Seligman (1991, p.15), as referenced in Knight (2007), “The skill of optimism do not consist in learning to say positive things to yourself…What is crucial is what you think when you fail, using the power of “non-negative thinking.” Changing the destructive things you say to yourself when you experience the setbacks that life deals all of us is the central skill of optimism” (Knight, p. 188).
I say, this is a crucial skill for anyone in leadership. Whether you lead (teach) children, or train (coach) adults, knowing how to recover fast when things do not go as planned is paramount. I see this as a part of Tactic One: Stay Detached, or “don’t take it personal.” I used this often during my coaching sessions. Tactic Two: Walk On Solid Ground, or “stay firm, but flexible” was the second tactic I relied on, in addition to Tactic Eight: Taking Care of Yourself, or “put your own oxygen mask on first before you assist others” as I like to say.
To borrow from a TV character, Terrance, from the Arrangement (E!, 2018), “change your narrative” is a more simple way to convey Seligman’s quote. I tell students, friends, family, and strangers, that if you don’t like the way something is going, “change their narrative”. This simple statement encompasses all three tactics that I used in my coaching.
Going forward, I need to learn how to effectively use Tactic Five: Confronting Reality- do what matters to get things right. I also think that Tactic Six: Understanding School Culture, where teachers teach based on their location and the building expectation is important. Although, over simplified, I think that mastering these two tactics will benefit me as a transfer teacher to the building where I teach. I can most definitely see how knowing how to incorporate these tactics as an Instructional Coach.
As I type this response, I reflect on how I have transitioned to using sports analogies with the students I serve. I tell them that I am here to “coach” them through each lesson as they learn the skills, but they have to show up and do the work- just like game day for any sport activity. I remind them that fans never see the coach take the field because everything the coach does is to ensure that the players become the best at what they do- cheering, shooting baskets, scoring goals, or hitting homeruns!
I really am a coach.
I say, this is a crucial skill for anyone in leadership. Whether you lead (teach) children, or train (coach) adults, knowing how to recover fast when things do not go as planned is paramount. I see this as a part of Tactic One: Stay Detached, or “don’t take it personal.” I used this often during my coaching sessions. Tactic Two: Walk On Solid Ground, or “stay firm, but flexible” was the second tactic I relied on, in addition to Tactic Eight: Taking Care of Yourself, or “put your own oxygen mask on first before you assist others” as I like to say.
To borrow from a TV character, Terrance, from the Arrangement (E!, 2018), “change your narrative” is a more simple way to convey Seligman’s quote. I tell students, friends, family, and strangers, that if you don’t like the way something is going, “change their narrative”. This simple statement encompasses all three tactics that I used in my coaching.
Going forward, I need to learn how to effectively use Tactic Five: Confronting Reality- do what matters to get things right. I also think that Tactic Six: Understanding School Culture, where teachers teach based on their location and the building expectation is important. Although, over simplified, I think that mastering these two tactics will benefit me as a transfer teacher to the building where I teach. I can most definitely see how knowing how to incorporate these tactics as an Instructional Coach.
As I type this response, I reflect on how I have transitioned to using sports analogies with the students I serve. I tell them that I am here to “coach” them through each lesson as they learn the skills, but they have to show up and do the work- just like game day for any sport activity. I remind them that fans never see the coach take the field because everything the coach does is to ensure that the players become the best at what they do- cheering, shooting baskets, scoring goals, or hitting homeruns!
I really am a coach.