Let’s get right to it: If you have a brain and a body, you have stress. Yup- it’s a fact. We can’t avoid stress all the time. Of course you can seek out situations we think will be less stressful, or avoid certain experiences entirely to minimize our stress, but…

Four tips for a top-notch #teamretreat that builds collective purpose, impact, and — most importantly — JOY! 1. Co-plan with a group! A team is by definition more than 1 person, so more than 1 voice should be heard to create the retreat agenda. Keep the planning committee small enough…

Back to the Future: Plan with the End in Mind “People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren’t getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope with all of their might.” - Dr. Stephen Covey If you immediately pictured time traveling…

One of the keys to building a successful team is creating psychologically safe spaces, so team members feel comfortable taking risks and being vulnerable with each other. Our job as leaders is to figure out how to maintain psychologically safe spaces and build authentic trust among our teams, to maximize…

A few years have passed since I was a classroom teacher. But every time I drive past a school, I wonder about what’s happening inside and reflect fondly on the high points of my teaching career. I remember my favorite students- even though I know you’re not supposed to have…

It’s easy to envision the “ideal team”- it’s one that communicates clearly, works well together, collaborates openly, practices often, and is committed to improvement over time. When obstacles appear, this “ideal team” seeks solutions and moves forward in the same direction. …

At KJ Consulting Group, we’re all about coaching teams to work better together. One piece of our formula — whether we’re training a room full of educators, working with a hiring committee, or coaching leaders — is that we are ALL constantly learning. …

How often have you been in a meeting when, after a quick icebreaker (if there was time for one), the presenter ran through a deck of new information and sent the team on its way without pausing for anyone to take a breath? …

Check out these reflections from one of our amazing Introverted KJ Consulting Group team members Meeting icebreakers are ubiquitous these days. And I get it- they’re meant to “warm us up” before we dive into the true content of a meeting. But for an Introvert like me, they can sometimes…