Each Friday, a person who is making bold moves, living well, nurturing their creativity, following their passions, and making magic will be featured on Bold Living Today.
Today’s interview is with Monette McIver, Ph.D. I was happy to hear Monette’s perspective on leadership, attachment, and staying connected to your inner voice. I feel Monette is one of those rare people who actually walks her talk and lives her life in a way that’s nurturing, open, and authentic. Plus, I love Monette’s travel adventures and how she is on a quest to visit all 50 of the United States and travel all over the world.
I hope you enjoy her interview as much as I did.
question 1:
When you work with leadership teams, what are the top three things they are struggling with?
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{Monette}
Interesting question. I’m not sure that I would use the word struggle, but three things I deal with are listening to and for what’s important to the team, making sure all voices are heard, and being straight.
I work from the perspective that team members always want to do what’s best for students. They just get caught up in a lot of the minutiae that exists in schools. I help team members sort through what gets in the way so that they can return to the core reason they got into teaching: making a difference for students. I also struggle with making sure that all voices are heard. It’s easy for several dominate voices to overpower the rest of the team. I try to ensure that every point of view is heard and valued. Finally, it’s hard to be straight or direct with people when norms are breached, but it’s essential. Everyone learns that you can address an issue with respect and survive. But you have to be willing to call it, and that takes courage.
***
question 2:
How does attachment to ego get in the way of making necessary systemic changes?
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{Monette}
Curiously, I think it’s attachment to self interest that gets in the way of making systemic change. In general, I think that people do what they do because they don’t want to lose face. Change often puts people in a position where they are unsure and feel incompetent. Given this circumstance, many find it easier to stick with what they know, with what’s comfortable rather than seriously examining their practices. This self examination often requires people to admit that they don’t know how to do something. I think that is why it looks like ego gets in the way.
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question 3:
On a personal level, how do you stay in touch with your inner voice or guide?
***
When I read this question, I keep asking how do I stay true to what’s important to me? What I do is check in and take account. I pay attention to what I’m feeling and what I’m saying. For example, I knew it was time for me to leave the university when others asked me what I did, and my responses lacked any passion.
***
{Kanesha}
*gasp* I just got chills reading that. That’s the same feeling I had and it’s what prompted me to move on from the university.
question 4.
What do you do to decrease your “you” time being spent on activities that do not nurture you?
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{Monette}
Try to avoid them! Actually, one of the best tools I’ve used is a color-coded calendar. I have different colors for different areas of my life (e.g., exercise, entertainment, writing). I can look at my week and see instantly where the imbalance is. If that week is lost, I make amends during the following week.
***
{Kanesha}
I love your system. It seems effective and very kind. I think I’ll try it out, too.
Monette McIver is a principal consultant with Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has nearly 20 years of experience in various sectors in education. Most recently, Monette was an assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In this capacity, she taught the writing methods course for elementary teacher candidates and conducted research about writing instruction that focused on the interaction between teachers and students in the writing conference. Monette also is an experienced elementary classroom teacher, having taught kindergarten through fourth grade. Her elementary classroom experiences include working with English Language Learners, adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs of learners, and mentoring preservice teachers. Currently, Monette facilitates improvement efforts in school sites using Success in Sight, McREL’s comprehensive approach to increase student achievement. Monette provides similar assistance to schools and districts across the country by presenting a variety of research-based activities and services to diverse audiences. These training sessions help clients build their internal capacity to increase student achievement.
