I have been working for a number of days on what to say at next Tuesday's welcome back breakfast for all staff. It is at the same time a wonderful opportunity to share a message and a daunting task. It will be the one time during the year when the majority of all certified and classified staff will be in the same room; creating both the opportunity and the stress. An opportunity because of having so many together at one time and stressful because of the difficulty in finding the right focus for this diverse audience.
I have changed the focus a number of times over the last few weeks as we have continued our work with Classroom 10 in conversations with the Board and teachers and administrators. These conversations have made me reflect on where we are at on this journey and what will be important for all staff to know and understand about it at this time. Yet, I have also come to realize that there are other critical topics that need to be included in this message as we begin a new year of learning.
So, I have made the decision to plan the message around the district's five recently approved goals giving me about 100 slides. This is far too much information to share in the planned time frame and for an audience of this size to endure. Yes, much more to do before this presentation will be ready for delivery. I read in
Everyone Communicates Few Connect by John Maxwell, that one has seven seconds to make the right first impression. That can be difficult for a short, balding, graybeard kind of guy to accomplish, so if you are in attendance, please give me a little more time to at least say a few words before making the decision to tune in or tune out. Heck, it will take me at least seven seconds to get the microphone from Terry.
1 comment:
Mike,
I think you've earned at least 15 seconds. Good luck. Did you like the book?
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