Episode 83: Collaborative School Leadership with Dr. Matthew Woods

FocusED Show Notes with Guest Matthew WoodsDr. Woods starts the conversation with the fact that collaborative leadership means that we’re all coming to the table with perspective, and it’s important to recognize that everyone has a unique contribution to the team. Matt discusses a pitfall when we invite people into our offices to air their grievances--it’s not as simple as it sounds. We talk about the limits of our decision-making at each level of the leadership ladder, and sometimes people in the field don’t realize those limits.It was great to hear him talk about setting a vision and then letting folks set goals to reach that vision. He says that great leaders are the ones who identify the right people for the right aspects of a problem. Matt uses his experience at the school and district level to share how we can scale collaborative leadership within a system. Don’t miss what he says about a literacy initiative across the curriculum and monitoring that during walkthroughs. He tells a story about teachers who were hungry for support and the collaboration that came from it. It reminds us of Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink.Matt says that the first strategy of a leader is to assess the current conditions. Before making any changes, we have to understand the environment. He talks about his response to others when they say, “Matt, you need to slow down.” He gets energy from the speed and intensity of his work. Matt discusses the inception of his podcast and what he hopes others will take from it. Leadership can be tough but it’s a privilege. ~ Dr. Matthew WoodsBooks We Recommend Based on this Podcast with Matthew WoodsHow Leaders Decide by Greg Bustin How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie