Identifying Small Habits

Larry Dake is a district-level administrator in upstate New York who, over the last dozen years, has served as a curriculum coordinator, building principal, and assistant superintendent. Prior to that, he was a high school social studies teacher. Additionally, he has taught in the Binghamton University Educational Leadership program since 2017.

• PrefaceIntroduction: Even Effective Leaders Have Blinds Spots and Bad HabitsChapter 1: Being InconsistentChapter 2: Relying Too Much on EmailChapter 3: Talking About How Busy You AreChapter 4: Failing to Give GratitudeChapter 5: Inappropriate Social Media UseChapter 6: Making Hiring Decisions Based on Implicit BiasChapter 7: Conflating Authority with InfluenceChapter 8: Neglecting Mental and Physical Self-CareChapter 9: Avoiding Difficult ConversationsChapter 10: Engaging in Subtle FavoritismChapter 11: Trying to Always Win an ArgumentChapter 12: Devaluing Support Staff and their ImpactChapter 13: Not Holding People AccountableChapter 14: Having an Overwhelming Need to be “Me”Chapter 15: Not Being Solid with your FamilyChapter 16: Talking Way Too MuchChapter 17: Managing Too Much MinutiaeChapter 18: Unprofessional Dress HabitsChapter 19: Accepting Silence as AgreementChapter 20: Being Consistently Late to MeetingsChapter 21: Transferring Ownership for Poor OutcomesChapter 22: Not Adapting Language to Fit your AudienceChapter 23: Getting on the Wrong Side of Important GatekeepersChapter 24: Associating Mistakes with Failure Rather than OpportunityChapter 25: Not Intentionally Planning and SchedulingChapter 26: Tolerating Poor Organizational CultureChapter 27: Throwing Others Under the BusChapter 28: Failing to Focus on Continuous ImprovementChapter 29: Delegating UpChapter 30: Misreading RealityChapter 31: Being a Bad CommunicatorChapter 32: Lack of Patience with OutcomesChapter 33: Rating Employees by One’s Own Personal Measuring StickChapter 34: Seeking Comfort over DiscomfortChapter 35: Tolerating Subpar PerformanceChapter 36: Focusing on how Things “Should Be” Rather than How they AreChapter 37: Overthinking How to Move ForwardChapter 38: Confusing Others’ Interests with Your OwnAbout the Author

Small habits can turn into bad habits and Dr. Dake’s insights are SPOT ON and powerful for those who are either entering the educational leadership work-force for the first time or those who have much to learn—because THEY want to learn more to become better. This is a GREAT read with practical insights and tips on how NOT to stink, but how to become FRAGRANT in what some think is a “stinky profession” that others HATE due to politics or smoke-screening of those who shove nonsense on an innocent system. Read THIS book and learn more about how to help the profession survive and thrive! Dr. Dake does it and more!