What did we notice?
Every story began with something
most people walked past.
We simply stopped
and noticed.
Because when conditions change, possibility changes.
Behaviour is communication
When I first started teaching Oliver, I quickly learnt that everyone already knew who he was.
Around the school he had earned the nickname "The Octopus."
Not because he was naughty.
Because he was constantly reaching out.
Touching other people.
Invading personal space.
Always needing connection.
Most people saw the touching.
I saw a little boy who desperately wanted connection.
Continue reading →
Oliver
The environment matters
One hot afternoon after lunch, I found her lying across the top step.
She noticed my water bottle.
Before I could say a word, she picked it up and drank.
Not politely.
Not cautiously.
As though she had never really had a drink before.
Most people saw a child taking someone else's water bottle.
I saw a little girl trying to tell us something she couldn't say.
She only ever responded when I called her...
Petal.
Petal
Continue reading →
Elise
Leadership creates conditions
When Elise first came under my supervision,
she was ready to leave teaching.
Not because she didn't care.
Because she couldn't see a way forward.
She was a beginning teacher
who had quietly reached her limit.
Every day felt heavier than the one before.
Eventually she said the words
so many people quietly think.
"I don't know if I can do this anymore."
Continue reading →
Swimming teacher
Recognition changes people
Sometimes we think recognition is something people earn.
I've started to wonder
if it's actually what helps people become
the very best version of themselves.
My daughter Ruby has autism.
Before every lesson I'd quietly say,
"If she's struggling today, please send her out.
I'll take over."
Week after week,
she showed up with patience.
She encouraged.
She looked for the little wins.
Then one day, I noticed something else.
Continue reading →
Possibility exists everywhere
I've noticed that sometimes
we solve problems
people don't actually have.
Many years ago,
I worked at Fossil.
It was Christmas Eve.
A young man came looking for
a white ceramic watch
his girlfriend had picked out.
I showed him the watch.
When I told him the price,
I noticed
the smallest shift
in his face.
Not dramatic.
Just enough to say,
"That's more than I was expecting."
the watch
Continue reading →
Start a conversation →
What story is your workplace already telling?
Every workplace is already telling a story.
The question isn't whether one exists.
It's whether you've learnt to notice it.
Extraordinary change begins with ordinary moments.
