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00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Welcome to Your Morning Boost, your daily leadership advice to help you lead your school community.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 Brought to you by AWB Education and sponsored by Grundmeyer Leader Services,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:14 where together we are transforming education one leader at a time.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Now here's your host, Adam Bush.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:22 Happy Wednesday. Welcome back to Your Morning Boost, sponsored by Grundmeyer
00:00:22 --> 00:00:26 Leader Services, where they are transforming education one leader at a time.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:33 You can reach out to GLS or AWB education by clicking on the link in the description for this episode.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:37 During the holidays, there are a lot of traditions that are great and many that
00:00:37 --> 00:00:41 give us the opportunity to celebrate our colleagues and others within the district.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:45 Now, I know through my many years in a school, one celebration that is often
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 done in an office setting is the giving of gifts to each other.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 Now, while gift giving is a common way to show appreciation.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:56 It can also be one that can put some of our office friends in an awkward spot.
00:00:56 --> 00:01:01 Money could be an issue, or even just knowing what to get someone can cause anxiety.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 I have enough trouble trying to figure out what to buy for family members,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 let alone someone that I only have a professional relationship with.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 At times, this can become more of a chore than a celebration,
00:01:11 --> 00:01:16 and to be honest, there are many other creative and meaningful ways to celebrate your office staff.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:20 Ways to really celebrate each other without any undue pressures.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:24 You can always try to organize some team building activities,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:29 you know, the holiday party, organize a fun activities like a potluck or board
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 games or a white elephant gift exchange.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 My current place of employment, we've done a white elephant gift exchange.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:39 And the rule is that it has to be something out of your office that you want to get rid of.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:44 I get so many items dropped off by salespeople or other things that just through
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 the years that just never seemed to find a way out of my office.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:51 What a great way to have a laugh together about the stuff that ends up in the
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 office of the school administrator.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 You know, you really can't make this stuff up. I know other schools that have,
00:01:55 --> 00:02:00 they've done an escape room, book a team building escape room challenge or something similar to that.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:04 Know a lot of others that go together to do a volunteer day at a local charity
00:02:04 --> 00:02:08 or organization, doing something together to celebrate and give back all at once.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 It is certainly a gift to our hearts and to the community that we serve.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:16 Now, it also doesn't have to be something big or certainly something expensive.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:21 Handwritten thank you notes go a long way. That heartfelt handwritten note,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:25 it's a very powerful way to express gratitude to the people that we work with every day.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 Another thing you can do is to acknowledge and celebrate individual and team
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 achievements during a team meeting or a school-wide email.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 One time I grabbed the phone and just thanked everyone in the building over
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 the PA system. Just give a heartfelt message.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 If your staff isn't too large, maybe even naming them all one by one,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 just, of course, take the time to make sure you don't forget anybody.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:50 But that moment to just recognize the hard work where people can hear it in
00:02:50 --> 00:02:54 a different way is going to go a long way for you and for your staff.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:58 If you have a PD meeting or a staff meeting this week, maybe you provide some
00:02:58 --> 00:03:02 healthy snacks or drinks or even just have them in the office every day just
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 to promote well-being and camaraderie.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 Maybe a theme each day, but it doesn't have to be a lot.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 Just having something there that your staff can engage in is really what the point is here.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 If you're a little further away from the school building and you have 12-month
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 staff, maybe this is an opportunity to consider some flexible work arrangements.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:23 I mean, offering flexible work arrangements to reduce stress,
00:03:23 --> 00:03:27 improve work-life balance, it shows how much you value them as a professional.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:31 Even if the work accomplished during these few days isn't as great as the time
00:03:31 --> 00:03:36 spent in the office, I guarantee you the time away will repay itself when everyone
00:03:36 --> 00:03:40 returns more refreshed and ready to tackle what January is going to bring.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:44 By implementing a few ideas, you can create a positive and supportive and work
00:03:44 --> 00:03:48 environment that values and appreciates your office staff without having to
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 go through the burden of finding one more gift.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:55 And if you have a team that really just likes to go shopping and can't get away
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 from that, maybe consider sponsoring a family in the community instead.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 Helping a struggling family ensure that Santa makes a stop this year,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:06 I promise you that is more of a gift than anyone is going to be able to give you anyway.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:10 Have a great Wednesday. We will talk with you again tomorrow.