I worked closely with a school executive team in SW Oregon today. It was the second part of a team growth feedback project, joining the individual feedback with a group perspective. We were both looking at the forest and the trees of their team. The superintendent wanted to pivot from a year of chronic crisis to looking forward to next year when things are hopefully more stable.
I learned an important part of their resilience as a team and as a district related to their very intentional leadership culture of kindness. In many of their stories of surviving and thriving, we heard a simple yet powerful motto:
Above all, we treat each other well.
This allows them to correct each other and their employees when someone overreacts to a mistake using a well-known motto and core cultural value. Through this last year of chaos and frustration, they have an anchor that acts like gravity boots on a space station. They stay grounded when everything else is floating away.
Life is a team sport. What’s your motto that grounds your people in your culture?