Teacher fell asleep during PD (here's what I did next)

I'm in the library of Brooks College Prep.

We're there discussing instruction.

Not even five minutes into the professional development, one of our teachers falls asleep while the principal is talking.

It wasn't the first time.

Now I'm thinking, "What do I do?"

It was awkward, but it's the snores that prompt me to TAKE ACTION.

I take action because I don't want the principal disrespected like that. He's my friend and an early career mentor.

I take action also because teachers are all looking at Sleeping Beauty wondering, "Did that Dude just fall asleep in the middle of PD?"

Others I imagine are thinking, "What can I get away with if this Dude can sleep and still get paid."

And a final group of teachers wonder, "Why do I bust my a--, and this Dude is drooling and napping?"

So I do what any former teacher would do ...

I reach into my tool belt and use the #1 strategy that works 99.99% of the time (unless you're dealing with a truly terrible human being).

The tool is called proximity.

I stand there.

And wait.

Wait some more.

And the teacher wakes up. He must have felt my presence disturbing his mid-afternoon cat nap.

And with all the empathy I can muster, I ask, "Mr. P—k are you okay?"

You won't believe what he said next.

"I'm sorry Danny. I was up late last night playing Call of Duty."

Now don't get me wrong. I LOVE video games. I still play them today, but they never interfered with job or ability to stay awake ...

AT WORK.

So I say, "Sleeping during a staff meeting is not a good look."

And smile.

I'd love to tell you this was a turning point for that teacher. Alas, it was not.

But here's the thing ...

Even if you don't have an extreme case like this one -- Where an ADULT teacher falls asleep during PD -- many school leaders TODAY run meetings that are truly BORING and UNREMARKABLE.

It's not because teachers are "difficult to motivate."

It's because you're leading with spreadsheets instead of stories.

Last spring I told my first story at The Moth. There was 300+ people in the crowd.

I had no slides. No data. Just stories that moved people to tears and laughter.

Here's what I know that other leaders need to know: People don't follow data. They follow stories.

When you can tell a story that captures attention in 30 seconds and moves people in 5 minutes, everything changes.

Your vision stops getting lost in translation.

Your team starts seeing what you see.

Your campus becomes the place everyone wants to be.

On October 9 I’m teaching a small group of Ruckus Makers how to craft and tell great stories.

Would that benefit you? If YES, do this next 👇

Hit REPLY and write a single word in the body of the email — STORY. Then hit SEND.

That’s it.

No commitment. Just a comment. You are waving your hand and saying you'd be interested in how to be a better communicator and storyteller.

Keep Making a Ruckus,

Danny

PS … If your last staff meeting didn't move anyone to tears OR laughter, you need better stories. Comment STORY if you're ready to change that.