The Journey of Becoming a Leader with Summer Picha from Conscious Classroom

<p>One time, I had an owner ask me whether there's a universal set of values that all centers should have.</p><p>My answer was no, actually, there's not.</p><p>Confused? Let me explain.</p><p><br></p><p>The truth is that while there are many common values we <em>think</em> we should prioritize, at the end of the day, the values we <em>actually</em> prioritize are the ones that drive our decision making.</p><p><br></p><p>Here's an example: Oftentimes, I hear owners say that they value intention in their center. But when I ask whether they would be willing to forego growth for the sake of acting with more intention, the answer is no.</p><p><br></p><p>What that tells me is that intention isn't truly a value for them.</p><p><br></p><p>And that's okay! Every center has a set of unique values that authentically serves as the foundation for everything they do.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>What's important is learning to stand by your values—whatever they may be—and create policies within your center that align with them.</p><p><br></p><p>That's the mark of a strong leader.</p><p><br></p><p>As part of a special bonus podcast series, I invited my friend Summer Picha, creator of the&nbsp; <a href="https://www.consciousclassroommodel.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Conscious Classroom Model</a>, to talk about the insights she's developed throughout her career in early childhood education.</p><p><br></p><p>Join Summer and I for a conversation about:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>Her early experience running her Montessori school</li><li>The ways her leadership changed over time</li><li>How she decided which values to put in place in her center</li><li>The importance of learning to enjoy the leadership journey</li></ul><br/><p><br></p><p>We can learn a lot from people who have gone through similar journeys. I hope you find some useful nuggets of wisdom in my conversation with Summer and spend some time reflecting on how you can apply them to your own experience as a leader.</p><p><br></p><p>Connect further with Conscious Cl