J.Drew Tonissen of the Hunt Institute explains that trust is a vital component of a strong and effective education organization culture. Karen Louis, and Kyla Wahlstrom, both of whom are affiliated with research about educational improvement at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, perfectly summed up this concept in Kappan Magazine: "...neither organizational learning nor the professional community can endure without trust—between teachers and non-teaching administrators, among teachers, and between teachers and parents." On a broader level, research shows how important trust is in organizations of…

Having a strong organizational culture aligned with an education organization's values and mission is critical for success. An organization's culture has a strong influence on success because it impacts decisions made about human resources, budget, and beyond. On an individual level, culture also affects employees' performance, productivity, and personal responses to challenges and workplace obstacles.  While organizational culture and the success of an organization are vital in every sector, it's critical for the education sector. Failure to align an education organization's culture with its goals…

The strategies you need to employ to attract, hire, and keep the best talent include some foundational actions, but they vary from year-to-year based on the economy and world events. In 2021, the job candidate pool is still dealing with the effects of COVID-19, quarantines, and stay-at-home orders. The Washington Post reported that unemployment in the U.S. skyrocketed to 14.7 percent in March 2020, the highest since the Great Depression. According to the Labor Department, more than 20 million people lost jobs within a month,…

What is the hardest part of being a leader in the education sector? Leaders are the last to know anything! When leaders don't get feedback from their teams, they cannot make the adjustments they need to make an organization thrive. Each organization measures success a little differently, but in the education sector, missions, goals, and outcomes all center around the students. When an organization isn't thriving, it's the students who ultimately suffer. Being a leader is a challenging role—one that requires continuous reflection, self-awareness, and…

Your mission and goals are among the most important in the nation because your successes and failures as an education organization affect both children and those who teach them. The extent to which your organization has a positive and meaningful impact on the lives of K-12 students in the United States hinges on how well you meet your goals, complete your projects, and carry out your mission. Independent educational consultants are valuable assets that most successful and effective education organizations rely upon to increase their…

If you find yourself in a situation where one or more of your team members will be working remotely for the first time, you need to know how to effectively lead them from a distance and set them up for success. Remote jobs are not as popular in the education sector as in other sectors, so leading a remote team might be new for you, too. Outstanding leadership also allows you to attract, hire, and retain the best talent. When you help your employees feel…

Remote work has increased in popularity over the last few decades. Almost 40 percent of employees have telecommuted at some point in their careers; the average worker telecommutes about two days per month. Full-time telecommuting is not the norm, especially not in the education sector, and employees fiercely compete for these roles.  A survey revealed that job applicants sometimes rank the option to work from home higher than health benefits with regard to their desired position. The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 has changed the…

You've spent time preparing your resume, updating your LinkedIn profile, and seeking the perfect roles in the education sector that match your long-term career goals. You've applied for a handful of positions. If you succeed, you will have the opportunity to be involved with the meaningful change that comes with working in a non-teaching position in the education sector. The email you've been waiting for finally arrives. A hiring manager or recruiter has offered you an interview for your dream job! You are excited and…

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new and incredible challenges for millions of workers around the globe. In the past few months, the workforce quickly and strategically navigated the sudden shift to remote working. As states remove stay-at-home orders and educators plan for what's to come in the fall, many remote workers will have to return to in-person service to their employers and adapt to a new normal.   While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, we've outlined some considerations, tools, and best practices to help guide organizational…

COVID-19 has impacted the lives of people around the world in ways many could never imagine. Those who care passionately about education are scrambling to find ways to keep students engaged during this difficult time. Yet, some organizations in the education sector have furloughed employees or had to close their doors altogether. Making matters worse, unemployment rates continue to rise to record-breaking levels as the virus continues to spread in some areas and slow in others. If you're unemployed, facing these realities can often leave…