In the world of education and beyond, getting a team or organization to function at a high level is one of the fundamental responsibilities of an engaged leader. Today on the podcast, we are joined by special guest Helen Morgan, the Executive Director of HM Education Consultancy, through which she offers training, coaching, and consultancy support to a variety of clients across the globe. We have an inspiring and eye-opening chat with Helen about the foundations of a high-functioning team and the practical approaches that best serve the building of these kinds of workplaces. Helen highlights the importance of togetherness as well as the unity of the collective, explaining that putting the team ahead of a leader or other individuals is what will best serve everyone's interests in the long term. We also get into some of Helen's thoughts about handling transition through patience and pauses, and why small human touches can make such an impact on how a team works together, and how a professional environment feels. So, to hear all this and a whole more from our great guest, listen in today.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Helen's own definition of a high-functioning team and the emphasis she places on the collective.   
• The benefits of prioritizing togetherness and getting a group to move in the same direction.  
• The important responsibility of a leader in facilitating high-level functioning within a team.
• Why pauses and reflection are so vital, especially during times of transition and change. 
• Balancing urgency, busyness, slowing down, and sustainability. 
• The subtle, long-term actions that can make a big difference to the morale of a team.
• Memories from Helen's first job and how eating together impacted the spirit of the workplace. 
• Helen's standout conversation of the week and what made it so memorable to her!
• Rounding up our own favorite conversations from the last week. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Helen Morgan on LinkedIn

HM Education Consulting

European Mentoring and Coaching Council

James Kerr

Legacy 

John Maxwell

The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player

George Bernard Shaw

The Book of Boba Fett

The Mandalorian

Jonathan Mueller on Twitter

Scott Lindner on Twitter

Connected Learner Partnerships

As we reflect on the past year, and the unusual challenges and lessons it has presented us with, we wanted to spend an episode talking about slowing things down, asking the right questions, and keeping it real. Through the varied experiences of the pandemic and the normal ups and downs of our lives, it is not always easy to stay present and intentional at every moment, but there are approaches and methods that we have found can help stay the course in this regard, and so we hope hearing these reflections is as illuminating for you as it was for us! We start off this chat by looking back at what has been happening, wrapping up the tail of 2021, and thinking about what might lie ahead for us all in 2022. We also get into how a big part of leadership is the ability to bring calm and stability to situations that can easily become too urgent and rushed. Listeners can also expect to hear about important conversations from each of our hosts' personal lives, thoughts on the relationship between trauma and fatigue, and how bringing a meeting into a fresh environment or configuration can remedy stale patterns! Tune in to hear it all!

Key Points From This Episode:

• A quick check-in with our two hosts and what they have been doing over the last couple of months. 
• Examining the idea of leadership as a way to model calmness and slow things down.  
• The right kind of questions to ask as a means to stay self-aware as a leader.  
• How switching things up for meetings can facilitate new ideas and energy.
• Matching the energy of a room with the learning that is needed at a given time. 
• Approaches for more authentic small interactions with each other.  
• Reflections on the challenges of 2021 and looking ahead to the new year.
• Dealing with the communal trauma that we have experienced and the resultant fatigue. 
• How recent events have made more space for everyone's feelings and stories. 
• The best conversations each of us had recently, and how these underline the importance of family.
• What to look forward to in this season of the BabbleED Podcast! 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jonathan Mueller on Twitter

Scott Lindner on Twitter

Insight

Tasha Eurich

How to Be a Better Human Podcast

Chris Duffy

Tim Minchin

Pie Squared

Connected Learner Partnerships

Welcome back to the podcast, and to our second season! Today we wanted to kick things off by exploring the concept of starting successfully, which would appear appropriate for a new season of the show! So, what does it mean to start successfully? The obvious place to begin is in the morning, and we talk about how a morning routine can set you up for success during the rest of the day. From exercise to intentional action and maintaining a steady routine, these things can have a huge impact on the rest of your time. We also then get into some ideas around schedules and calendars, how meetings can be conducted in the most effective way, and why building a strong and collaborative network around you can be such a helpful resource. One of the main themes of today's episode, and moving forward in this season, is how we invest our time. We are in the process of reframing our thinking about this sort of intentional approach, and how we can track the results, so to hear it all and come with us on this new part of our journey, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Ways to stay grounded through routines and practices. 
• Three important core values; people, process, and leadership. 
• Starting the day right, using mornings effectively, exercise, and intentionality.
• Finding time in a busy schedule and managing your calendar smartly. 
• The power of concise communication in meetings and classes.  
• Collaborating and outsourcing; using the strength of those around you for everyone's benefit.  
• Other elements of health and success; nutrition, sleep, and mental clarity.  
• Implementing balance and priorities when it comes to phones, family time, and rest. 
• Looking at the example of a rugby team and how they come together to refocus after a try is scored. 
• Methods of refilling the cup throughout the day and workweek! 
• Thinking about how we invest our time and the results of these efforts.  

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jonathan Mueller on Twitter

Scott Lindner on Twitter

Connected Learner Partnerships

Stephen Covey