this worth?" But if we truly desire to help students take greater ownership in learning, we need to develop ideas for motivating students that rely on intrinsic motivation. In the typical school, learning has become a passive experience for the most part. Students expect to be told exactly what to do and when to do it. And, they expect to be compensated with a grade for doing work, even if the work doesn't reveal their learning or is of poor quality.

I've created a list of ideas that can be useful for motivating students beyond grades. These ideas naturally generate interest or curiosity for many students. They are inherently engaging. No grade required. Some of these ideas are simple to implement while others require significant development to be effective. This list is just a starting point. As teachers plan for instruction, it's important to consider how each idea will support learning and generate greater engagement.

It's also important to realize that using a high-interest idea doesn't guarantee learning. Students may be enjoying themselves, but they will need support from the teacher to ensure that the learning goals are being met. I believe this happens from feedback the teacher provides throughout the learning process. The best learning experiences are designed for high engagement and high impact. Teachers are constantly keeping a pulse of learning and making adjustments to help students succeed.

All of these ideas must be used within a framework of solid relationships. Build a relationship with your students and then use your influence to engage them in learning. Students will want to partner with you in learning if they feel you truly care about them.

1. Choices. People are motivated by a sense of autonomy. We can't give unlimited autonomy to students, but we can provide the next best thing—choices. Students feel a greater sense of control over their learning when they have some input into how the learning goes.

2. Passions. Find students' passions and then use those interests to generate learning experiences. If students are passionate about something, the grade won't be the driver as they will simply pursue the learning.

3. Student Voice. Most students like to share ideas with one another and communicate about what they are learning. Make learning social and students will become more engaged in the process.

4. Technology. I like to see technology used when it can enhance a lesson. If students are motivated by the opportunity to use the technology, then that is one way the lesson can be enhanced.

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5. Movement. Students need to move around during the school day to stay alert and active. When teachers build movement into lessons, that can help students focus more and engage for longer time periods. Get students on their feet and out of their seats.

6. Music. Where would the world be without music? It's a powerful force and can be used in the classroom to enhance learning.

7. Solve Real problems. When students feel like they are solving a real problem, it's easier to see the relevance of learning. It's immediate and the learning is driven by something authentic.

8. Drama. Bring the power of acting and performance to your lesson plan. Throw caution to the wind and develop some crazy accents or wear a costume. You will have their attention!

9.  Film/Video. Videos clips can be used to generate interest or provide information in an accessible way. But it's even more powerful when student directed. Videos can be used by students to showcase what they've learned.  

10. Be creative. Give students opportunities to be creative as they learn your subject. Reward ideas that feature originality or artistic elements.

11. Tell stories. Be a storyteller in the classroom and find ways to use stories to help students connect to material.

12. Get out of the classroom. Take students to a different part of the building or go outside. Move outside the walls of the classroom to keep learning fresh and avoid monotony.

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13. Make it a game. Use games to learn the content. Or turn you class into a simulated game with badges, levels, and other gaming principles. This type of approach is referred to as gamification.

14. Have a debate. Debates require students to make a claim and support it with evidence. They have to listen carefully and think quickly. It's a great learning tool

15. Provide real audiences. Have students create a learning artifact that will be presented to an audience outside of the classroom. The audience could be other students in the school, staff members, a panel of guests, or something online that potentially has an unlimited audience.

16. Humor. If you can incorporate humor into your lesson, students will be more interested. I had an amazing psychology professor who told a joke before every class. He often tied the humor into the content for the course.

17. Make stuff. The maker movement is all about engaging students as designers and builders. There are many inexpensive ways to bring making into the curriculum in ways that will support learning goals.

18. Social media. Students love to use social media. Why not use it for learning? Students can use Twitter, Facebook, or blogs to share ideas in all sorts of ways.

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19. Food. Incorporating food can be very motivating and can relate to a variety of topics. Of course, this one can be a little tricky since school wellness policies may limit such activity.

20. Experiment. Inquiry is a great way to increase student engagement and stimulate critical thinking. Students develop a hypothesis, design an experiment, collect the data, and interpret the results. 

Help wanted: Educators who give that little extra

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One of the things I look for when hiring a teacher is what extra efforts a candidate has done either in previous employment or as a preservice teacher. What did the applicant do to extend or enrich learning opportunities that he or she didn't have to do? Maybe it was volunteering to tutor, helping with a club or organization, or assisting with an athletic team, school play, or service project.

The reason this is important to me is that it shows how the individual is passionate about working with kids and not just looking for a job. To be effective, any professional has to go above and beyond in ways that aren't always rewarded in the pay check. This extra effort demonstrates a strong work ethic and a desire to contribute and leave a lasting legacy. A school is faced with many challenges day-by-day and to be successful we need team members who are willing to pitch in and pick up the slack.

Here is an illustration of the power of that extra effort. At 211° water is only hot. But at 212° water boils, and boiling water creates steam. With steam you can power a locomotive. Amazing! The extra degree makes all the difference between just hot water and a powerful force than can send a train down the tracks. Just that little extra.

What kind of teacher do you want for your child?

Earlier this week I was at Walmart, one of my least favorite places on the planet. Sorry Walmart! I was eager to get home after a long day, but the checkouts were backed up. I randomly picked a line since they were all busy. But this time I picked the right one. Before I knew it I was on my way home. The clerk in the line I picked was giving great effort. It was noticeable she was putting forth great effort, not just putting in her time.

When it was almost my turn to checkout, I applauded the clerk's service to the customer in front of me, "Wow, she really knows how to make a line disappear." The customer smiled and agreed. I added, "She's really a hard worker."

The clerk then replied with these magical words, "I love my job." She proceeded to double bag all of my cold items, rush around to help load bags of groceries into my cart, and even made a suggestion about a type of potato chips she liked that were similar to the ones I bought.

On my way home, I called Walmart and asked for the store manager, explaining that I had just received amazing service and wanted to commend the employee for her outstanding job. The store manager was not available, but I did talk with a shift manager and shared my story, referring to the employee personally since I took note of her name badge. The manager was very appreciative of the phone call and said she would share the complement in their store meeting.

This experience got me thinking about several things.

1. Isn't it great when people go above and beyond for a job well-done? We all appreciate having excellent service provided, whether it is in the drive-thru, the doctor's office, or the check-out line.

2. Each of us gets to choose our attitude about our work each day. I once knew someone who worked as a checkout clerk at Walmart and complained nonstop about her job. Each time I would see her at her station she barely moved a muscle, wore a frown, and said little to any of the customers. Her attitude was a choice, just like the clerk who chose to share with me, "I love my job."

3. Everyone matters. Every job matters. And I am thankful I was taught to respect hard work and to respect people regardless of their level of education, how much money they have, or what kind of job they do.

4. Even though every job matters, I think our work as educators is especially important. We work with children everyday, and we have the opportunity to help shape their future. Every word and every deed makes an impact and can be used to build up or tear down a child's dreams.

5. Since our work is so significant in the life of a child, we owe it to him or her and to her parents, to be our very best every day. We have to be all in 100% or we are doing a disservice to our profession and to the future of a child.

6. So what kind of teacher do you want for your child? I bet you want one who goes above and beyond to do a great job every day, even when it's not easy.

Everything all at once

When the work piles up, do you ever felt like you are trying to take a sip of water out of a fire hose? I know I often feel that way trying to attend to the many projects and priorities that are on my list. I remember years ago having a conversation about this with a mentor. I was explaining how I didn't feel effective trying to balance so many priorities. I just wanted to completely set aside some things to focus on one or two really important things. I think everyone feels that way about their work sometimes. There is never a shortage of things that need to be done.

It seems like there are always areas that need shored up in our professional lives and on top of that we have our personal lives, families, church, volunteer work, etc. on top of that. It's no wonder we may feel like we are getting blasted by a fire hose. It would sure be nice to focus on just one thing at a time.

But what I've found is I can't just completely set aside parts of my job entirely, or neglect my personal  life either. All of these responsibilities are important, but the key is to understand they are NOT of the same importance. And that's where prioritizing is so important. We need to invest the best of our time and energy into the areas that have the most impact, but we can't entirely ignore other less important priorities. They just don't get as much attention as the most important topics. Having focus as a leader doesn't mean ignoring stuff; instead, it just means understanding what is most important to help reach your goals.

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