Posted on by hildaweisburg

Build Your Leadership On Your Strengths

So much of how we feel about going to work each day depends on our leaders. A great principal can make your day. A lousy one can kill your year. Many of us have had both and there are lessons to be learned from either. Let me give you two of mine.

My best principal ever knew all the teachers well. He was adept at noticing whether you were not yourself. If he saw that you were having an off day, he would often tell you to go to the nurse’s office and relax. He would teach your class. His leadership had so many benefits. The teachers felt that he not only cared, but he would take care of them. And the teachers were always willing to give back. If there was a shortage of a substitute one day, and he asked a teacher to cover an additional class, they would do so gladly. He also got to know the students on a different level from most principals I worked with, further showing his commitment and consistency.

On the other hand, I had a principal who was an egotistical misogynist. I, and almost everyone else, gave him the bare minimum. I was exhausted at the end of every day and brought my tension and anger home a lot. Too many of my dinner conversations began with, “You know what he did today?” It took me about a year before I appreciated how he was affecting all aspects of my life. Eventually, I began job hunting and found another position.

They both showed me important things about leadership – and how I did and didn’t want to lead. The first principal exuded empathy, an often-cited leadership quality. The second fell into the category of a leader who exemplified Power Over as his approach to leadership. What I hadn’t considered until I read Suzanne Degges-White’s article Are Ambiverts the Most Effective Leaders was a different way to determine your leadership mode.

Degges-White looks at introverts, extroverts, and ambiverts. We are familiar with the first two, but ambiverts, who embody both types, are less well known. And she says regardless of whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you can become an ambivert. It is also important to recognize that no matter your type, you can be a good leader. “Effective leadership is based on healthy and productive relationships, not just personality types.” My two examples are evidence of that.

Taking a closer look at the strengths of each type of leader, Degges-White observes that introverts are good listeners, which means they think before jumping in to say something. They build relationships slowly and with care. They don’t seek the limelight, instead recognize the strengths others have. Extroverts are comfortable in a variety of settings. They tend to make decisions more quickly and pivot rapidly when needed. They are the ones who are seen as “natural” leaders.

So, what about ambiverts and their strengths? While they might like their alone time, they also enjoy being with others. They are comfortable with both individual projects and working on group ones. As leaders, they aren’t impulsive, but are open to trying new approaches. They are not afraid of taking risks, another often mentioned leadership quality.

The good news is that no matter if you see yourself as more of an introvert or an extrovert, you can become more of an ambivert. It only takes a few small steps to make you an ambivert. Fearful of risks? Take a few small ones. Do you dominate conversations? Make it a point to let others speak before you do. As you practice these steps, you will take on more and more qualities of ambivert.

As a leader, you always want to work from your strengths, but you can also get better. By stretching your natural personality type, you can become an ambivert – the most effective type of leader.

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Avoiding Conflict – Makes It Worse

As School Librarians one part of our job is to have positive relations with all our colleagues, but this doesn’t mean you’re going to like everyone. There will always be people who rub you the wrong way or who you wish you could avoid. People with whom it’s hard to speak, who have opposing viewpoints and with whom there is always a sense of conflict. But avoiding them and the situation prevents any likelihood of having positive relations.

So how can we powerfully step into situations where we know there is going to be conflict? In her post, Uncovering 5 Hidden Stages of Conflict, Marlen Chisolm explores how to look at what is going on under the service because, she asserts, the conflict is not the problem. The avoidance is. To understand this better, Chisholm discusses all the ways avoidance comes into play:

  1. Inner Disturbance – You just feel “off” every time you are in contact with that person. You get the feeling they don’t like you. It may not be overt, but you can’t avoid that antipathy coming from them. It’s uncomfortable, so you avoid unnecessary conversations with them or being in proximity to them. 
  2. Justifying – It doesn’t seem reasonable to confront them about that sensation. What could you say, anyway? Do you suspect it’s some innate bias, and then wonder if you are being ultrasensitive. Yet letting it go on doesn’t change anything. People treat you as you train them to treat you. What you accept will continue. By excusing or letting it go, you avoid facing and discussing the situation.
  3. Seeing Them as Adversary – When you let the situation continue, you tense every time you interact with them. Chisolm says we frequently find ourselves viewing  them as the enemy. While that is a natural self-defense, it doesn’t deal with the problem or cause any changes. Again, you are avoiding and the conflict continues.
  4. Seeking Social Proof – The longer it goes on, the more you look for evidence as to whether you are the only target, or to see if the person is that way with others. Now you seek corroboration. You ask others if they are seeing/feeling the same thing you are. In addition to not solving the problem, you are creating divisions which can affect how your community functions.Word will get back to the person, or worse to administrators, as to your queries. Nothing about will make you look professional. Through your avoidance, the problem has gotten worse.
  5. Aggression – As you continue avoiding the issue, you become increasingly frustrated and angry. Now you run the risk of a real blow up. Whatever follows will be heated. You have become the initiator and have probably damaged your reputation. Hopefully, your explosion didn’t happen where others could see, although word will spread. Being able to work with this teacher will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. By avoidance, you have now also harmed students who won’t get the learning experiences you normally create.

Avoidance may seem safe, but as Chisolm has shown, it’s the worst option possible. As soon as you get that “Inner Disturbance,” accept that it’s a wake-up call to act. Take time –not too long—to gather your thoughts. What is the outcome you want? Ask yourself, “Do you want it to work, or do you want to win? Because if you want to win, it won’t work.”

Be prepared to do active listening. Don’t try to rush in with counter-arguments. Arguments are power struggles. The Power you need to draw on is Power With which is finding common ground among different interests. What do you and that teacher have in common? Focus on that.

Don’t let micro aggressions or other perceived negative feelings coming from someone affect your ability to be a good leader. Leaders work well with others and are willing to take risks when needed. 

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How To Tap Down Triggers

EDITOR’S NOTE – This blog about a specific and contained type of triggers. More serious, lasting triggers need a different kind of attention and help. Please get the support you need and deserve.

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What is a trigger? A month ago, I wrote Look for Glimmers and Find Joy which discussed how Glimmers were the opposite of triggers. Both cause an unanticipated emotional reaction. The first is wonderfully positive. The second can cause us any number of negative effects including damaging our relationships and how people perceive us and our program.

Glimmers and triggers are opposite in one other way. You have to notice glimmers to appreciate them. Triggers slam into you without any invitation.

While triggers take you unaware, if you are going to deal with them, you need to recognize when you are having a trigger response. This isn’t easy when your emotions are taking over.

Andrea Mein DeWitt’s article, A Leader’s 3-Step Strategy to Being Less Emotional, Reactive, recommend you Name, Claim, and Reframe. This approach will give you skills to modify what could be a damaging response from you. Notice that she references “leaders.” Leaders can’t allow triggers to affect how they react in a given situation.

Here are her steps:

  1. Name – Look for the source of the trigger. (This is not like noticing glimmers, but in reverse.) She asks you to identify what is causing you to react rather than respond – an important distinction – and what specific emotion is in play. Also note what, if any, of your core values have been attacked. For example, book banning and malicious name-calling is on the rise leaving us emotionally exhausted. We are tired of explaining. When one more attack comes, particularly if it comes from what we thought was a friendly source, we can explode.
  2. Claim – Now that you know where your reaction came from, what can you do about it? De Witt wants you to identify the action(s) you can take to bring you back to your core values. Take your ego out and think what might have caused the person to say/do what then triggered your reaction. Then, look to what can you do to get the conversation back to the issue at stake. Rather than responding by saying “we are not…(insert charge)..” turn to the positive, reminding parents, teachers and administrators that,“libraries need to be a safe, welcoming space for all.” From there, you can better discuss what to do.
  3. Reframe – This helps you to move on positively from a stressful conversation. DeWitt says to ask yourself what you learned and what is now an opportunity to use your creativity. Which of the ideas you came up with will produce the best results and promote your Mission and Vision? Notice any new resources you can now use. As you reflect on what happened, you might decide to do a bulletin board or infographic identifying how libraries create a safe space. Perhaps mention the Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Doors concept. Do something interactive such as having teachers/students anonymously post notes on the bulletin board saying how the library/librarian made them safe and welcome.

We are in the relationship business. With emotions running high and politics affecting libraries and librarians, we must do all we can to avoid being further sucked into the intensity of the triggers and stresses around us. Emotional Intelligence includes Managing Your Emotions for a reason. Leaders – and you are a leader – need to have all the tools possible to do it.

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The Lasting Legacy of Librarians

In the May 2024 issue of Educational Leadership (EL), the journal of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the opening of the article “Increasing the Psychic Rewards of Teaching” caught my attention. The author, Koss Minor, quotes the following from Dan Lortie’s book Schoolteacher: A Sociological Study:

While lawyers know whether they have won or lost a case, and architects get to see their designs rendered into a house, teachers must rely on more psychic rewards—subjective experiences that lend themselves towards feelings of success.

It is perhaps even truer for school librarians. Teachers can point to standardized tests (not that these are the best indicators) and end-of-unit assessments. As librarians, we create  our own ways of measuring what our students learned and took away from any given learning experience – often only lasting for one class. And, yes, there are studies such as those written by Keith Curry Lance and Debra E, Katchel showing what we bring. The studies are sadly too often been ignored by administrators who sometimes see them as self-serving. Some days it’s hard to keep doing what we do as we see budgets and positions being eliminated.

But today I can tell you quite definitively that what we do is not only important, but remembered.

Fifty years ago, I returned to school librarianship after my youngest began an all-day nursery program and became the librarian of a brand-new, K-6 public school based on the British infant school plan. It was there that I learned much about cooperating with teachers – and did what I thought was the main job of a school librarian – I read stories to all grades.

That wouldn’t be the focus of any librarian today. It can’t be. However, as I recently learned, we must not lose this aspect of what we bring to students. To recognize the 50th anniversary milestone, the borough decided to celebrate it. There was a carnival – and a Facebook group for it. When I posted I had great memories of my time there and was looking forward to being there, former students began commenting. A few hoped I would read a story again.

The request for a story was my first indicator of what I saw once I was at the event. My former students kept coming to me talking about what they remembered. They spoke of specific books that lingered and mattered. One mentioned the Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster. She noted when she saw it in a bookstore, she bought six copies to distribute to friends to read to their kids. Others shared that they got their love of reading from me. The day made reminded me that the most lasting gift we can give our students is the joy of reading.

In the 50 years since I started this journey with you, librarians have pivoted constantly. We have become the tech experts in our buildings. We keep up with whatever new technology comes along. We share our expertise with teachers. We adapt our collection for the times and the students in our building.

And still our numbers shrink.

Librarians are leaving the profession at an alarming rate, partially from exhaustion and stress. Unfortunately, a bigger reason is the attacks we have been facing not only from parents and boards of education but also from state legislators. How do we continue to get up each day and enthusiastically work on carrying out our Mission Statements and bringing our Vision Statements into reality?

In writing this blog, I searched the internet to find articles on the part of our Mission Statement we often overlook – creating lifelong readers. The best I could do was this MiddleWeb blog, School Libraries Build Lifelong Reading Skills. Although it was from a classroom teacher’s perspective who started with her classroom library, she did reach out to the school librarian. The cooperation was great, but students had very few opportunities to be in the library.

What is missing is the joy. That is something key we bring and must continue to bring.

I hope you can find ways in today’s tech-driven world to bring the joy of reading to students. Keep reading stories at the elementary level, have book clubs at middle and high school. Because one of the ways we create a legacy is through fostering the love of reading. Keep being there for your students – and trust that you are making a lasting difference.

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Learning To Be Likeable

Beyond books, special projects, and curriculum, we are in the relationship business. This means we must always be making positive connections with teachers, students, administrators, and other advocates. Being likeable can go a long way in furthering these associations.

When your community enjoys being around you, as well as trusting your expertise, they are open and willing to work with you. You’ll find yourself creating collaborative projects with teachers and building lasting relationships. When students like you, they will come to you as a resource for questions beyond their reading. And when administrators like you, they are more apt to reach out to you to add your support and skills to the overall goals they have for the school. When you see the benefits, it’s clear that we need to be sure we are doing all we can to be likable.

Fortunately, there are aspects of likeability that are learnable. In an article entitled 6 Habits of Instantly Likable People, Gwen Moran presents these traits which we all need to cultivate. What makes someone likeable?

  1. They are present – If you are in a rush, you tend to make it obvious that you don’t really have time to listen to what the other person is saying. You can’t make a connection that way, and people feel you are too busy to care about them. Be focused on the conversations you are having. Moran says asking questions shows your interest, and people are likely to respond positively to that interest.
  2. They give and share credit – After working with a class, make sure to make positive comments about how well-prepared students were and acknowledge any faculty support. When you share the results with your principal, focus on the teacher’s contribution.  You needn’t explain your contribution. And if the principal praises the teacher, they are more likely to come and work with you again.
  3. They are authentic – Always be yourself.  In your library, a classroom, or the parent/teacher night. People are good at spotting when you are trying too hard or are assuming a persona to fit the situation. Trust who you are and what you bring.
  4. They are caring and empathetic – As the saying goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  When you have asked questions, follow up on the answers when problems and stresses are mentioned. Be alert to the body language of others to recognize when they are concerned and follow-up.
  5. They are good and active listeners – People appreciate and value being heard. If you are doing numbers 1,2, and 4, this is probably happening naturally. When you are not “present,” there is no way you can be actively listening. Some of us think we are listening, but we are only waiting for a chance to respond and/or get our thoughts expressed. Be focused on what the person is saying and trust you will have time for your input.
  6. They are good communicators – Be clear in what you say and how you say it. Ambiguity makes people uncomfortable and frequently leads to them wondering if you are trustworthy. This does not lead to being likable. Look for ways to share the truth without being rude or hurtful.

We make quick decisions about others. If our initial impression was negative, it can take a long time to change it. Therefore, it’s important to continually improve our ability to build relationships. The better we are at it, the more we will be seen as vital to the school community. With each new relationship we build advocates for what we do. Our students, teachers, and administrators need us and this connection ensures we’re around for them.

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The Return of Imposter Syndrome

I posted a meme recently which asked, “Do You Talk to Yourself? I know I do, and I know I’m not alone. But the more important question is, “What are you saying to yourself?” Because most of the time, we’re not very kind.

For some reason, we say things to ourselves we would never say to a friend or anyone we like. Our self-talk is overloaded with negative comments, putdowns, and impossible comparisons. Most of the time, it’s about small little things we did or didn’t do. Other times, the negative self-talk becomes much harsher. Especially when we’ve taken a big step. We accept a new position or we are going to give a presentation. Now what we hear is: “You are in over your head,” “What makes you think you are such an expert?” “Others are so much better at this than I am.” “I am a fraud.”

Welcome to Imposter Syndrome. I have written about it before (once in September 2021 and again in December 2021) but it felt like time to revisit it. It’s something both new and experienced librarians face. And if you listen to that voice, it can stop you from taking on new opportunities and keep you from growing as a leader.

To combat this insidious (and erroneous) voice, Marlene Chism wrote How to Push Past the Imposter Syndrome and offers three ways to get over that bleak self-view:

  • Shift Your Focus – When Imposter Syndrome arrives, you are focusing on yourself. Positive self-talk is not always strong enough to defeat it. What can help more is to focus on your values, on what you care about. Which of your values will you be expanding in that new position? Talk to someone who is passionate about something you care about and get their views. Chism says you don’t feel like an imposter when “you are giving value or being curious about others.” Shift to see what you are offering.
  • Rewrite Your Narrative – Some believe that Imposter Syndrome should be welcomed as the price you pay for growing. According to Chism, accepting that narrative is not good for your mental health. She recommends you see it as your opportunity to learn. Yes, you’ve grown to a new level – but you’ve earned that growth. You’ve done the work, and you deserve to be proud of this next step.
  • Stop Competing and Comparing – Sometimes you are “faking it till you are making it” because you’re in a new place, and yes, maybe you are a bit of an imposter because you’re starting out. But remember, this is part of your process for growing. We all have our strengths – and weaknesses. The person who you think is better than you in this new field might not be able to to do what you can in another area. Recognize and accept both your strengths and weaknesses. Think like an athlete and focus on your performance. How can you build your strengths? Are there weaknesses you need to address? Who can help you do this?

Imposter Syndrome will make its reappearance many times in your life. It can be paralyzing if you don’t take the time to dismantle it. Noticing when it has arrived can let you recognize where you are growing. Don’t let it stop you. Failing isn’t fatal. It’s another step in the process. And something to think about: Imposters don’t get Imposter Syndrome.

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Bring Aliveness To Your Life

Last week I wrote about how becoming aware of the glimmers brings more joy into your life. To benefit from glimmers, you need to notice them as they occur. Those instances are precious, and you can add to them by extending that focus.

With so much on our plates and so much stress in our lives, all too often we go through the day like automatons moving from one prescribed thing to the next. Whatever is next on the to-do list gets our focus – while we are also frequently thinking about what comes after that. In addition to becoming aware of glimmers, we must become an active participant, present in our lives. In other words, we need to be truly alive. Doing so will bring positive changes to mental and physical health.

In his article, Jack Craven explains Why You Need to Prioritize Aliveness, Starting Today. He defines aliveness as: “a sense of being fully awake, fully present.” According to Craven, overwhelming stress is the opposite of aliveness because it is a reactive state. To get started, he asks us to respond to these three questions:

  1. When have you felt most alive? – Think backwards from today – go in five year increments if that helps – and go back as far as you need. Was it a special occasion? Maybe it was viewing the recent eclipse. Go back as far as you want. One I remember is running as fast as the wind when I was a child. What moments can you recall?
  2. What does aliveness feel like to you? –What words come to your mind? For me, it’s exuberance. Others might choose serenity or laughter. Bubbly. Present. Make a list. We are unique. Everyone’s answer will be different. Whatever feels true to you is right.
  3. What could you do today to increase your aliveness? – With this memory and these words, begin what hopefully is a never-ending journey to add these steps into your life. What is one thing you love doing that brings you this feeling? When can you do it? (Today would be great!) The more you can intentionally add this to your life, the more you will become increasingly alive. And keep in mind, this is not a sprint. It’s a lifelong marathon.

 Some aliveness principles to consider:

Aliveness is always with you – It’s there. You have experienced it. Now you need to move it to a more central place inside you. Bring your awareness to it, and you will notice it more.

Prioritize how you want to feel each day, not what you want to do – An important change to your To-Do list. It’s about becoming a Human Being not a Human Doing. Craven says to set your mindset for the day each morning and keep that in focus as you go through your day. If it helps, write it down someplace you can see it.

Avoid calendar creep – This is when more and more is added to everyday. What gets pushed out? You – and this wonderful feeling. When your To-Do list becomes too long, stop and ask yourself: Do I have to do this? What can I let go? Who else can handle it? If it needs to be handled by you, make sure you’re also making time for those things that light you up.

We need to be in the relationship business. When stress overwhelms us, we are less approachable. And that is not good for building relationships. Or for our own health. It’s time to become alive and be a presence in and present to the world. Find what makes you come alive and add more of that to your life.

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Look for Glimmers and Find Joy

Joy is a wonderful feeling. It swells inside you and bubbles over. Life is great. Things are wonderful. When we consider what brings us joy, it’s usually the big moments: particular holidays, important events such as graduations and weddings. But wonderful as joy is, those special moments occur infrequently throughout the year. Unfortunately, we have too much in our lives that brings us down.

The solution? Find ways to increase our joy.

We can’t miraculously create more of those big events, but there is something we can do to bring “mini-joy” into our days: glimmers. Glimmers are micro-moments of joy – the opposite, in many ways, of micro-stressors. These are the everyday moments which give us a rush of happiness, a moment of gratitude, or a sense of calm, peace, safety and goodwill. That instance when some little thing makes you smile or even catch your breath. You might see a rainbow in a puddle, a tree that has burst into flower overnight, or received an unexpected compliment. Glimmers don’t last long, but they are special.

In the article What Are Glimmers and Why Are They Good for You? the Newport Institute explores how to bring glimmers into your life. According to the blog, the term was coined by Deb Dana who said, “[Glimmers are] micro moments that begin to shape our system in very gentle ways.”

While the times of joy are easily recognized, you need to be alert to glimmers as they appear. Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. One lifts you up, the other pulls you down. Some of the sample Glimmers given include:

  • Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin
  • Getting a hug just when you need it
  • Stopping to smell flowers in bloom
  • Enjoying the feel of the sand between your toes while walking along a beach
  • Relishing the taste of your morning coffee or afternoon tea
  • Looking at a photograph of someone you love
  • Watching a child laugh or a puppy frolic

You can feel the positive effect these Glimmers have on you by how your body reacts. To get the best results from Glimmers, you need to collect them throughout the day. Six suggested ways to gather Glimmers are:

  1. Set a Glimmer Intention – Set a goal for finding a specific number of Glimmers per day. You can start with one and build on that as you become more aware of them. Pick a time of day to find one and keep your focus.
  2. Go Where the Glimmers Are – What places are you most likely to find Glimmers? I find them on walks. You might choose a playground, the library, or a special place in your home. When you know where they are – you can seek them out.
  3. Engage Your Senses – Glimmers can come from any (or many) of your five senses – and the more the better. The sound of birds chirping and the color of their feathers. The feel of the body wash on your skin and its scent as you shower. The taste of a favorite dish or a new one. The smell of a book – and the anticipation of reading it.
  4. Jot Them Down – Recording when you experienced one keeps the Glimmers present in your mind and reminds you of all the places they can be experienced. The Institute suggests a Glimmer Journal.
  5. Limit Screen Time – If you are absorbed by your devices, you won’t notice the Glimmers. And if you aren’t focused on screens, you will have more time to engage with people and/or things you enjoy, which brings more opportunities for Glimmers.
  6. Connect with Others –  Humans are, generally, social beings. Find and seek out people who spark Glimmers in you. And tell them of the special place they hold for you.

Glimmers are small, but when collected intentionally, the pay-off is big. Be on the look out for the many Glimmers in your life. You will be more joyful – and less stressed – because of it.

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A Better Balancing Act

The feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion and burnout are on the rise. Between our work, our world, and our families, we are frequently unsure how to manage all we are responsible for. Then we’re told to take time for ourselves, because if we don’t, we run the risk of things getting worse. Sounds like more stress.

Unfortunately, most of the advice out there is generic. Do this, eat that, stop saying yes. But the truth is we are unique. Our lives are different from the ones we see and read about. Our needs are different. What works for one person, doesn’t work for another. What is true is that we require balance so that the stressors in our lives don’t suck out all the joy.

So how do we find and succeed at our personal balancing act? Fortunately, Sandeep Gupta explains how to go about the process in his blog post, Work-Life Balance: A Myth or Reality? He starts with the following 4 myths referenced in the title of his blog:

  1. Work is pain, and personal life is pleasure – While it’s true that most of us have to work, it isn’t true that work is always pain. If family life is currently stressful, it could be that your personal life is not always pleasure. Which is true for you? Is it always the case? Hopefully we enjoy our jobs – most of the time. We love our family and friends. Most of the time. What is the best balance for you, personally? How much work and how much personal time are the right balance for you?
  2. Work and personal life are separate – We categorize it that way when we think about balance, but the two overlap often. You take work home. You don’t forget personal issues when we are at work. I used to tell my staff to let me know if they were under stress from home so we could adjust their day. As Gupta notes, when you have a bad day at one, you bring it into the other. What we need, he says, is not a “work-life balance” but a “balanced life.”
  3. Time is the only constraint – Gupta says we think having more time would allow us to have a work-life balance. But it’s not about the hours and minutes, it’s the quality of the time and what we choose to do with it. Having the time to enjoy dinner or play with our children is more enjoyable than just making it home at a specified hour while still thinking about a task at work.
  4. One Correct Solution – Just as there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to having a balanced life, there is not one solution that will always continue to work. What you need today may not be what you need next year. It’s important to be reflective about how you feel and make changes as necessary when necessary.

So, how do you go about it finding your balance? Gupta recommends considering these questions.

  • What needs to happen to make life more fulfilling? 
  • How can life be more balanced and fulfilling?
  • Who do I need to become to lead a fulfilled life?

To answer the first question, ask yourself: what are your priorities? What things can you do to make more time for them? What unnecessary things are you doing which can be delegated or eliminated? Take time to notice when and if these might change.

For the second question, identify your passions – both at work and in your personal life. Ensure that you make a place for them. The usual advice about making time for physical activity is true here as well. It energizes you and promotes a positive mindset.

The third question requires you to include time to reflect on your life. Are you feeling fulfilled? Do you need to revise what you are doing? Remember, there is no one correct solution and today’s solution may not work in a year. Life brings change at home and at work. Accept it, be ready for it, and make any needed adjustments.

Burnout is a real thing. It comes when over a period of time, what we expect or think we can do doesn’t align with the truth. We can burnout because of both work and personal stressors. It may not seem like you have the time to look at this, but the truth is, you can’t afford to ignore it. Ask yourself these questions (maybe you do it one your commute). Listen to the answers you receive, and then do what you can to act on them.

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Clear the Clutter To Be More Productive

Merriam-Webster defines clutter as to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness. Marie Kondo made a whole career (and a best selling book) about how to eliminate the clutter that fills our work and home spaces. (Although don’t listen to her about books – you need lots of those). Growing up, I used to hear that a cluttered desk was a cluttered mind. Do a cursory search for help on this matter and you will quickly discover the number of services available to help clear our houses, closets, cars, and more. Clearly, this is a problem for many of us.

As I look around my desk, there’s a lot on it, but it wouldn’t call it cluttered.  There are the things I need within easy reach including my to-do list and post-it notes. I have on it the flowers that bring me pleasure.  The walls of my office have positive reminders of my life from photos to various certificates.

So why do I still have a tough time getting started?

Because there are other types of clutter getting in my way In her blog post 4 Types of Clutter –  and How to Get Rid of Them, Stephanie Vozza has the answer, or rather Barbara Hemphill, who she quotes extensively, does. It is Hemphill who identifies the 4 types of clutter—physical, digital, emotional, and spiritual. Examples of these are:

  • Physical – the things around us we can see and touch;
  • Digital – emails, texts, open tabs on our internet browser;
  • Emotional – issues in your life that you cannot stop thinking about;
  • Spiritual – things getting in the way of hopes, dreams and purpose;

While my desk may not have a lot on it physically, once I get on my computer, digital clutter is everywhere. In addition, there are several personal issues that are an ongoing source of emotional and spiritual clutter. And it’s clear that the first two are more easily dealt with than the second – although the second two frequently lead to the first two.

Fortunately, the blog offers these three steps to help us manage these different clutters:

  1. Find Your Focus – What’s your number one priority? Know what it is before you begin. Be clear on how you will start and what you will do next. If what you need to do requires opening your email or the internet, do your best to only go where you need, and close everything else afte.
  2. Establish Systems – To ensure that you can stay focused, Hemphill says you need to have systems that support your focus. Unfortunately, one size doesn’t fit all, so you will need to try different things to find what works for you. For your desk, she likes a “Magic Six” rule – identify the six —and no more— things you need to be able to see. (If possible – don’t make your phone one of those since that can easily lead to digital clutter)
  3. Seek Out Support – Reach out to people who truly understand what your goals are – personally and professionally – and who can support you when clutter builds in any of these areas. Hemphill recommends a five-step process where you share your vision or goal: state your vision, identify your obstacles, become aware of your resources, discuss and execute your plan, and lean on your support to help you sustain your success. Who among your family and friends can you turn to for help? They provide the caring sounding boards and help us find the best ways to deal with these most draining types of clutter.

As a leader, you have so many responsibilities. Your personal and professional life has likely seen an increase in all types of clutter. Whatever you can do to reduce your clutter can increase your productivity and create momentum for continuing. The uncluttered desk is easy. The uncluttered mind is much harder — and more valuable — to maintain.