Episode #28 -  You don’t have to do it all, leadership lessons with Executive Coach MK Flynn

GUEST

Episode Guest:

Websites:

https://www.marykatherineflynn.com/

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this insightful episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, Mary Katherine 'MK' Flynn, Education Consultant & Executive Coach, shares her expertise on leadership within the charter school sector. MK discusses the nuances of being a leader in an environment where deep expertise isn't always required but effective delegation and strategic foresight are crucial. She explores the balance between being a generalist and knowing when to rely on specialists, the importance of humility and openness to feedback, and how to navigate the transition from high-performing individual contributor to a successful leader.

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• Humility in Leadership: 
  Effective leaders must be comfortable acknowledging what they don’t know and be willing to seek help. This builds trust and promotes a collaborative environment.
• The Role of Mentors: 
  Finding a mentor or coach can provide valuable guidance and support, helping leaders process challenges and grow. 
• Openness to Feedback: 
  Embracing feedback, even when it’s difficult, is essential for personal and professional growth. It enables leaders to refine their approach and improve their effectiveness.
• Strategic Planning: 
  Good leaders look ahead and plan proactively. By setting clear start dates and deadlines, they can manage projects effectively and provide room for adjustment.
• Delegation with Accountability: 
  Successful delegation involves not just passing tasks but providing clear expectations and regular check-ins to ensure progress and alignment.

RESOURCES

Book: The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard

Book: Radical Candor by Kim Scott

Key Speaker: Kim Scott

Websites: https://www.marykatherineflynn.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction
07:49 Passion for Developing Leaders and Teams
11:27 The Challenges of Leading Teams
15:33 Balancing Being a Generalist and a Specialist
19:24 The Importance of Planning Ahead and Enabling the Team
23:24 The Pitfalls of People Management
26:49 Looking Ahead and Strategic Planning
31:29 Effective Delegation and Clear Expectations
36:28 Creating a Weekly Framework for Success
43:23 Recommended Resources for Leadership Development

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Mary Katherine 'MK' Flynn brings a unique blend of concrete professional experience and expertise in ontological coaching to her role as an executive coach. Her approach integrates performance coaching, leadership development, people and team management, and career transitions to help clients achieve their goals and overcome challenges.

As a consultant, MK offers tailored and targeted services primarily to clients in the education and non-profit sectors: Building systems & structure, project management, hiring & onboarding.

In her professional development work, MK is passionate about helping teams and organizations enhance their adult professional learning. She specializes in creating tailored content for school operations leaders and teams.

ABOUT OUR HOST

Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History. 

You can listen to Charter School Insider: Lessons from the Nation's Top Charter School Operators on your favorite podcasting platform...

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