Free Reproducibles
Swimming in the Deep End
Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives
Acquire the knowledge and resources necessary to achieve true success as a leader and enact strategic change and school improvement. In Swimming in the Deep End, author Jennifer Abrams dives deep into the four foundational skills required of effective leadership and change management: (1) thinking before speaking, (2) preempting resistance, (3) responding to resistance, and (4) managing oneself through change and resistance. Throughout the book, readers receive ample guidance for building these vital skills and leading school initiatives and implementation plans that face 21st century challenges head-on.
Develop the educational leadership skills needed to create real, strategic change in your school:
- Gain an understanding of the most pressing issues facing schools today, learn why they must be faced, and consider your implementation plan.
- Enhance your leadership and change-management abilities by mastering the four foundational skills.
- Learn how to utilize your new mastery of the foundational skills to have critical conversations, resolve conflict, respond to resistance, and manage yourself through change and resistance.
- Utilize an online appendix of quotes as a source of inspiration and motivation in guiding effective organizational change and strategic planning.
- Access a comprehensive self-assessment designed to assist you in your growth as a leader.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Thinking Before You Speak
Chapter 2: Preempting Resistance
Chapter 3: Responding to Resistance
Chapter 4: Managing Yourself Through Change and Resistance
Epilogue: What’s Next
Appendix A: Websites That Inspire and Support Resilience
Appendix B: Additional Recommended Websites
REPRODUCIBLES
- Figure I.2: Deep-End Self-Assessment—Four Foundational Skills
- Appendix A: Websites That Inspire and Support Resilience
- Appendix B: Additional Recommended Websites
SUGGESTED RESOURCES
Introduction
- altMBA
- Center for Courage & Renewal
- Esalen Institute
- Esalen Institute, “What’s Next? Reviewing and Revisioning Our Lives”
- Jennifer Abrams, “Inspirational Quotes for Deep-End Leaders”
- Margaret J. Wheatley
- Open Master’s, “Alt*Div”
Chapter 1
- IDEO U, “Storytelling for Influence”
- James Clear, “Core Values List”
- Liberating Structures
- National School Reform Faculty
- Presentation Zen
- School Reform Initiative
- Thinking Collaborative
- YouTube, “If the World Were 100 People”
Chapter 2
- Geert Hofstede
- Harvard Business Review, “Pioneers, Drivers, Integrators, and Guardians”
- The Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Notosh
- StrengthsFinder
- True Colors
- VIA Survey of Character Strengths
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
- Better Leaders Better Schools
- Better Leaders Better Schools, “Join a Mastermind”
- Beyond the Staff Room with Derek Rhodenizer
- Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University
- Davidji
- Greater Good Science Center
- InsightTimer
- John Harper, My Bad Podcast
- Learning Forward
- Learning Omnivores
- The Personal Playlist Podcast with Noa Daniel
- Principal Center Radio
- Self-Compassion
- University of Pennsylvania, “Authentic Happiness”
- YouTube, “Sesame Street: Janelle Monae—Power of Yet”
Epilogue
- Cultivating Leadership
- Growth Edge Coaching
- Institute for Educational Leadership, “Personal Leadership Resources”
- KnowledgeWorks, The Future of Learning: Education in the Era of Partners in Code
- Margaret J. Wheatley
- Trauma Stewardship Institute
Appendix A
- Bobbi Emel, The Bounce Blog
- Brain Pickings
- Center for Courage and Renewal
- Eric Barker, Barking Up the Wrong Tree
- Gaping Void
- Margaret J. Wheatley
- Mark Manson
- Next Avenue
- On Being
- The School of Life
- Seth Godin
- Superhero Life
Appendix B
- The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University
- The Choices Program at Brown University
- Civil Politics
- Farnam Street
- Geert Hofstede
- Global Fluency Institute
- Greater Good Science Center
- Hervé da Costa
- National Equity Project
- National School Reform Faculty
- Ontario Ministry of Education, “Leadership Development: Framework”
- Self-Compassion
- Sharon Salzberg
- Turner Consulting Group
- YourMorals