Lead and Succeed When They are Angry

I began talking to other educators, researching how to have difficult conversations, and determine what skills I needed to learn. This new curriculum was to be the longest course I have ever attended. For the next 33 years, I have borrowed good ideas, read first hand accounts of others leaders' actions, as well as modeled my own actions into a plan that you see here in this form. I am in no way an expert at dealing with angry people. I don't know anyone who is. Rather, I am very experienced in sitting across from thousands of angry parents and have formulated many plans, skills, attributes, and actions that have been quite successful over time.

For over 33 years, I have been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, at the elementary and high school levels. Most recently serving 17 of those years as a high school principal. I served communities that ranged from being extremely impoverished to high-end, gated neighborhoods. The last 22 years as principal, my experiences have been with what some have called "high-maintenance, entitled" families. I loved them all, but the level of tension and stress has been difficult to survive. 22 years later, I have a tremendous background and experiences to speak from. My background, experiences, reflections, and learnings can help you succeed in all of the difficult discussions that you will encounter.