Ruckus Makers
Posts
Ignite the Revolution: A Fearless New Era of Leadership 🌱

Ignite the Revolution: A Fearless New Era of Leadership 🌱

Rethinking Decision-Making in Leadership

Dan Watt & Danny Bauer
January 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

In this week’s edition, dial in a culture of collaboration and reboot your decision-making game! What better way to start the new year?!

Also, transform your school with the RISE Method. And of course, a light-hearted Monday Morning Meme.

First time reading? Sign up here and join 5,704 Ruckus Makers Doing School Different 🎉

INSPIRATION STATION

🚀 RISE Method: Ready to transform your school? The RISE Method empowers bold change with focus, clarity, and momentum—because playing it safe is the riskiest move a leader can make.
💥Thriving Educators Summit 2025 is a free event open to all educators. Join us Saturday, January 18, for an outstanding lineup of passionate educators that will inspire, equip, and invigorate you for the new year.
🌳 The Amazon's largest tree? Check out this groundbreaking research on mapping canopy heights and the surprising discovery of a giant tree that could reshape our understanding of the world’s largest rainforest.
💪 Perfectionist? The first habit to rid yourself of in the new year—procrastination.
🐢 Cowabunga! Watching real-life skateboarding turtles puts a smile on anyone’s face.

It’s okay to steal — Feel free to share any of these links and how we write about them. Drop ‘em right into your staff newsletter this week.

A MESSAGE FROM QUEST FOOD MANAGEMENT SERVICES

School Food That Doesn’t Make Parents Cringe

Your students deserve better than frozen pizza and canned veggies.

Quest Food Management Services is flipping the script on school dining with chef-crafted meals that parents would actually want their kids eating. They'll redesign your whole operation – from kitchen equipment to custom menus – while maintaining that true community vibe you're after.

Did we mention their 99% partner retention rate?

THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: DECISION MAKING

From Control to Collaboration: Creating a Culture of Trust and Innovation

Traditional leadership styles can feel a bit, well, stale. If you want to revamp decision-making and empower your team, it’s time to shift to a collaborative culture. Inspired by the podcast episode "Dr. Tricia Mooney on Balancing Authority and Collaboration," here are key principles to take your leadership to the next level.

Why keep all the good stuff to yourself?

Encourage Ownership: Let your team lead decisions. Ownership boosts engagement and results.
Stay Approachable: Keep your door open. Approachability fosters collaboration.
Foster Innovation: A little freedom fuels creativity and accountability.

Building Trust: The Secret Sauce

Trust is the glue that holds it all together.

Rely on Expertise: Trust specialists to make calls in their areas. Efficiency will soar.
Empower Autonomy: Let your team make decisions without micromanaging.
Create a Self-Sustaining System: Cultivate decision-making confidence across your team.

Aligning with Core Values: Stay True

Your choices reflect what you stand for.

Prioritize What Matters: Fund initiatives that align with your values.
Invest Strategically: Focus resources on community-driven programs.
Lead with Intent: Make decisions aligned with your mission.

Implementing Change: Action Time

Ready to act?

Delegate Decisions: Hand off a decision and trust your team to lead.
Evaluate Processes: Examine how decisions are made—are they empowering?
Initiate Collaborative Projects: Launch initiatives rooted in inclusive decision-making.

These principles will transform your leadership style and help create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered. Are you ready to rethink decision-making and reboot your leadership impact? Join us in the Mastermind, or one of the many other opportunities at The Ruckus Maker Club. Let’s do this!

❝

"People make choices. Choices make culture."

John Amaechi OBE

SWAG CENTRAL

❤ Challenge the norm in comfort and style with the Ruckus Makers Are Changing the World Tee—because making an impact starts with what you wear.

MONDAY VIBES

WEEKLY CHALLENGE

Dare to Disrupt: Reimagining School Culture

This week, become an educational maverick.

Identify one "sacred cow" — an unquestioned tradition, policy, or practice in your school that may be stifling innovation and student engagement. Then, take bold action to challenge it. Change it.

Do School Different.

Here are some thought-starters:

Flip your staff meeting structure on its head
Rethink homework policies
Experiment with flexible learning spaces
Challenge traditional grading practices
Redefine parent-teacher communication

Whether it's rethinking a traditional meeting format or revamping a tired policy, take one bold step to create a culture of possibility.

Share your story: How did breaking the rule spark new ideas or impact your school?

Reply to this email.

Or better yet, post in the Ruckus Maker Club to inspire others!

Remember, meaningful change often feels uncomfortable at first. Embrace that discomfort as a sign of growth.