Lead Beyond Your Title

The life of an educational leader can be a lonely road. Your task list has multiplied, yet time seems to have diminished. It is essential that you have a strong network of support to celebrate the great things happening as well as get you through those rough moments. We wrote Lead Like a PIRATE to do just that. We wanted to help support educators by sharing our stories and strategies. We wanted to be sure that no one felt as if she or he was alone. Our goal has been to set up systems of support through our PLN to empower leaders to take risks to ensure that school is an amazing place . . . for both students and staff. Since the book’s release, it has been inspiring to watch our #LeadLAP crew grow. The examples and stories shared daily on our hashtag are inspiring beyond belief. What we came to realize is that we are surrounded by greatness that needed a voice. One evening after our book was published, we started brainstorming how we could continue to support leaders but in a way that wasn’t the norm. One thing we discussed was that leaders sometimes get overwhelmed by the amount of information that is being shared at what seems like lightning speed. How might we offer bite-size expertise for leaders that would have a huge impact on schools? The Lead Like a PIRATE Guides were born.

As we work with educators across the globe, we have noticed that many believe leadership is for those with administrative roles. We feel very strongly that leading is an all-inclusive opportunity, no matter your position. As we write in Lead Like a PIRATE, people are less likely to tear down systems they help to build. How could we create a school where all identify as builders? We are honored to introduce our fourth of the Lead Like a PIRATE Guides: Lead beyond Your Title: Creating Change in School from any Role by Nili Bartley. Nili is a teacher and technology facilitator in Massachusetts who has brought to life the #LeadLAP mission of culture first, culture next, culture always from her role as educator and technology integration coach. The stories she shares show how true change can happen when you tap into the amazing strengths of every person in your school. Through the pages within this book, Nili’s inspirational passion for making school an amazing place is evident through the strategies and examples that she shares.

As we write in Lead Like a PIRATE, PIRATE leadership is about being the kind of leaders we always wanted to be and creating the kinds of schools we dream of for kids. These leaders relentlessly search for ways to make school an amazing place. These leaders don’t simply believe schools can be better; they know schools can be better and stop at nothing to make it happen. Nili Bartley is a PIRATE leader in every way, and we are honored to have her as part of our crew.

Get your copy HERE today and start sharing your reflections on the #LeadLAP hashtag! We can’t wait to hear your thoughts!