We shine brighter together.
The GLC for Educators
We invite you to redefine the sudden COVID-19 storm for students.
This can become a defining life moment that sets the trajectory of their lives.
As I head into the uncharted waters of online teaching I find myself struggling pedagogically to continue with my “regular” curriculum. I can’t wait to get started on the GLC and see what these kids can do and who they will become.
--Niki, HS English Teacher
STEP 1: Why NOW?
COVID-19 has shaken us. When we are shaken, it's easier to shift the way we understand the world around us. That's good news! You can use this time at home to shift your leadership mindset. The main outcome isn't to "do more" but to experience personal change through intentional doing.
We will use the Generous Leadership® paradigm. Generous Leadership® Is abundantly giving of yourself so that others may be better people who do better work.
It requires us to see through three lenses: seeing yourself as valuable, people as people and your work as sacred.
STEP 2: What’s the CHALLENGE?
Test your leadership ideas, assumptions and skills in small weekly personal experiments you can do at your home and in your neighborhood over the next few months, and compile your reflections to creatively answer the Question Prompt…
QUESTION PROMPT:
How does seeing through the three lenses of Generous Leadership® increase your ability to lead others well?
STEP 3: Set Your COURSE
Weekly Leadership Experiments
Create three weekly leadership experiments, one from each Generous Leadership® lens. You define your goals of what you will do, how often and when. Here are just a few examples*.
See Yourself as Valuable
Treat yourself as valuable, create habits for self-care and mental well-being
- Create sleep routines
- Limit screen time or fast from it altogether
- Eat healthier
- Take on a gratitude challenge
- Exercise regularly, go outside
- Identify and use your strengths
- Incorporate mindfulness exercises and breathing
See People as People
Treat others with compassion and honor; find why they are similar to you; elevate others. Focus on family, friends, neighbors, co-workers
- Increase patience, heal conflict
- Choose to ask questions, not tell
- Get to know other’ stories, share them with others to inspire
- Do acts of kindness, big and small
- Do something for a neighbor or for your neighborhood
See Your Work as Sacred
Identify tasks you do daily (small and big), reflect how your actions impact yourself and others. Reflect, discuss together. Explore "why" and value alignment.
- Identify a situation in your life where you struggle to be yourself with others. Change your attitude, how you show up or how you do this task so that the situation reflects who you really are
- Create a compelling future for yourself (what impact do you want to leave?). Define your life’s mission. Take small steps toward your goals today.
*This is just a sample list. Keep going through the Steps.
At the end you are invited to choose from the full list or create your own.
STEP 4: Make TIME
How to Break up the 8 weeks
STEP 5: Join the CONVERSATION
Stay on track by sharing what you’ve learned in weekly 1-minute reflection videos on social with #GLChallenge. Inspire others to keep going by posting regularly.
A reflection video looks like:
Sample #GLChallenge Posts
STEP 6: Inspire Generous Leadership®
After you’ve completed 5-6 weeks of leadership experiments, review your reflections to creatively answer the GLC Question Prompt. Post your final product using #GLChallenge. Be creative! Consider using: spoken word, poetry, song, visual art, blogs or articles, and/or video storytelling.
QUESTION PROMPT:
How does seeing through the three lenses of Generous Leadership® increase your ability to lead others well?
Created in Partnership with 
Big Idea Project is a Colorado-based non-profit that exists to unleash the potential of students in school. If you want to shift school culture, develop SEL, and ignite deep learning that changes student mindset, visit Big Idea Project.
The Big Idea Project captures everything that students wish was implemented in school.
- Student