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The Getting Is In The Giving

This is the season both for giving and receiving. When we stop to consider, there are so many ways to give, and each one brings a reward. Finding ways to give to those in your community brings returns many times over in the value placed on you and your library program. When you think about how you contribute, most of us focus on the roles the library offers to students and teachers. While that is vital, the underlying perspective others have about you and the library comes from the one-on-one ways in which you give.

In his article for Rolling Stones, The Courage to Give in a Take-First Economy, Chris Schembra observes that our fast-paced, reactionary world has caused leaders to become short-term thinkers rather than long term visionaries. This does not serve us in building the connections and relationships we need to demonstrate how much we are worth to teachers, students, and administrators. To reverse the trend of fast responses, Schembra proposes five steps for those in the business world which apply to us in education as well. Here they are with my usual additions to make it more relevant to how we interact with our community.

  1. Pause – One of the bracelets I wear on my wrist and see frequently, reminds me to breathe. We move so frequently on auto-pilot, we don’t take time to think. As Schembra says, “This is why the pause is no longer a luxury; it’s a discipline.” He refers to it as “micro-courage” (and courage is on another bracelet I wear). We need the time to consider what the individual we are responding to needs, how fast, and what is the best way to give it to them. We also need to pause to better form our response rather than reacting quickly.
  2. Ask Better Questions – Be sure you and they know what is really being asked and required. A teacher or student may ask for something they think will answer their need. If you listen for the purpose of the request, you can ascertain whether something else will provide a better solution. When you do this, you are tuning into them, seeing them as an individual, not a problem to solve. Scherma says, “…extraordinary leaders aren’t interesting. They’re interested.”
  3. Collective Momentum – This is a reminder that we all do better when we do it together. We are not in competition. When we strive for connection and collaboration, we discover the truth of Mudita, “a Buddhist principle, means taking genuine joy in the success of others.” When you help someone, it brings an inner smile to you both and joy in seeing how happy the other person is. A specific complement can also do the same.
  4. Generosity in Action – We don’t admire the takers. We admire the givers. When your report to your principal promotes a teacher’s learning project with students, the principal becomes aware of the connections you create. They are also likely to let the teacher know about it which supports the possibility of future collaborations. Generosity can also be as small as having coffee and snacks available in your office for teachers when they need a break. And if they come to you for that break, don’t ask questions until they are willing to share. Sometimes they desperately need that quiet moment, a pause in the pressures of the day.
  5. Appreciation – Scherma notes, and it has been my experience as well, that, “A sincere, specific thank you, in my experience, increases engagement.” Taking time in a world that rushes from one thing to the next to stop and offer a meaningful acknowledgement goes a long way. And, if you’re so inclined, consider dropping off a handwritten thank you note to a teacher or principal. You can even do thank you notes to students for how well they helped someone or contributed to a lesson. It feels so good to receive one and it is long remembered.

In his Final Thoughts – Scherma concludes, “Givers build deeper customer loyalty.” When we build customer loyalty in our world, we build trust and ever-increasing connections and relationships with our students, teachers, principals, and even parents. As a result, the library thrives and is regarded as invaluable. Giving (along with last week’s gratitude) is a vaulable feel-good tool in our leadership arsenal.

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SOAR When Speaking to Your Principal

You need to have a relationship with your principal in order for your library to thrive. So how is that relationship going? Do you have a strong, positive one where your principal supports everything you do? Or do you have one who claims to believe in libraries but is not fully aware of how they have changed. Maybe your principal feel you are not very valuable and a drag on the school budget. If you and your principal share common values about what the school library is and needs to be, you don’t have a problem. But if your relationship falls into the second or third category, how do you change it to be more like the first one?

In their article Dealing With a Difficult Boss for Psychology Today, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles write about the importance of “managing up,” ways to deal with managers who are challenging and/or unproductive. Many of us have experienced difficulties in getting through to principals who hold to preconceived ideas and attitudes about libraries. Adams and Myles recommend a SOAR approach to open communication. This may help to build that important relationship. Here’s their explanation of putting SOAR to work along with my usual tweaks to align it more in our education world:

S-Shared Goals – Start by drawing on what you have in common. Students are at the core of what you both care about and support. But there are other common areas you might address, such as keeping parents included in their child’s education or supporting the mandates of the Superintendent of Schools who is concerned about test results.

O-Opportunities – Point to what can be used to reach those common goals. You both want the school budget to pass. Look for ways to show the value the library brings. Your library can be a perfect location to welcome the business community. They can be invited to share the skills of their trade with students in a related class, such as a business class or a course on future careers. They might also be willing to sponsor an author visit which in turn would bring the local newspaper to cover it, giving the business publicity and the school some vital community visibilily.

A-Alignment – Turn these opportunities into a true conversation by drawing you principal into the discussion. What do they like about what you have presented? What questions do they have? Do they have recommendations for improvement or modifications? Don’t become argumentative with any of their proposals. This is a time to see how to incorporate their suggestions, deepening your professional relationship.

R-Results – Share your goal for the outcome of whatever you have proposed. Let the principal know you will be keeping them posted on how things are going. Make sure they know both the progress and final results. You can do it in meetings or via email. Be open to their responses. If you don’t hear from them after emailing them, schedule a brief meeting.

Adams and Myles further recommend that “when the project is complete, remember to tie the results back to those same priorities and goals to build credibility and gain influence. Doing so consistently reminds your [principal]that you are delivering, which earns trust.” And as I keep saying, trust is the foundation of relationships.

Your relationship with your principal is vital to your long-term success, maybe even your job security. The more your principal sees you as making them look good, the faster and more willing they will approve your next proposal. You will be seen as a valuable leader and the library will thrive.

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Lead Like a Politician

Did the title make you pause? Did you want to reject it? These days, most people have a negative view of politicians, but like them or not, they do lead. And they are able to get people to vote for them.

As school librarians we need to get out the “vote” for us. Whether it’s our students, teachers, administrators, or parents, we need their support and recognition of our value to them. In Jed Brewer’s article, “You Are a Politician: Four Lessons From Local Politics That Make for Better Organizational Leaders,” his lessons for business leaders apply equally well to our ability to be leaders in our educational setting. Here are the four for you with my tweaks.

  1. It’s About the Problem — Always – To be heard, you need to speak to the listener’s wants and needs. With students it’s usually about the grade or the inability to see the value in what they are doing. Hopefully, you are creating engaging lessons, giving learners agency in working on the assignment or project. Teachers want students to learn and do well on high stakes tests. Focus on what you can bring that will advance their goals when you suggest they do a cooperative or collaborative project with you. Your principal worries about the superintendent and the Board of Education and especially the budget. Keep them informed about student successes, sending them things they can use in their reports, such as pictures/videos of student creations tying them to state standards. Parents are always concerned about their children and how they are doing. Make sure they know how your LibGuide and website keep them informed and allow opportunities for them to access you. In dealing with all these different wants and needs, Brewer recommends you find opportunities to connect with each group to be sure you know what they see as their problems and concerns.
  2. Nothing Beats the Personal Touch — Ever – Getting to know students individually is a challenge for us, but it is important to keep working at it. Offering coffee and snacks for teachers is a tried and true way to bring them in and get an opportunity to talk one-on-one. While sending regular reports to principals is necessary, also invite them in when kids are working on projects so they can see the work in action. Also, make sure to have some face-to-face time with your principal. Ask them for their opinion on where they want to see the library go. Be prepared to respond positively but provide data where necessary to correct any negative ideas.
  3. No One Succeeds Alone — Really – Draw on your PLN, your Professional Learning Network. Between the national and state library associations as well as the social network and people you follow, you have ample “partners” in creative ways to address your own wants and needs. Build your own support team so that when things become challenging, you have resources and places to go.
  4. Compromise Is Success — Truly – Important goals aren’t achieved quickly. Trust and relationships need time to build. Even if you have done all the proper preparation, you won’t likely get a complete acceptance of anything you propose. That’s where negation comes in. If you get a partial buy-in, it means they see things they like in what you are saying. Modify, tweak, or do whatever is appropriate for achieving your goal, and then come back. I had a superintendent who once told me her first answer was always, “No.” If someone came back, she could be sure they were serious. Keep looking for new avenues – break a project down into a several year plan, show short and long term benefits, offer ideas for modifications.

Brewer concludes by telling business people they are politicians. This is true for you, too. You have to meet the needs and wants of diverse groups. By using the skills of a politician, you and the library will grow and thrive.

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Quality Answers Require Quality Questions

Rhetorical questions are those with such obvious answers no one needs to respond. Simple questions get one word or even one syllable answers. If we want useful, useable answers, we need to ask better questions. Even if we fear a negative response. We cannot build the collaborative relationships we want or improve what we’re doing if we don’t ask questions that give us quality answers. Even if we don’t always like those answers.

Asking quality questions gives us information. “What would you want to do differently next time?” rather than “What did you think?”. If you’re in the midst of a project with students, ask “What was the hardest part of this so far?” In building a connection with your principal, ask, “What would you like to see changed about the library?” Here, you may want to get a little more specific based on your purpose is for this discussion.

In his article, Asking the right questions, Paul Thornton offers eight tips on how to ask questions that get quality answers. As he is addressing the business world, I will add my comments to show how to use the tips in our education world.

  1. Be clear about your purpose – Everyone, even students, are pressed for time and often under stress. Get to the point quickly. See the sample questions given above for suggestions on doing this.
  2. Prepare in advance – This is not the time for improvisation. Once you know the purpose you can decide what questions you plan to ask. In what order? Have them written down. Limit the number to no more than three and memorize them.
  3. Ask one question at a time – Whomever you are talking to needs time hear what you said and form an answer. And you need to be listening to each response. Your focus is on the information you are receiving, not rushing to ask your next question. Thornton reminds you not to ask rhetorical questions. You won’t get usable answers.
  4. Challenge assumptions – Whether you want students to think more critically, extend collaboration with a teacher, or enlighten a principal about how libraries have and need to change, we all carry a level of bias on what we think we know about the subject. Be clear about what you’re asking and don’t assume the basis/background of the answers you are being given.
  5. Connect ideas – Thornton says when asked properly and clearly, your questions will get your listener to gain new insights into whatever you are presenting. It will give them an opportunity. When it’s possible, connect the purpose of your questions (see the first item on the list) to your Mission Statement.
  6. Be comfortable with silence – If you want quality answers you need to allow people time to think. This goes back to Number Three. As you wait for the response, use the time to read body language to see where they are in the process. Giving people space and time to answer tells them you value their response.
  7. Encourage broad participation – With students, a pair/share exercise or having a group post their response on a whiteboard will allow you to see where the class is. With teachers, you might have them share several student projects in the library. A wider net gives you more answers and more information.
  8. Capture notes promptly – You want to have a record of what you were asking about and what the response was. Depending on whom you are talking to, it could be analog, digital, photo, or even a recording. In our fast-paced world, you could lose some information as you turn to the next thing. Give these answers the weight and time they deserve.

Improving the quality of your questions will help propel you forward in increasing the library’s value in the minds and behaviors of the populations you serve. What you learn in the process will be invaluable and further your growth as a leader.

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Listening as a Leadership Skill

When you think of the skills a leader needs, you are apt to identify vision, planning, and decision-making among a host of others. You not likely to mention listening, and yet it is one of the most important skills you need to have and keep developing. In my forthcoming book, The Involved School Librarian, listening is one of the final three “attributes” I say are necessary in order to be a fully involved school librarian. The three being Listener, Learner, and Leader.

 Listeners use a variety of channels as they learn what their communities want and need as well as what is new and forthcoming. What they learn they then apply in leading their library program so it becomes an ever-increasing value to those they serve. When people notice you listen, they are more likely to come to you for support.

In their article What Principals Can Learn From Pope Leo XIV’s Leadership Approach, Michael Nelson and Pete DeWitt present a five-part model for what it takes to be a great leader. Their ideas resonate with us since this article is from the EdWeek.org site, but I have added comments to address what school librarians need.

Listen, Understand, and Act – This gets to the heart of listening as a core leadership skill. If you make assumptions about what your community needs based on what you know, you are apt to overlook what teachers and students really want. According to the authors, research shows that when people feel you are listening to them, it builds relationships. And we always need to be relationship builders. Once you understand what your community really wants and needs you can act to bring your library forward.

Listening Is Strategic, Not Passive – We generally see listening as automatic and something we don’t need to think about, but studies have shown that when we use it actively, it’s more powerful. Be present, be aware. Then, what you have learned from listening gives you the knowledge to construct a strategic plan tied to your Vision and take more directed and connected steps to living your Mission.

Equity Begins With Who We Listen To – This was a new concept for me. Do you ignore criticisms from those you see as negative or with whom you don’t agree? You may be missing some key truths because of your (unintentional) bias. Are you ignoring students who say, “Why do we have to learn this?” or “This is stupid!” Just because you don’t like their complaint doesn’t mean they have a point. Listen to their reasons for saying this and you may learn something important.

From Listening to Collective Action and Joint Work – When you build relationships and trust, people (including students) are more likely to work with you. You can collaborate on curricular units and even build new programs together. And Collaborate is one of the Shared Foundations in AASL’s National School Library Standards.

Leading With Intention – As Nelson and DeWitt say, “Listening is the work. It is what allows leaders to act with intention.” Listening gives you important information that you can use to strengthen all aspects of your library, from collection choices to software needs to an advocacy committee.

Your skills as an active listener are central to your ability to be a great leader. Active listening is a skill you need to work on every day. I know I do. When we’re bursting with excitement about our latest idea, we don’t listen to the people we are speaking with. The better you get at listening the better leader you will be. And then you’ll have people as excited about your ideas as you are.

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Making Decisions – Emotions vs. Logic

How do you make your decisions? Do you make them logically or trust your gut and go with your emotions? Most would say they decide logically. But more than 80% of the time, this is not the case.

While we may be logical when doing grocery shopping and choosing between one brand or another (cookie aisle not withstanding), it is rarely true when making any significant decisions. What we typically do is make our decision emotionally and then substantiate it logically. Understanding the power of emotions, and how they are impacting you and those around you, will improve your communication and help you achieve your goals.

In his article “The Power of Emotions,” Kell Delaney explains, “Humans are fundamentally emotional beings, and our emotions often drive our narratives and decision-making processes.” Because of this, we identify our feelings as being accurate. The problems occur when interacting with administrators, teachers, parents, and students who have different emotional responses to the same situation. The result is miscommunication along with worsening the situation.

How can you arrive at something logical when emotions are in control?

Delaney says we need to advocate for our core values and create stories and visions that others can engage with and help shape. He adds that bringing in your vision and actively listening to others’ perspectives develops a collaborative narrative for mutual understanding and action. That’s a big promise.  How do we achieve it? My recommendation is to consider your audience – and bring it back to the students.

With Administrators – Whether it’s a budget request, a plan for a new library service, or anything that requires administrative approval, I lead with the students. How will this affect them positively? Do I have any student work to share that connects to my request? By giving them an emotional reason for what I want, I am far more likely to get a positive response.

With Teachers – While some teachers like working with you, others are resistant. Find a time to talk with them, complimenting them on an aspect of their teaching you’ve experienced, particularly their connection with students. Add that you would like to contribute to their success and offer, if you can, to handle any additional work that is involved. Listen carefully to their response and continue the conversation accordingly.

With Parents – While it has become a far larger issue recently, dealing with parental objections to what books their child has access to has always been part of being a school librarian. When a parent comes to you directly, acknowledge them for being an aware and involved parent. Let them know you will see to it that their child no longer has access to those types of books. If they want to have the books removed, share the values of school librarians according to AASL standards.  When the charge comes at a Board of Education meeting, draw on parent advocates you have been building.

With Students – From “This is stupid!” to “Why do we have to learn this?” there are always students who resist doing what is required. Ask them what they would rather learn. That will pause the narrative. Many will be surprised by the question. Recognize their desire to learn (hopefully) along with their concerns with this lesson, then ask them to participate and see if the lesson provided an answer to their question or an interesting experience.

We are all under stress. Be ready for what is apt to be a contentious school year by readying yourself with how to deal with this paradox between logic and emotion. Knowing how to harness emotions, and not avoid them, to reach a reasonable way of dealing with an issue is key to creating a better work environment.  You will be a more effective leader and school librarian as a result.

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Create the Culture to Make Your Library Thrive

How would you describe the culture of your library? It’s not a question we usually think about. Normally, we focus on purpose, Vision, and Mission, but this is a different way to look at what you are creating and how it is being received.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines corporate culture as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.” Using this definition as a guide, you might say:

  •  The attitude of the library is that everyone is welcome here.
  • The values probably include intellectual freedom and a love of literacy and learning.
  • Your goal likely is to have students, teachers, and administrators view the library as a valuable part of their world.
  • Your practices seek to eliminate barriers to accessing the library.

If your answers closely matched the ones given above, are you certain this is an accurate analysis of your library culture? Manar Morales the author of THE FLEXIBILITY PARADIGM: Humanizing the Workplace for Productivity, Profitability, and Possibility (Georgetown University Press, 2025) collaborates with organizations to develop inclusive, flexible work cultures that cultivate diversity in leadership, foster a more humanized work experience and drive workplace well-being. In the business would, not being clear on the culture of your organization or having it misaligned leads to loss of engagement and productivity as well as higher turnover. How can we use this awareness to support our work?  

In her article “Work is Not a Place, Culture is Not a Location,” she recommends a process which can improve your culture, resulting in a flourishing, successful library. Morales starts by having you identify the following “4 ‘W’s that define culture:”

Who do you serve? – Your key stakeholders are your students and teachers. They are always primary, although there are others, including administrators, parents, and the outside community.

What do you stand for?- Your Mission Statement should drive your daily actions. What values do you hold and how can this be seen by others?

Why do you do what you do? – Beyond your library’s Mission Statement, this is your personal mission. Why are you a school librarian? What brings you back through the stress and challenges?

Where are you headed? – This is your Vision Statement. It is your inspiration and aspiration. It’s not fully realized, and may never be, but you should come closer and closer through your strategic planning.

By your answers to the 4 ‘W’s, you recognize that the library is just a room, a place, unless you can connect others to it. Relationship building is key to making the library thrive. How do you share those 4 ‘W’s with your key stakeholders in a way that connects them to the library and its value to them?

Let’s go back to the definition of culture.

What do you do daily to demonstrate the attitude that everyone is welcome in the library? On the simplest level, it starts with a welcoming smile. It also is shown by your connecting with classroom teachers and specials. Reach out to art, music, and physical education teachers. You will be amazed at what creative results you can produce together.

How are you sharing your values? Posters and displays send powerful messages. Visual images reinforce words. Are your Mission and Vision Statements posted where everyone entering the library can see them? And do your words (what’s posted) match your actions? If people feel a disconnect between what you say and what you do, they won’t feel connected to the library.

What barriers have you taken down? – Are your computers handicap-accessible? Have you eliminated fines? Does your collection include materials in languages spoken by your students? Have you taken surveys to find barriers you might not have identified?

One last step. How have you brought the library’s culture into the wider community? Have you created a way to keep parents informed about the library and students’ successes? Do they know about the accessibility? Are you and the public librarian working together on projects aimed at reaching students while informing the community? What contacts have you made with local businesses? Building connections and allies deepens and strengthens your culture.

Creating the culture that results in a thriving library is an ongoing practice. But isn’t this why you became a librarian? Look at where you are already succeeding and then take a first step to go either deeper, broader, or both. The results may embolden you!

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Getting Others to Work With You

You are only recognized as vital to the school community when others know what you do – not what they think you do. And best way to make certain you’re better known and understood is to have a cooperative or, even better, a collaborative relationship with teachers. Then a peer becomes and ally.

With some faculty members, it’s easy. Others use the library as little as possible. In elementary school, they drop off their students and depart for their free period. In the upper grades, they bring their class to complete an assignment without you and don’t want your help. Somehow, you need to reach these uninterested teachers. If your past suggestions have been ignored, what can you do?

In her article, How to Get Genuine Cooperation from Difficult People, LaRae Quy provides a five-step approach for those in the business world to solving that challenge. Here are her steps, with my suggestions for those of us in education:

  1. Remember, our first reaction is to not collaborate – The teachers with whom you don’t have a natural connection likely feel they know their job and don’t need you to help them to do it. Quy’s suggests reaching them through a common interest. What do they care about? Email them about a resource or article that focuses on it. Follow up with one that says you hope it was helpful. Offer to work with them on a learning project on the topic. Ask them how they would like to structure it. Accept their approach, adding, as necessary, “we could also…” as a way to show how you can support them.
  2. Control facial responses – Not only do we communicate verbally, in print, and digitally, we also communicate silently with our body language. Our facial expression sends a message. Is your concern, disinterest or disdain visible? You don’t want your face to show that you think the teacher’s approach is not nearly as productive as it could be. Your negative silent message will carry a greater impact than your verbal positive one.
  3. Share personal stories – No one knows better than librarians how stories build connections. You might share memories about learning that topic when you were in school and any impact it had on your life. Figure out your story in anticipation of this conversation to keep it natural. Hopefully, your story will bring out one from the teacher. Now you have a new common interest and connection you can build your relationship on.
  4. Refuse to let it escalate – Should you get a strong negative response to any of your suggestions, keep from answering in the same manner. If you do, you have lost the possibility for any cooperation now or in the future. Quy offer saying this as an alternative, “I see how you feel (or think), but here is another way to look at the situation…” Start by acknowledging their reaction. It’s not easy to do in the moment, but knowing the importance of keeping your cool will help. (And work on controlling your body language and facial expressions.)
  5. Appeal to higher moral ground – Find a shared common value and speak to it. For example, you could say, “We both want our students to be successful not only in their studies but in becoming lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.” Common beliefs build connections, and connections build relationships.

The first time you try this with a teacher, it might not work and it may feel uncomfortable because it’s new. Collaboration might not come naturally for you either, but that’s not a reason to stop. Try again in a few weeks. Don’t give up. It’s too important. You can do it. You are a leader and have overcome obstacles before; you will do it again. The results – and the ripple effects to other teachers – will be worth it..

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It’s a Wicked World. Make It Work for You

There’s no question that things have gotten wicked these days. It’s hard not to be fearful and stressed, but that way takes the joy out of what we do. We know our students and teachers need us to be our best. How can we deal with the climate we face?

We are leaders. We don’t react; we act. It’s time to generate positive PR about school libraries and school librarians. And what better way to do it than to tap into the popular (see what I did there?) movie Wicked to inspire us and bring some levity to a serious challenge.

Kim Marcus guides you through the process in her article, 5 PR Lessons From Wicked and Its Most Iconic Characters. Laugh a little as you apply their route to success into your world.

Elphaba: Own Your Narrative – This is one we must develop. Like Elphaba, we have often been unfairly cast in the role of villain. Markus says, “Be proactive in telling your story.” We are good at tech and story. Be creative in using video, well-designed infographics, and other tools of our trade to show what kids are learning and doing.  Design a logo and tagline if you haven’t done so yet and look for ways to get it out to your school community and the larger one that doesn’t understand the depth of complexity of what a librarian’ s job is.

Glinda: Embrace What Makes You Extraordinary – Glinda knows all about how to be popular and win others over. We know how to connect learning to life and life to learning. We know how to find the “just-right” book for a kid and the most helpful tech resources to power a teacher’s lesson. Take in your strengths and use them to send your message out to the communities you serve.

The Wizard: Avoid Misleading Narratives – We aren’t the ones using smoke and mirrors to send out the misleading and fictitious narratives, but we do need to counter it. For these PR techniques, this means being mindful of avoiding the pitfall of “not statements.” Never say what we don’t do. Thinking we are countering that message by denying it, we are in fact reinforcing it. People tend to blank out the “not’s” when recalling points made.

Madame Morrible: The Power of Influence – The best way to deliver your message is to have someone else say it. Advocacy is always the key. Students’ showing their projects created through using the library and commenting on what the library means to them are your first best influencers. They tell teachers and parents who speak more often to administrators. Those fanning the campaigns against school librarians claim students are being damaged. Let your students show their successes and growth.

The Townsfolk: Build Word-of-Mouth Trust – Marcus points out it was the townsfolk who spread the lies about Elphaba. Our townsfolk, or a vocal section of them, are doing the same to us. Make a point of getting out into your community. Go to and use local businesses. Mention as if in passing that you are the librarian at the school. Make positive comments about the business. In other word, build a relationship. Look for opportunities to help them with a tech issue and/or find information they need.

It is definitely time to defy the gravity of negativity pulling us down. Tap into these lessons from Wicked. Because every librarian deserves the chance to fly.

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Quiet Doesn’t Have To Go Unnoticed

You know it’s important for others to view you as a vital part of the educational community. But what if you are an introvert? How can you get your message out when you are uncomfortable speaking up and actively sharing your accomplishments?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how extroverts can benefit from using some of the strengths of introverts (Leadership Strengths of Introverts). These are the strengths you use naturally. For example, you are likely a deep and aware listener. You are good at tuning into what the teachers are saying or hearing the places where your principal is struggling. This awareness is a powerful skill when used purposefully. Knowing what others want and need, seeing where your skills can support them, allows you to help them get it. You don’t need to talk. Just do.

In her article, How to Get Noticed at Work as a Quiet Person, Jessica Chen, author of Smart Not Loud: How to Get Noticed At Work For All the Right Reasons, provides several suggestions you can use to support your success:

  • How you talk about your wins – Telling people how great you are or how well a program did is very uncomfortable for you. This isn’t necessarily a problem, since people often discount what they hear if they feel it is bragging. What you can do that will feel more comfortable is focus on the success of those you worked with. Talk about something the students created or about the teacher who worked with you on a learning project.
  • Spend time – Which teachers are considered stars? Which ones talk up about the great things they have done? Make it a point to spend time with them and find ways to collaborate with them. They will spread the word. They always do. And this time, you will be included in what they are saying.
  • Find your differentiating factor – Chen asks you to take the time to identify what it is you like to do and comes easily to you. Chances are, this is something that is challenging and/or less fun for others. Don’t discount it because it’s easy for you. This is your superpower. Once you know what it is, stop and think about who can benefit from it.
  • Link your talent to opportunity – Listen (already one of your skills) for more opportunities where you can offer your superpower to help someone. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to call it your superpower.) Knowing how to meet people’s needs and wants is a great way to get noticed by them. When you work in collaboration, there are more people to talk about the success – which means you can say less.
  • Expand your reach – Think bigger. Look for school and district committees where your talents and skills support their long and short-term goals. Once on the committee, do what you do so well – wait, watch, and listen. You will soon see ways you can help and once you do, your contributions will be noticed.
  • Advocating for yourself – Promotion yourself can be a huge challenge for introverts. Chen suggests using the acronym ACCT to guide you.
  • “A” is for Asking for what you want – Things won’t be given to us just because we work hard. Only you know what you need. Get clear, get specific, and ask. Your ongoing success depends on your speaking up for yourself.
  • “C” is for Circling Back – Most of the time you won’t get an immediate answer to your ask. This means you need to ask again. It shows you are serious. Go back to your clarity. They didn’t respond because of their priorities, not because the answer is no.
  • “C” is for Celebrate Your Wins – This is neither boasting nor something that has to be done “loudly”. If a teacher sends you a note about how a lesson has impacted further learning by students, after thanking her, forward it to your principal. (I also keep a Success Journal to keep me empowered.)
  • “T” is for Turning Down Requests – You have to know when (and how) to say “no.” If you take on everything you will soon be overwhelmed, and your work will suffer as will your personal mental health. You won’t have the ability to advocate for yourself. Instead of saying “no”, offer alternatives.
  • Speak up in meetings – I can almost hear the panic. This can be a real challenge for introverts, but Chen has an answer: The 4 A Sequence (and only three of them require you to say anything):
  • Active Listening – Use this skill to listen for the right moment to enter the conversation.
  • Acknowledge – Your first statement should make reference to the previous speaker. You can concur if you agree or say something neutral if you are about to disagree.
  • Anchor  – Having acknowledged the last speaker, use a few words from what the person said in introducing you comment or idea. The connection makes your response fit in the context of the meeting.
  • Answer – Now say what you have to add to the conversation. Stick to the point. Make it brief.

You have amazing skills and strengths. Being an introvert doesn’t change that, but they could be hidden. Look to see which of these steps are ones you feel you could incorporate. Soon, you will feel safe stepping out of your comfort zone, and your community will see you as the leader you are.