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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
Streamline your workflow and bring your vision to life The Together Leader is a practical handbook for the busy mission-driven leader. With an emphasis on time management, the book provides all of the tools, templates, and checklists necessary for leaders to stay organized and keep on top their responsibilities. Maia Heyck-Merlin describes step-by-step a set of habits and systems that help leaders to keep everything running smoothly and, most importantly, achieve their mission-driven goals. By learning how to plan for the predictable, leaders can face the unexpected head-on, going off-plan while keeping their eye on the objective. Education leaders will learn how to prioritize quickly and efficiently, and gain access to hands-on tools that take the turbulence out of their days, allowing them to truly become a Together Leader. Mission-driven leaders are often required to multi-task; it's part of the job. This book gives leaders the tools and information they need to streamline their workflow, to take the day one task at a time without sacrificing productivity. The book includes lessons on how to: * Prioritize effectively and work efficiently * Get organized and stay prepared no matter what * Manage time, staff, and resources * Develop the habits of an effective leader A leader's time is valuable, as is that of their staff. There's no room for waste. The Together Leader prepares leaders to truly lead their teams, with the tools and strategies that make real, effective mission-driven leadership possible.
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Seitenzahl: 583
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016
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Table of Contents
Praise for The Together Leader
Title Page
Praise for The Together Leader
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Contents | Website Resources
Section 1: Set the Stage
Chapter 1: Leading in a Mission-Driven Context
What Do You Mean by
Mission-Driven Work
?
What Do You Mean by
Togetherness
, Anyway?
Why Togetherness Matters Even More in Your Context
My Own Togetherness Journey
Why This Book Is Different
How This Book Is Organized
How Each Chapter Is Organized
How to Use This Book
Notes on Terminology and Methodology
Togetherness Is a Means to an End
Chapter 2: Take Stock: Assess Your Togetherness Level
Overview and Objectives
Togetherness Levels
The Tools You Need
Reader Quiz: Togetherness Tools
Routines Rule
Mind-Sets Matter (More Than Anything)
Build the Habit
Don't Go on an Organizational Binge
Let's Jump In
Section 2: Get Clear on Your Purpose
Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
How Do I Set Yearly Goals?
How Do I Set Quantitative Goals?
Create a Time Line for Goal Setting—and Put Someone in Charge
Reviewing Goal Progress
Start Strong
Chapter 4: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Jen's Priority Plan
Kari's Priority Plan
How Big or How Small—Are These Giant Leaps or Baby Steps?
The Routine
Getting a Team Onboard
My Priority Plan Isn't Working for Me
Start Strong
Chapter 5: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
The Model
Build Your Own
The Mechanics of a Regular One-on-One Meeting
Nailing the Content
The Routine
Meeting Follow-Up
A Long-Term View
Start Strong
Section 3: Get Yourself Together
Chapter 6: Get Macro: Design a Comprehensive Calendar
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Create Your Comprehensive Calendar
Articulate Your Priorities
Sketch an Ideal Week
Impose the Ideal Week onto Your Digital Calendar
Let's Get Consolidated
Zoom Out to View a Year
Start Strong
Chapter 7: Strategic Procrastination: Design a Later List
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
The Model
Build Your Own
The Routine
Start Strong
Chapter 8: Reconcile Your Time and To-Dos: Create Your Weekly Plan
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
The Model
Task-Driven, Time-Driven, or Blended?
Build Your Own
Little Things Make a Difference
Some Other Sneaky Calendar Tricks
But, Maia, What about Things That Just Come Up?
Keep It Alive: The Routine
Start Strong
Chapter 9: Keep It Together: Routines and Checklists
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Weekly Routines: Clean Up and Look Ahead
Ensuring Weird Weeks Don't Take You by Surprise
Monthly or Quarterly Practices
Other Useful Checklists
Need a Few Trackers?
Start Strong
Chapter 10: Hold That Thought: Save It for Later!
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
The Model
Build Your Own
The Routine
Start Strong
Section 4: Get Your Team and Organization Together
Chapter 11: Keep E-mail in Its Place
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Conduct an E-mail Audit
Get Your In-box Set Up for Success
Write Clearly and Efficiently
Process Efficiently
Creating Routines: When Do You Check Your E-mail?
Managing Communications as an Organization
Start Strong
Chapter 12: Project Design, Planning, and Communication: More Than Just Spreadsheets!
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Set the Stage
Detour: Don't Forget to Merge with your Personal Organization System!
Start Strong
Chapter 13: Become a Dynamic Duo: Maximize Your Assistant
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Evaluate Your Current Relationship
Hire the Right Person
Train Your Assistant Well
Use Your Assistant to Manage More Than Your Scheduling
Leader and Assistant Communication Structures
Start Strong
Section 5: Put It All Together
Chapter 14: Keep Track of Stuff, Space, and Knowledge
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Deal with Your Own Stuff
Make the Most of Shared Office Space
Track the Inventory
Manage the Knowledge
Start Strong
Chapter 15: Create a Culture of Togetherness
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Define Togetherness in Your Organization
Select the Right People
Showcase and Model Togetherness at the Onset
Create an Onboarding Overview
Up and Running: Observe and Coach
How to Observe Togetherness
Maintaining Togetherness in Your Organization
Agreeing on Standard Together Team Tools
Start Strong
Chapter 16: Conclusion: Keep It All Together
Seen and Heard
Overview and Objectives
Remember the Why
What to Tackle First
Explaining Yourself to Others
What Happens When You Fall Off
Transferring Togetherness to the Home Front
Why the World Needs Together Leaders
Bibliography
Index
How to Access the Website Resources
About the Author
End User License Agreement
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Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
List of Illustrations
Chapter 2: Take Stock: Assess Your Togetherness Level
Figure 2.1 Togetherness Spectrum
Figure 2.2 The Togetherness Tools
Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction
Figure 3.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 3.2 Ewing Marion Kauffman School Goals
Figure 3.3 YES Prep Presentation Slide
Figure 3.4 YES Prep Presentation Slide
Figure 3.5 ANet Goal-Setting Dashboard
Figure 3.6 ANet's State of the Organization Agenda
Figure 3.7 Rocketship Education Annual Planning Process and Time Line
Figure 3.8 Rocketship Education Annual Planning Kick-Off Agenda
Figure 3.9 ANet's Quarterly Step-Back Agenda
Figure 3.10 YES Prep's State of the School
Figure 3.11 YES Prep's Student Achievement
Figure 3.12 YES Prep's Staff Reflection
Figure 3.13 TPSD Operations Goal-Review Spreadsheet
Figure 3.14 Talent Development by Individual
Figure 3.15 Talent Development by Title
Figure 3.16 School Leadership Roles Chart
Figure 3.17 YES Prep's Roles and Responsibilities
Figure 3.18 “Big Rock” Calendar
Figure 3.19 Collegiate Academies' Scorecard
Figure 3.20 Mission and Goals
Figure 3.21 Aligned Language
Figure 3.22 Flowchart
Figure 3.23 Objectives
Figure 3.24 Guardrails
Figure 3.25 Three-Year Priority Map Template
Figure 3.26 Individual Goals
Figure 3.27 Overall Goals Road Map
Chapter 4: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan
Figure 4.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 4.2 Priority Plan Template 1
Figure 4.3 Priority Plan Template 2
Figure 4.4 Jen's Priority Plan
Figure 4.5 Kari's Yearly Goals
Figure 4.6 Kari's Priority Plan
Figure 4.7 Priorities for Direct Reports
Figure 4.8 Brian's Priority Plan
Figure 4.9 Decision-Making Criteria
Figure 4.10 Categories of Involvement
Chapter 5: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix
Figure 5.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 5.2 Meeting Matrix Template
Figure 5.3 Sally's Meeting Matrix
Figure 5.4 Melissa's Meeting Matrix
Figure 5.5 Melissa's One-on-One Agenda
Figure 5.6 Melissa and Keely One-on-One Agenda
Figure 5.7 Sharon's Team Meeting Agenda
Figure 5.8 YES Prep Meeting Agenda
Figure 5.9 Melissa and Maia's Meeting Invite
Figure 5.10 Kendra and Maia's Meeting Invite
Figure 5.11 Meeting Scope and Sequence Blank Template
Figure 5.12 Corey's Meeting Scope and Sequence
Chapter 6: Get Macro: Design a Comprehensive Calendar
Figure 6.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 6.2 Comprehensive Calendar Process
Figure 6.3 Comprehensive Calendar Process
Figure 6.4 Hannah's Ideal Week Blank Template
Figure 6.5 Hannah's Ideal Week with Macro Time Blocks
Figure 6.6 Hannah's Ideal Week with Meetings
Figure 6.7 Hannah's Ideal Week
Figure 6.8 Comprehensive Calendar Process
Figure 6.9 Hannah's Weekly Comprehensive Calendar
Figure 6.10 Hannah's Monthly Calendar: View 1
Figure 6.11 Hannah's Monthly Calendar: View 2
Figure 6.12 Hannah's Monthly Calendar: View 3
Chapter 7: Strategic Procrastination: Design a Later List
Figure 7.1 Johanna's October Later List
Figure 7.2 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 7.3 Later List Template
Figure 7.4 Steve's Later List
Figure 7.5 Heather's Later List
Figure 7.6 Heather's Later List Filtered for Book Tasks
Figure 7.7 Heather's Planned Priority Blocks in her Comprehensive Calendar
Figure 7.8 Johanna's Later List
Figure 7.9 Ashley's Combo Later List and Priority Plan
Figure 7.10 Build Your Later List
Figure 7.11 Indrina's To-Do List
Figure 7.12 Indrina's Work Blocks
Chapter 8: Reconcile Your Time and To-Dos: Create Your Weekly Plan
Figure 8.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 8.2 Weekly Worksheet Template
Figure 8.3 Daily Worksheets in Outlook and Google
Figure 8.4 Dave's Weekly Worksheet
Figure 8.5 CC + LL = WW
Figure 8.6 Lo's Weekly Worksheet: Before
Figure 8.7 Lo's Weekly Worksheet: After
Figure 8.8 Roslyn's Daily Worksheet
Figure 8.9 Mark's Weekly Worksheet
Figure 8.10 Molly's Train Ride Tasks
Figure 8.11 Build Your Own Weekly Worksheet
Figure 8.12 Mark's Calendared Travel Time
Figure 8.13 Beast Mode Flag
Chapter 9: Keep It Together: Routines and Checklists
Figure 9.1 Reshma's Daily Routine
Figure 9.2 Riley's Daily Closing Routine
Figure 9.3 Max's Self Meeting
Figure 9.4 Diana's Weekly Self-Meeting Checklist
Figure 9.5 Max's E-mail Availability Preview
Figure 9.6 Ron's Meeting with Myself Agenda
Figure 9.7 Reshma's Monthly Routine
Figure 9.8 Maia's Packing List
Figure 9.9 Indrina's Board Meeting Prep Checklist
Figure 9.10 Denise's Christmas Countdown Checklist
Figure 9.11 Chris's Evaluation Tracker
Figure 9.12 Chris's Follow-Up List
Chapter 10: Hold That Thought: Save It for Later!
Figure 10.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 10.2 Thought Catcher Template
Figure 10.3 Mekia's Thought Catcher 1
Figure 10.4 Mekia's Thought Catcher 2
Figure 10.5 Athena's Thought Catchers
Figure 10.6 Johanna's Thought Catcher
Figure 10.7 Ron's Clipboard
Figure 10.8 Ron's Thought Catcher
Figure 10.9 Ron's Later List
Chapter 11: Keep E-mail in Its Place
Figure 11.1 Jon's Auto Response
Figure 11.2 Jesse's In-box, the Before Version
Figure 11.3 Jesse's In-box, the After Version
Figure 11.4 MATCH Community Day Communication Expectations
Figure 11.5 Education Pioneers Communication Norms
Chapter 12: Project Design, Planning, and Communication: More Than Just Spreadsheets!
Figure 12.1 The Togetherness Tools
Figure 12.2 Project Management Steps
Figure 12.3 Kate's Project Statement
Figure 12.4 Kate's Roles Overview
Figure 12.5 Kate's Residential Ops Lead Job Description
Figure 12.6 Kate's Project Summary
Figure 12.7 Kate's Team's List of Questions
Figure 12.8 Kate's Project Assignment Sheet
Figure 12.9 Kate's Project Time Line
Figure 12.10 Kate's Debrief Agenda
Figure 12.11 Kate's Debrief Meeting Materials: Excerpt 1
Figure 12.12 Kate's Debrief Meeting Materials: Excerpt 2
Chapter 13: Become a Dynamic Duo: Maximize Your Assistant
Figure 13.1 Collegiate Academies' Assistant Job Description Part 1
Figure 13.2 Collegiate Academies' Assistant Job Description Part 2
Figure 13.3 Assistant Prioritization Activity
Figure 13.4 Mila's Response for Prioritization Activity
Figure 13.5 Mila's Onboarding What You Will Learn
Figure 13.6 Mila's Month-to-Month Responsibilities
Figure 13.7 Mila's Immediate Independent Work
Figure 13.8 Workshop Calendar Entry for Aspire
Figure 13.9 Maggie's Calendar Scrub Checklist
Figure 13.10 Weekly Summary
Figure 13.11 Maia's Pending Meeting Tracker
Figure 13.12 Sarah's Daily E-mail
Figure 13.13 Erica's Daily Check-In Tracker
Figure 13.14 Mark and Michelle's Check-In Agenda
Figure 13.15 Mila's Weekly Priorities E-mail
Figure 13.16 Mila and Maia's Monthly Step Back
Figure 13.17 Katie and Elissa's Briefings Folder
Figure 13.18 Elissa's Notes for Katie
Figure 13.19 Harris's Management Memo
Figure 13.20 Harris's Buckets of Responsibility
Figure 13.21 Harris's Meeting Matrix
Figure 13.22 Harris's Deep-Dive Topics
Figure 13.23 Harris's Required Reference Documents
Chapter 14: Keep Track of Stuff, Space, and Knowledge
Figure 14.1 Sharon Uses These Vertical Standing Folders to Catch Papers on Current Projects That She Wants to Have Readily Available
Figure 14.2 Sharon's Reference Wall of Important Schedules and Other Key Information
Figure 14.3 Sarah Maintains Clearly Labeled Reference Materials— Binders of Past Projects If You
Must
Keep Hard Copies (but Consider a Binder Purge or a Scanning Party!)
Figure 14.4 Sarah Keeps Pens, Markers, Pencils, Scissors, and Supplies Handy
Figure 14.5 Extra Bonus for Clearly Labeling Your Stuff Similar to How Sarah Does
Figure 14.6 Sample Outlook Contact from a Business Card
Figure 14.7 Emily's High-Level Folders
Figure 14.8 Emily's Subfolders
Figure 14.9 Mary Clare's File Names
Figure 14.10 Beast Mode Signs
Figure 14.11 Door Signs
Figure 14.12 AF Kitchenette Agreements
Figure 14.13 AF Copy Center Agreements
Figure 14.14 TFA Conference Room Signs
Figure 14.15 TFA Conference Room Signs
Figure 14.16 Coffee Read
Figure 14.17 Knowledge Base
Figure 14.18 Client Inquiry
Figure 14.19 Communications Team Project Status
Figure 14.20 Animal Employees
Chapter 15: Create a Culture of Togetherness
Figure 15.1 TNTP's Strategic Prioritization Definition
Figure 15.2 VP-Level Definition of Strategic Prioritization
Figure 15.3 RGSE Leveled Rubric
Figure 15.4 RGSE Rubric: Level C
Figure 15.5 Joe's Onboarding Plan of Suggested Priorities
Figure 15.6 Tuba Time Sign
Chapter 16: Conclusion: Keep It All Together
Figure 16.1 Balanced! Effective!
List of Tables
Chapter 2: Take Stock: Assess Your Togetherness Level
Table 2.1 Togetherness Assessment: Section 1
Table 2.2 Togetherness Assessment: Section 2
Table 2.3 Togetherness Assessment: Section 3
Table 2.4 Routines Rule Assessment
Table 2.5 Mind-Sets Matter Assessment
Table 2.6 Togetherness Timeline
Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction
Table 3.1 YES Prep School Director High-Impact Responsibilities (HIRs)
Chapter 4: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan
Table 4.1 Sample Key Actions
Table 4.2 Key Actions Spread across Three Months
Table 4.3 Key Actions with Operations Director Added In
Table 4.4 Kari's Intro to Priority Plans Team Meeting Agenda
Table 4.5 Shannon's Team's Google Doc of Projects
Chapter 5: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix
Table 5.1 Melissa's Meeting Expectations
Table 5.2 Talent Mansion Short-Term Next-Step Tracker
Table 5.3 Amy's Meeting Scope and Sequence
Chapter 6: Get Macro: Design a Comprehensive Calendar
Table 6.1 Time Needed for Priorities
Chapter 8: Reconcile Your Time and To-Dos: Create Your Weekly Plan
Table 8.1 How to Select the Right Weekly Worksheet
Table 8.2 Common Internal Time Crushers
Table 8.3 Common External Time Crushers
Table 8.4 Hannah's Crusher Tracker
Chapter 10: Hold That Thought: Save It for Later!
Table 10.1 Thought Catchers Quiz Answers
Chapter 11: Keep E-mail in Its Place
Table 11.1 E-mail Audit Agenda
Table 11.2 Trash, Process, Folder
Chapter 12: Project Design, Planning, and Communication: More Than Just Spreadsheets!
Table 12.1 Kate's MOCHA Model
Table 12.2 Job Description Planning
Table 12.3 Kate's Kick-Off Agenda
Table 12.4 Example Work Stream Map
Table 12.5 Kate's Project Time Line
Table 12.6 Kate's Project Meeting Agenda
Chapter 13: Become a Dynamic Duo: Maximize Your Assistant
Table 13.1 Assistant and Manager Quiz
Table 13.2 Manager Preferences Interview—Level 1: Master the Mechanics
Table 13.3 Manager Preferences Interview—Level 2: Manage Your Energy and Tasks
Table 13.4 Manager Preferences Interview—Level 3: Manage Your Plans and Priorities
Table 13.5 Our Communication Plan
Chapter 15: Create a Culture of Togetherness
Table 15.1 Interviewing for Togetherness
Table 15.2 Steps to Get Your Team Back on Track
Chapter 16: Conclusion: Keep It All Together
Table 16.1 Where to Start
Praise for The Together Leader
“We've all seen the most earnest, well-intentioned leaders miss the mark because they lack an airtight plan to get their most mission-critical work done. The Together Leader provides a clear, groundbreaking roadmap for maximizing systems, structures, people, and most all of, leaders themselves, in order to yield excellent results. This book is as useful for a not ‘together’ novice, as it is for a high-functioning leader with undiscovered blind spots to fine tune. I'm not exaggerating when I say that regardless of where you are in your leadership journey, Maia's book will change your life.”—Paula White, executive director, Regional Achievement Centers, New Jersey Department of Education
“Maia Heyck-Merlin has proven her ability, on so many stages, to help teachers reach their goals on student development, time management, and personal balance. And now, with The Together Leader, she is inviting leaders to join the movement. This book pairs practical advice with compelling anecdotes to help mission-driven leaders revolutionize the way they do business, and the way their organizations reach their ambitious goals.”—Emily McCann, president, Citizen Schools
“No one on the planet is better qualified to write about ‘togetherness’ than Maia Heyck-Merlin. Her book is a gift to mission-driven leaders who want to be more effective, more reliable, more productive—in other words, who want to have a bigger impact on the world. It is filled with easy-to-use, concrete, practical tools and advice, and on top of that it is a joy to read. I love this book!”—Jerry Hauser, chief executive officer, The Management Center
“As someone who has clung to her copy of The Together Teacher, The Together Leader is a welcome addition to my professional library. In The Together Leader, Maia reminds us that mission-driven work is done in service of the greater good, and that the mission-driven leader needs a strong foundation of organizational support to effectively reach that goal. The Together Leader enables leaders to create that foundation of organizational support within their team. I'm grateful to Maia for helping my team establish ‘togetherness,’ as it has aided our ability to work in service of students with disabilities, their families, and the schools that serve them.”—Christina Foti, chief executive director, Special Education Office–Division of Specialized Instruction and Student, New York City Department of Education
“There's not a mission-focused leader out there who wouldn't benefit from reading this book. Whether you are trying to change the world on a shoestring or leading from within a major institution, The Together Leader delivers the comprehensive customizable set of tools you need to manage your time and that of others for maximum impact and minimum burnout.”—Alex Johnston, founder and president, Impact for Education
“The Together Leader is the real deal for leaders and leadership teams who want concrete tools to help manage their time and for execute their priorities in our age of information overload. The tools and techniques outlined in this book will bring clarity and organization to anyone who uses them. It will be a tune-up for some and a lifesaver for many.”—Jay Altman, chief executive officer, FirstLine Schools
“Maia is uniquely qualified to support educators in this critical arena. Her framework has benefited our staff tremendously in separating the urgent from the merely important, focusing our time and energy on what matters most.”—Paymon Rouhanifard, superintendent, Camden City School District
“With clarity and compassion, Maia delivers strong advice on being a ‘together’ leader in the mission-driven workplace. Filled with smart storytelling, clear examples, and actionable steps, The Together Leader, is a must-read for anyone in the nonprofit sector.”—Elisa Villanueva Beard, chief executive officer, Teach for America
“Maia tells it like it is—leading a school or team requires a level of ‘togetherness’ and ‘with-it-ness’ that is just never taught. Leaders are too often overwhelmed or even blindsided by the daily demands of their jobs. Maia provides the mindset and tools necessary for leaders to prioritize, plan, and protect their time. Her approach has helped hundreds of our team members—they will help you as well.”—Dave Levin, cofounder, KIPP: Knowledge is Power Program
“The Together Leader has helped me maximize my time as a leader. Not only do I have more time dedicated to supporting my team, I have developed the systems necessary to think both short and long term, review critical plans with care, and make better decisions on behalf of the children I serve. Maia's tips on organization have helped me become a better leader.”—Jennifer Cheatham, superintendent of schools, Madison Metropolitan School District
“You can have all the vision, dedication, and talented team members in the world, but if you can't organize yourself as a leader, you can't possibly reach maximum impact. Using the techniques Maia describes in this must-read book, hundreds of Leading Educators' teacher leaders have improved their team management abilities. The payoff of their ‘togetherness’: increased student learning and opportunity in life.”—Jonas Chartock, chief executive officer, Leading Educators
“As nonprofit leaders we must do the work that matters most. Trouble is, precious time can get swallowed up by out-of-control inboxes, endless meetings, and urgent requests. To keep important work on track, The Together Leader gives leaders the practices and tools to connect the big picture with their daily work. Our Education Pioneers team regularly uses Maia's teachings and trainings because we believe strongly in their effectiveness to drive mission-critical work forward.”—Scott Morgan, founder & chief executive officer, Education Pioneers
“What Maia did for teachers in The Together Teacher, she has now done for leaders. As our best teachers transition into leadership roles, their lives change in ways that require new levels of ‘togetherness’—they have to be responsive, mobile, and reliable without the comfort of their own classroom or a predetermined schedule. Her practical, bite-sized, applicable tools and techniques are the difference between surviving and thriving as a school leader. This book goes well beyond time management. It helps leaders successfully ensure that ‘the right things are done by the right people at the right times’ so they can spend their time doing what matters most – helping teachers and students be successful.”—Gail McGee, career pathways senior manager, Houston Independent School District
“The Together Leader is an invaluable resource for our organization in helping individuals and teams align and maximize their time in service of schools. Whether it's the weekly worksheet or the long-term comprehensive calendar, our teammates rave about Maia's resources—they're practical, timely, and can be put to use right away. Personally, I've learned an immense amount from Maia on how to maximize my own time to best benefit my organization. I know leaders everywhere will put the practices in this book to use for themselves and for their organizations.”—John Maycock, cofounder and president, The Achievement Network
“The Together Leader provides incredibly useful strategies that empower leaders to manage their priorities more effectively. We use Maia's strategies and guidance in leadership teams across our network to ensure that our leaders are executing our vision in the most skillful and strategic ways.”—Katie Severn, president & chief academic officer, DC Prep
“The ideas and systems Maia provides are practical yet life-changing. She understands the unique demands of mission-driven leadership. This book provides the tools necessary to tackle challenges head on. By reflecting on and implementing these thoughtful strategies, leaders are guaranteed to save time and energy, enacting a strategy this is sustainable and that allows them to retain their passion for leading in the long-term!”—Amanda Delabar, principal, Tubman Elementary, DC Public Schools
“Empowering…Tool agnostic…Balanced… Maia is more than just a great presenter and a treasure trove of tools. She empowers leaders to meet their professional goals by balancing their personal priorities in ways that are smart and sustainable. Readers will be empowered by Maia's practical insight on how to create effective systems that any leader can replicate and apply to their daily practice. The Together Leader is essential for central office leaders, principals, assistant principals, aspiring leaders, and principal supervisors, instructing them on how best to protect their time both personally and professionally.”—Michele Mason, executive director, Leadership Development, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
THE TOGETHER LEADER
Get Organized for Your Success—and Sanity!
Maia Heyck-Merlin
Copyright © 2016 by Maia Heyck-Merlin. All rights reserved.
Published by Jossey-Bass
A Wiley Brand
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To Doug McCurry and Dacia Toll, who modeled the entire leadership package and enabled this book to happen
Acknowledgments
The Together Leader was a long time coming. And it would never have arrived without a ton of support. I certainly didn't invent the To-Do List, but I have been inspired and encouraged by many to share my own unique approach to Togetherness. Two Together and rapidly growing non-profits, Teach For America and Achievement First, collectively employed me for over a decade and let me observe, experiment and eventually train widely across both organizations while I was technically doing “other jobs.” So many people have invited me deep into their organizations, their schools, and even their homes to allow me to paint a rich picture of Together Leaders. And because of all of those observations, I've been able to curate and narrate effective practices back to you.
To the thousands of Together Leader workshop and webinar participants: thank you for sharing your stories, results, and passion. Every time I deliver a workshop, I'm reminded why we need so many more mission-driven leaders fighting the good fight. I'm especially grateful to organizations that have welcomed me in to share so much about their people and practices: The Achievement Network, TNTP, KIPP, the Relay Graduate School of Education, YES Prep, Achievement First, The Ewing Marion Kauffman School, Teach For America, Citizen Schools, and more. There are countless other organizations mentioned within the book, but the ones listed here tolerated my e-mails, visits, questions, and more over countless years. And a huge thank-you to the leaders I've coached who agreed to open the doors and share their tools, mind-sets, and routines throughout this text. There are too many of you to list individually but just know I have a spreadsheet and I'm thanking you all profusely. You've dealt with my requests for interviews, requests for documents, and requests for more interviews with grace and enthusiasm.
There are many pioneering authors on the topics of priorities, habits, rituals, energy, and productivity. To Tony Schwartz, Brigid Schulte, Tom Rath, Steven Covey, David Allen, David Levitan, and Laura Vanderkam: thank you for setting the stage, going first, doing the hefty research, and helping me apply your concepts to my particular sector.
I'm so grateful to those who have been brave (or unfortunate) enough to lead me: Antoinette Bienemy and Jim Geiser, my two principals; Jerry Hauser, Nicole Baker Fulgham, and Jeff Wetzler, my managers at Teach For America; Dacia Toll and Doug McCurry, my co-bosses at Achievement First. Thanks for consistently modeling why a leader needs to be Together.
Norman Atkins, Dan Konecky, Aaron Suffrin, the whole Relay GSE team, Jay Altman, and Mike Goldstein have always championed my work and served as wise mentors. I'm grateful to a team of professional supports, including Rusty Shelton and the entire team at Shelton Interactive, Lee Kirby, Nicole Garner, and Lee Weiner. We have been together for a long time now, and I'm grateful for your various areas of content expertise. Kate Gagnon and her wonderful team at Jossey-Bass supported this project from the very start. They joined me at workshops, refined the table of contents, ensured every ounce of text flowed smoothly and every image printed clearly.
Many people donated their most precious resource (their time) to read entire copies of this book. Allie Rogovin, you are the epitome of a Together Leader. Thank you for being my first cold reader. Trusted advisors Scott McCue, Randall Lahann, Kim Marshall, and Giselle Wagner brought their collective decades of leadership experience to offer wise feedback in the book's earliest stages. Genna Weinstein and Kate McCabe: thank you for serving as such trusted thought partners and consistently replying to my spazzy text messages. I also want to thank Kate Berger, Shawn Mangar, Erica Williamson, Chris Hines, Ron Gubitz, Emily Stainer, Maggie Goldstein, Sean Precious, and Amanda Cahn for being ever-available on the bat-phone; fellow author Elena Aguilar for being a source of practical advice and constant cheerleading in the home stretch; and many thanks to the countless others, too many to name, who gave input on the initial table of contents.
A big thanks to Shelby Lee Keefer and Evan Jenkins, who functioned as my work best friends while in graduate school and looking for acting work on Broadway, respectively, for handling social media, travel booking, and myriad other thankless tasks that kept us moving. A deep shout-out of gratitude goes out to Kendra Rowe Salas and her rotating cast of actors (including, occasionally, her husband!), who seamlessly handle every back-office part of my work, from project management to inventory to website to newsletters to accounting. Kendra, this book would not be possible without you doing so much to free up my brain to think and write. To Meghan Pierce, book production coordinator, researcher, fact checker, art logger, recipe sharer extraordinaire: thank you for handling my creativity with such flexibility and encouragement. You can make a spreadsheet, spot an inconsistency, and find a million solutions like no other. And to Marin Smith, my dear friend and colleague of almost a decade: thank you for your editorial support. You bring more of my voice to my stuff than even I do sometimes! And last, to Josh Lowitz, my pretend boss: here's to another five years.
I'm eternally grateful to have a strong group of people who support my home life, especially my dear girlfriends who don't mind late-night phone calls when I return from airports, provide vacation memos with meal plans, and potluck planning documents. And WoMos: thanks for all the gold stars over the past few years. You keep me going. Daysi Espinoza takes wonderful care of my children, especially when I'm on the road for multiple days at a time. My husband, Jack Levner, tolerates my musings, reflections, and practice sessions—and maintains a strong commitment to our family Google Calendar. Last but never least, thank you to my kids, Ada and Reed, who know how to put their shoes away in cubbies and can read calendars already. I see a Together Student on the horizon…
Contents | Website Resources
For downloadable tools, templates, samples, and other useful items please visit HYPERLINK
http://www.wiley.com/go/togetherleader
. You'll find simple instructions on how to create an account in the back of the book, “How to Access Website Resources.”
All Chapters
Reader Reflection Guide (Reflection Questions + Reader Quizzes)
Additional Resources and Helpful Links
Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction
Ewing Marion Kauffman School Goals
YES Prep Houston's Goals Powerpoint
ANet's Goal-Setting Dashboard
ANet's State of the Organization Agenda
Rocketship's Annual Planning Process & Time line
Rocketship's Annual Planning Kickoff Agenda
ANet's Quarterly Stepback Agenda
YES Prep Houston's State of the School
TPSD Ops Goal Review Spreadsheet
Talent Development Team Responsibilities
Diana A's School Leadership Roles Chart
YES Prep Houston's Role & Responsibilities
Team Ops Big Rocks Calendar
CANO Scorecard
YES Prep Houston's School Director HIRs
Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction
KIPP Austin's Goal-Setting Process
Chapter 4: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan
Priority Plan Templates
Jen S's Priority Plan
Kari T's Goals, Actions & Priority Plan
Brian J's Priority Plan
Kari T's Priority Plan Meeting Agenda
See It In Action: Wrist, Elbow, and Shoulder
Shannon D's Google Doc of Projects
Shannon D's Categories of Involvement
Chapter 5: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix
Meeting Matrix Template
Sally H's Meeting Matrix
Melissa R's Meeting Matrix
Melissa R's 1-1 Agenda
Sharon J's Team Meeting Agenda
YES Prep's Meeting Agenda
Melissa R's Meeting Expectations
Maia's Meeting Invites
Next Steps Tracker Template
Documenting Decisions Template
Meeting Scope & Sequence Template
Amy C's Meeting Scope & Sequence
Corey C's Meeting Scope & Sequence
Chapter 6: Get Macro: Design a Comprehensive Calendar
Hannah L's Ideal Week
Hannah L's Weekly Comprehensive Calendar
Hannah L's Monthly Calendar
Directions for Synchronizing Digital Calendars
Ideal Week Template
Chapter 7: Strategic Procrastination: Design a Later List
Later List Templates
Johanna P's Later List
Steve H-R's Later List
Heather P's Later List
Ashley M's Later List & Priority Plan
Common Challenge: The Calendar and To-Do List Collide
Indrina K's To-Do List & Work Blocks
Chapter 8: Reconcile Your Time and To-Do's: Create Your Weekly Plan
Weekly & Daily Worksheet Templates
Dave H's Weekly Worksheet
Lo N's Weekly Worksheet
Mark D's Weekly Worksheet
Molly D's Calendar Entry
Mark D's Calendared Travel Time
Crusher Tracker Template
Chapter 9: Keep It Together: Routines and Checklists
Reshma S's Daily & Monthly Routine
Riley K's Daily Closing Routine
Max K's Meeting with Myself
Diana H's Meeting with Myself Checklist
Ron G's Meeting with Myself Agenda
Meeting with Myself Checklist
Maia's Packing Checklist
Indrina K's Board Meeting Prep Checklist
Denise P's Christmas Countdown Checklist
Chris H's Evaluation & Follow-up Trackers
Chapter 10: Hold That Thought: Save It for Later!
Mekia L's Thought Catcher
Athena M's Thought Catcher
Johanna P's Thought Catcher
Thought Catcher Templates
See It In Action: What Should I Carry?
Ron G's Clipboard
Ron G's Thought Catcher
Ron G's Later List
Chapter 11: Keep E-mail in Its Place
E-mail Audit Agenda
Jon S's Auto Response
Jesse R's Inbox Before & After
The MATCH Community Day School Communications Agreements
Education Pioneers Communication Norms
Chapter 12: Project Design, Planning, and Communications: More Than Just Spreadsheets!
Kate M's Project Statement
Kate M's Roles Overview
Kate M's MOCHA Model
Kate M's Residential Ops Lead Job Description
Kate M's Project Summary
Kate M's Kick-Off Agenda
Project Kick-Off Meeting Agenda Template
Kate M's Team's List of Questions
Kate M's Project Assignment Sheet
Project Assignment Sheets Template
Kate M's Project Time line
Project Work Stream Map Template
Kate M's Master Project Plan
Kate M's Project Meeting Agenda
Kate M's Debrief Meeting Materials
Chapter 13: Become a Dynamic Duo: Maximize Your Assistant
Collegiate Academies' Assistant Job Description
Assistant Prioritization Activity
Mila S's Response for Prioritization Activity
Mila S's Onboarding Plan
Sample Calendar Entry
Maggie K's Calendar Scrub Checklist
Maia's Weekly Summary
Maia's Pending Meetings Tracker
Pending Meetings Tracker Template
Sarah H's Daily E-mail
Erica P's Daily Check-In Tracker
Mark & Michelle's Check-In Agenda
Mila S's Weekly Priorities E-mail
Sample Assistant Priority Plan
Mila & Maia's Stepback Agenda
Kate & Elissa's Briefings Folder
See It In Action: The Management Memo
Harris F's Management Memo
Management Memo Template
Chapter 14: Keep Track of Stuff, Space, and Knowledge
Sharon J's Office Photos
Sarah S's Desk Photos
Emily F's Folders
Mary Clare R's File Names
Achievement First's Working Agreements PowerPoint
TNTP's Wiki Samples
Chapter 15: Create a Culture of Togetherness
TNTP's Strategic Prioritization Definition
Relay Graduate School of Education Rubric
Joe R's Onboarding Deck
Ron G's Tuba Time Sign
Chapter 16: Conclusion: Keep It All Together
Weekly Family Meeting Agenda
Section 1
Set the Stage
Chapter 1Leading in a Mission-Driven Context
It was June 17, 2003, 12:30 pm. I had no choice. I pulled my car over on a residential Houston street, threw down the driver's seat, and curled up for a catnap. In approximately sixty minutes, I'd be training fifty veteran educators on how to support rookie teachers over the summer. But right then, I needed to sleep. My backseat was packed to the brim with training materials and supplies hastily thrown into boxes. The address and directions for the training were scrawled on the back of an envelope. Oh, and did I mention I had another session scheduled for the very next day that I had not yet planned?
Now how did I get in this precarious predicament, you may ask? A dreadful combination of a new job, unclear roles and responsibilities, not enough sleep, poor delegation, and lack of preparation. I was an un-Together Leader, and I had hit a breaking point. And the stakes were high. We were preparing teachers to go in front of students. So on this day almost fifteen years ago, I made a vow to never, ever get myself into that kind of situation again.
Perhaps you empathize? You, too, may be trying to juggle the high volume of work and responsibility thrown at you every day. Maybe you have all your to-dos reasonably under control but wish you could be more planned ahead. Or maybe you're just exhausted and looking for a better way?
This book can work for you if you are a new manager. It can work for you if you've shifted careers from the corporate world into the nonprofit sector and you're thoroughly confused about the culture. Or maybe you've made the move from teaching to school or district leadership, or you've quickly realized your MBA was practical but didn't teach you how to prioritize in a world of limited resources. Or maybe you have been in your role for a few years and you realize that lack of Togetherness is holding you back from achieving your goals or securing a promotion. Perhaps you are trying to get your own mission-driven work off the ground. You may have unlimited vision and passion but require finer execution skills to make your dream a reality. Regardless of who you are, let this book be your guide in managing your time, energy, people's work, meetings, projects, and stuff. If we leaders are not Together, we will not get the ambitious results we want for our organizations. But if we are Together (along with a few other things), big and meaningful change can happen.
Some of you may have read my first book, The Together Teacher, a guide for teachers and other folks who work on a fixed schedule in on-your-feet environments without much discretionary time. But now you're a leader, and you have a different challenge: choice. You get to choose how you use your time. It's wonderful and daunting all at once.
What Do You Mean by Mission-Driven Work?
There are many, many books, blogs, apps, hacks, and more designed to boost your productivity and hone your time-management skills. This book is unique because it's designed for leaders in mission-driven settings who do their own work and manage the work of others. By mission driven, I simply mean anyone whose work ultimately serves the greater good. It doesn't have to be limited to nonprofit work, either. A mission-driven leader could be the person who oversees a community theater group, a Sunday school director, a chief financial officer of a housing organization, or a school principal.
So why is mission-driven work so different? In my work coaching leaders, I've seen mission-driven leaders face these specific challenges:
The problems we are trying to eliminate (homelessness, poverty, and environmental concerns, just to name a few) or create solutions and innovations for are enormous, urgent, and critical.
Our work is never ending. Resources are limited. We are often both managers
and
makers.
Our goals can and should be ambitious. The volume of our work is intense.
The emotional toll of our work cannot be understated. In any given week, leaders face tough conversations about apartment evictions, breaking up fights between students, or big layoffs.
It is no wonder that many mission-driven leaders are overwhelmed and ineffective and eventually burn out.
What Do You Mean by Togetherness, Anyway?
What does a Together Leader look like anyway? What is my definition of Togetherness? I'm deliberately not using the term organized because, well, just being organized is simply not enough for a busy leader with an important mission at stake. I see Togetherness as a combination of prioritized, planned, efficient, organized, flexible, predictable, intentional, and reliable.
In the painful personal example that opened this book, a more Together Leader may have thought, “Maia knew the training for the veteran teachers was incredibly high stakes. Because she regularly reviewed her calendar three months in advance, she knew it was coming down the pike. Because it was a new training, she proactively scheduled a series of meetings with her deputy director to outline the objectives, create the activities, and design the practice in the month leading up to the training. Because Maia realized that the materials aspect of the workshop would be a huge crunch, she carefully delegated production to a summer intern and set several meetings to check on progress. The day before the training, she ran one more dress rehearsal; invited her deputy director to ask her the tough questions she anticipated would come up in the trainings; packed the materials in her car; printed out directions, a premade pacing guide, and a sheet to take questions and contact info; laid out her outfit; and got a good night's sleep.” That leader would have been much more Together—and clearly would get to a better outcome, via planning, prioritizing, delegating, anticipating challenges, and operating efficiently.
Togetherness means being
Prioritized
Planned
Efficient
Organized
Flexible
Predictable
Intentional
Reliable
Of course, Togetherness is just one aspect of effective leadership. There are so many more facets of people management, such as setting vision, investing in others, leading with heart, designing strategy, marketing and selling ideas, and so on. There are tons of books, executive courses, and grad school syllabi that cover this stuff. This book, however, focuses on just one aspect of leadership, one I believe is often neglected or discounted. There are very few classes in high school, college, or graduate school that really teach you how to design and execute personal, team, and organization-wide systems to reach your goals. As you head deeper into the following chapter, you will find several self-assessments about your tools, routines, and mind-sets to help you determine your Togetherness strengths as well as where you may have some gaps.
Why Togetherness Matters Even More in Your Context
I entered my first job as a nonprofit leader at Teach For America immediately after working as a classroom teacher—where I basically had no time. Teaching was an efficiency and prioritization game. But in my new role, everything was suddenly about choices: how to use my time, how to spend our limited money, and which staff to hire and when. With each new decision I was reminded of whose future was at stake. Yikes!
Togetherness is a means to an end. You can lead a strong organization without being completely Together. Many top-notch organizations do not subscribe to a culture of Togetherness and instead place strong value on turning on a dime, dropping everything to pursue an opportunity, and swooping in to flawlessly solve a crisis. I respect this. And a small percentage of people want this excitement on a daily basis for the rest of their lives.
The former chief talent officer in me would argue that this approach, though invigorating, will not build the teams and organizations we want over time. People get burnt out by late-night, never-ending meetings, and eventually even the most mission-dedicated individuals decide they want more time with their families. The Together Leader is about finding the right balance between systems and spontaneity so that you can meet all of your organization's goals—and have a life!
FAQ
Can this book work for me if I am not a mission-driven leader? I've grappled with this question myself, but the answer is yes. I actually believe everything in this book can be applied to any busy leader. Go for it!
On the flip side, it's also possible to be incredibly Together yet highly ineffective. I'm sure you have all met the color-coded colleague with her notebook always at the ready along with a specific set of pens and a very neat desk. But at the end of the year, she actually didn't accomplish any of her goals. This person often has a very mechanically clean calendar but doesn't always prioritize. She might get the next steps from meetings accomplished without issue but can't stop to reflect on if she is actually doing things that will ensure she reaches her goals.
Can you be effective without being Together? Yes, but only for a short period of time. Eventually your disorganization will catch up with you in some way, whether it's your team getting tired of operating in crisis mode, losing enough sleep that you get sick all the time, or your family forgetting what you look like.
The goal is to be Together enough to achieve your goals, do your job to the best of your ability, and enjoy your life. This can happen when you and your organization routinize all predictable work, make processes more efficient, and ruthlessly plan ahead. I want you to have more headspace to think innovatively and creatively, react smoothly to true emergencies, and minimize as much job-related stress and overwhelmedness as possible.
My Own Togetherness Journey
It all started with my button collection when I was two years old … just kidding! In reality, I've been fortunate to work in leadership roles for several high-performing nonprofits and school districts. And I've served as a Together coach and trainer for organizations, traditional school districts, stand-alone charter schools, and more. I've directly coached leaders in start-up mode, those in rapid-growth mode, and veteran leaders trying to sustain systems. And my own Togetherness journey directly mirrors the way I decided to set up this book. Just as I had to learn to create and define systems for myself, systems for my teams, and then systems for my organizations, you will likely follow a similar path over the course of your career.
As I settled into my first nonprofit leadership role as an executive director at Teach For America, I needed to set a clear direction for my team. This helped me appreciate measurable goals, detailed plans to accomplish an ambitious set of objectives, and transparent roles and responsibilities.
After that, I oversaw a large summer teacher-preparation program that required me to manage an even larger team, this time spread out across the country. Together we learned about the value of managing our energy and ourselves to pull off a successful summer.
Following that, I took on an executive-level role in a growing charter school organization. Oh, and I got married and had two kids of my own. And so I really came to value organization-wide practices to support Togetherness—my organization and my family were rapidly scaling! Similar to you, I was interested in creating good in the world—and having a life.
Why This Book Is Different
Lots of good resources already exist on time management and leadership. Check out my website, www.thetogethergroup.com, for my ongoing list of favorite books, articles, and blogs. So why write (or read) another one? What's out there seems to split into two camps: the technical and the philosophical. On the technical side are outstanding titles such as Getting Things Done by David Allen and Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook by Michael Linenberger. For those who want to focus on prioritization and the philosophy of leadership, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and First Things First, both written by the dearly beloved Steven Covey, and 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam, are amazing. And I'm a big fan of Your Best Just Got Better by Jason Womack and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg for routines, habits, and efficiencies.
Yet none of these speaks directly to the unique challenges faced by leaders in mission-driven settings. Effective writing and training on Togetherness has to be practical—focused on tools and rituals—and neutral—applicable to anyone who leads people—whether in a school building, nonprofit, central office, or volunteer organization. I can't tell you what your goals or priorities should be, but I sure can help you achieve them by helping you ask the right questions, build the right tools, and develop the right rituals for yourself.
My work is rooted in this mind-set: What is good is what works. I draw best practices from many of the cited titles, but the bulk of my research and examples come directly from the thousands of workshop participants and many coaching clients I have been privileged to learn from in the past decade. I've been welcomed into high-performing nonprofits, strong school districts, advocacy organizations, and rural schools. And I've been fortunate enough to coach leaders of all levels directly in their own environments, which enables me to bear witness to every single emergency, interruption, and crisis that can throw off a well-planned day. You will see many of my past clients featured in this book. Quite deliberately, I have chosen people and organizations who get strong results but are not wild perfectionists.
One of my biggest observations is that the Togetherness journey is personal, specific to one's own habits, preferences, and organizational culture. I am not going to sell you a particular gadget, lock you into one specific app, or require you to purchase a certain planner. I'm remarkably indifferent about specific tools, but I'm a staunch believer in strong routines, planning, boundaries, and communication. And I'm going to really push you to ensure your goals are clear and your actions are aligned to meet them.
How This Book Is Organized
The Together Leader is organized into five sections. It is designed to be read sequentially, though I invite you to pick and choose chapters based on your specific needs. In between sections, you will also find real-life examples of how organizations have put systems into action. And peppered throughout, you will find vignettes of real-life leaders facing common challenges. Last, scattered between chapters, you will get to read Togetherness Talks from real-life mission-driven leaders, most of whom still continue in their current capacities—though a few have moved on to new ventures. In the case of a job move, I chose to keep the position listed at the time of the sample for consistency. But everyone's samples are active and the real deal. In several cases, we created cleaner versions if there was an issue with readability or pared down a document so you could dive more deeply but know this content is not invented! Almost all the tools and templates you'll see throughout the book can be found on my website, www.thetogethergroup.com, using the passcode provided with the book. There you will also find additional samples, videos, and modifiable templates.
Section 1: Set the Stage
These initial chapters set the stage for why productivity and time management in your unique, mission-driven context is so important. This section also helps you evaluate your current strengths and gaps as they relate to tools, routines, and mind-sets.
Chapter 1
: Leading in a Mission-Driven Context: You are here! This chapter is designed to preview the what, why, and how of the book.
Chapter 2
: Take Stock: Assess Your Togetherness Level: This chapter is full of quizzes and assessments to help you determine your current level of Togetherness and set your purpose for reading.
Section 2: Get Clear on Your Purpose
This section places our focus on preparing for your course, taking a long view, and making sure your priorities are in order:
Chapter 3
: Set Goals: Define the Direction: This chapter ensures your goals are in order, you have time to systematically review progress, and your organization has a predictable calendar.
See It in Action
: Goal Setting Start to Finish: How an organization sets and reviews its goals.
Chapter 4
: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan: This chapter helps you boil down your Yearly Goals into a three-month path of clear actions that in turn should drive your calendar and meetings!
See It in Action
: Wrist, Elbow, and Shoulder: How a leader articulates what she cares most about in her team's work.
Chapter 5
: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix: Because leaders spend a ton of time in meetings, this chapter is designed to test your meeting schedule against your priorities—and communicate to others accordingly.
