The following is a message LYS Coach Lesa Cain sent to her principals.

 Hey guys!  After 2½ years of traveling, training and coaching, I want to convince you that the absolutely, positively MOST important thing you can do EACH and EVERY day is to TALK to your staff.  TALK to them about what they are teaching, how they are teaching, who they are teaching and why they are teaching it.  

It is the single most common missing link on every campus that I visit.

Most of the time not talking to staff members is due to fear. It is fear of not knowing content, or the fear of upsetting people, or the fear of just not having “the answer.” Once we identify the fear, then we can make a plan and begin to move forward.  This has been the most frustrating, and surprisingly common, issue with respect to leadership that I deal with.  I thought most of my work would be helping to develop school-wide systems to promote better first teaching and then interventions, and I could not have been more wrong!  

For you guys, this is just a friendly reminder that instructional conversations are the basis of everything terrific that happens on your campus.  As you feel more and more stress and pressure during the testing season, stay focused, and please, keep talking about teaching and talking about teaching, and talking about teaching…

Thanks for Leading (and not just Running) Your School!!!

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook