Stuck on a Challenge? Here’s a few ways you can get unstuck

Happy Friday Leaders!

Ever feel like you're tackling the same problems in your school over and over again? Today I’d like to help you break that cycle!

As international school leaders, we often face complex challenges that aren't always what they seem on the surface. If this sounds familiar, here’s 5 strategies to help you dig deeper and uncover the real issues:

1. Expand Your Thinking
   Start by asking "What else?" and ask it repeatedly. Michael Bungay Stanier, in his bestselling book "The Coaching Habit", swears by this simple question to reveal hidden aspects of your challenge.

2. Create Urgency
   Consider the consequences of not addressing the issue. What's at stake for your school community? John Kotter's work on change management talks about the importance of creating a sense of urgency to overcome complacency. I think this is wise.

    

3. Challenge Assumptions
   Question long-standing practices. Are there beliefs or traditions holding you back? Kurt Lewin's classic 'Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze' model reminds me of the importance of 'unfreezing' my thinking when appreaching a change.

4. Seek Diverse Perspectives
   Reach out to different members of your school community. What insights can students, teachers, parents, or support staff offer? Matthew Syed's research and brilliant books (Check out Rebel Ideas if you haven’t already) show that diverse thinking leads to improved accuracy and innovation.

5. Play Devil's Advocate
   Try arguing against your initial ideas. This can strengthen your approach or reveal flaws you hadn't considered.

Remember, the goal isn't to make decisions at the beginning, but to gain a thorough understanding of the challenge. It’s only on this solid foundation that you can then start thinking about narrowing down and defining your goal.

These ideas come from my great work at Work Collaborative with Efraim Lerner. Hope you find them useful.

I'd love to hear how this process works for you. What unexpected insights did you gain? Reply and share your thoughts.

Don’t forget about my leadership mastermind offer, at 60% off for a limited time only for founding members? If you are interested, watch my video above and apply at https://www.shaneleaning.com/mastermind.

Have a great weekend!

Shane

P.S. Here’s a couple of my recent conversations to take you in to the weekend: