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Has your team's honeymoon period ended?
Michael Iannini, Founder, MiddleLeader.com
Dear <<First Name>>,
Teams that step on the gas too hard at the start of the year and forget to let up will burn out.You can preserve and build on the goodwill that every team experiences at the beginning of the year, the “honeymoon period”. To avoid burnout and preserve that goodwill be on the lookout for these 'burnout' symptoms:
- Teams members are late to or distracted in meetings;
- Meeting interactions become more one dimensional;
- Disagreements surface in inappropriate ways; and
- Team members begin to distance themselves, becoming more passive.
Meetings will make or break a team. It is where we hope teachers will realize the proven impact that collaboration has on teaching and learning. But, if your meetings become a never-ending stream of tasks, the meetings will soon be perceived as a punishment, not a “nest” where teachers can seek solace, recharge, and return to their classrooms with fresh ideas and tools.
60-90 days into the school year is when the above symptoms begin to surface, this is what Bruce Tuckman identified as the Storming Stage of team development. This is when team leaders need to pay more attention to interpersonal relationships, throttle back on the tasks, and focus more on reinforcing the purpose of the team. In this issue, I have curated content specifically to help middle leaders navigate the Storming Stage. You will also find links to a variety of resources to further your leadership development
I wish you a purposeful and collaborative month ahead,
Michael
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