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The low-effort 5-minute culture builder every principal needs
Danny Bauer
January 30, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
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The weirdest thing happened in The Ruckus Maker Club last week.
One of our coaches, Karine, shared what seemed like an impossibly simple culture-building hack. So simple, in fact, that several principals immediately messaged me asking "Wait... that's it?"
Yes, that was it. And that's exactly what makes it brilliant.
In just 5 minutes – less time than it takes to heat up your coffee – Karine transformed the dreaded year-end reflection into a powerful celebration that actually brings teams together.
Here's how she did it...
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THE RUCKUS MAKER ADVANTAGE
The Low-Effort 5-Minute Culture Builder
Most principals spend countless hours trying to build school culture.
They plan elaborate staff meetings, organize team-building events, and craft lengthy recognition emails – often with mixed results.
But what if building a culture of celebration and shared success could be done in less time than it takes to heat up your coffee?
Meet Karine, a coach on the Ruckus Maker team who recently shared a brilliantly simple culture-building hack in The Ruckus Maker Club (our private digital community where leaders share their best ideas). Her approach isn't just clever – it's a masterclass in turning quick reflection into meaningful celebration.
Why This Matters
Think about how much time you typically spend on culture-building activities.
Hours planning staff meetings? Days organizing appreciation events? Weeks crafting the perfect end-of-year celebration? T
hat's time you could be spending on what actually matters: being present with teachers, engaging with students, or maybe (gasp!) seeing your family.
That's time you could be spending on what actually matters: supporting teachers, engaging with students, or maybe (gasp!) seeing your family.
But here's what makes Karine's approach particularly brilliant: it's not just faster – it's better.
By collecting wins directly from her leadership team, she's creating a bottom-up celebration that validates everyone's contributions while surfacing victories that might have gone unnoticed in your typical "rah-rah" staff meeting.
Here's Her Exact Process:
Picture this: 5 minutes of your time. 5 simple steps. 1 AI prompt. AAnd suddenly, your culture-building transforms from an exhausting effort into an energizing celebration that actually brings your team together.
The best part? It's almost embarrassingly simple. In fact, when Karine first shared this with us, several principals commented that this was a great idea.
It is a great idea. Here's exactly how she did it...
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