Leading when you aren’t in charge
As an agriculture teacher, you are the leader of your classroom, chaos coordinator, captain of the ship, and the CEO of learning to do.
But, what if you wanted to lead MORE than just your classroom? Now, there isn’t anything wrong with wanting to lead kids. HELLO THE YOUTH IS OUR FUTURE. And leading them to be productive citizens and exceptional employers/employees is paramount.
But, sometimes we want to be able to lead our peers at a professional level. Maybe that looks like moving to administration, supporting student teachers, being an adjunct education professor, leading on a committee/non-profit, or heck starting your own thing.
Unfortunately, we know that specifically in education, those leadership positions might be limited by specialized degrees, longevity in the system, and (hate to say it but it's true) favoritism sometimes weighs heavier than skill.
And you might find yourself in a situation where you wish you could do more but there isn’t a position available for you.
We get it and know that you have it in you to lead. And we also know that leadership isn’t bound by a position on your email signature. Leadership is determined by action and there are a few simple things you can do to lead even if you don’t have a Dr. Ph.D, EDS, Department Head or State Director as your title.
And the answers have been here all along. I just needed to reach into the interwebs, and dust off some digital dust from our Green & Growing values to help you find actionable ways to lead when you aren’t in charge.
While yes these are values for our organization, we want you to know as an agriculture teacher that our whole organization was created to help support and encourage agriculture teachers. Sounds like a leader right?
To be honest, this is what G&G did. We went rogue back in 2017. We decided there was a need for agriculture teacher support in a new and different way. Nothing to take away from other support organizations but to add in addition to because we believe there is space for everyone here. There was no position or place for an organization like us, we just did it anyway and stayed committed to our values every step of the way.
And if you are someone that feels that itch to lead but knows that based on zip code, school hierarchy or family dynamics that now isn’t the time or place to be in a leadership position know that 1. You ARE a leader already and 2. You CAN lead when you aren’t in charge.
4 Ways for you to Lead Even when you aren’t in charge
Share Abundantly
This might be the most obvious connection to leadership, sharing abundantly. This was one of the first values our team landed on. We knew that we couldn’t serve others well without being able to open our hands to share abundantly.
A lot of times this might be mistaken as “let’s give everything away” which is usually met with the statement “I worked hard for this, you should have to as well.”
And TBH I kinda hate that mentality although I sometimes catch myself in that trap.
In education we aren’t meant to do it alone. Heck in LIFE you aren’t meant to do it alone. You are made for community. And sharing abundantly is part of that community.
When sharing abundantly we don’t mean that you need just open up your Google Drive to the world. We mean lending your expertise to enrich the profession.
That might look like:
-Having coffee with a teacher who wants to learn the CDE you absolutely dominate
-Sending some example scripts or training materials to a fellow teacher
-Doing a joint-practice with a closeby school for the same CDE
-Having a phone call with a teacher who needs help with their lesson for tomorrow
-Sharing a teaching tip that has saved your butt multiple times via social media
-Being a speaker at a conference like Germinate
The list can go on and on and on because sharing abundantly doesn’t look the same in every situation.
I remember (tearfully) one day at a teachers conference that I was presenting at and my son (he was a couple months old) was not having it. And a few teachers took him so I could finish presenting. While you might not classify that as a “typical” sharing abundantly they selflessly gave me their time so I could lead others. And I will never forget that.
None of these examples are true leadership positions, just ways that you can take what is in your brain and lend a helping hand to others.
Observe Others
Being a leader means being at the top right?
Welllllll, I would like to say I don’t think so. There have been MANY times I have been in leadership positions and learned more from those I was leading and vice versa.
Being a leader means that you are willing to continue to learn so you can serve better. And one of the best ways is to observe others.
And I am not going to say the typical “be in a room with 5 people better than you.” While I think it is important to learn from those ahead of you, I think it is just as important to learn from those a few years behind you.
I can't even tell you how much I learned from the multiple student teachers I’ve had in my classroom or even interns we have had on the G&G team. While these 19-22 year olds might not know EvERyThiNg a veteran teacher knows they sure as heck have a different perspective and pulse on basically every situation you will be in. And learning what they see can open your eyes to new possibilities.
It is your responsibility, even if you aren’t in a leadership position, to learn from others. And that can be by attending conferences like NAAE or Germinate, auditing another teacher's class, doing some higher level courses/PD, attending tours/trips, meeting with community members etc.
Also, pro tip: learn from people OUTSIDE of your profession. While diving into content specific learning is valuable, sometimes you need to step outside of your day-to-day to see new realms of possibilities.
Keep connected and observe others with those who inspire you regardless of their age, title, experience, or position. You never know what you can learn from someone who doesn’t see the world exactly like you.
Unite Regularly
2020-2022 kinda screwed this up for us. Those years were trying and anyone who says the impacts are gone obviously aren’t spending 5 days a week in a classroom.
We know that things twisted and changed in the pandemic and now post pandemic world that is still trying to mend itself back together.
The biggest takeaway I’ve gotten from those two years is how vitally important uniting regularly with your people is.
And I am not just saying your ag teacher friends. I mean your family, your friends you have become family, your social groups, your book club buddies, your church small group, your workout besties, whoever. Being together doing things you love is crucial.
For you to be a leader you need to pour into yourself and part of that is uniting with people who light you up, encourage you and frankly can make you belly laugh.
If you haven’t found that group yet because of a wide variety of reasons let me direct you to this blog post about finding community in education and cultivating your own community (for entrepreneurs).
Train Daily
This morning I finished Run 2 of Week 11 in my “back to running” program. I decided back in the early summer that I wanted to be a runner again. I mean I was an athlete from a young age through college and continued to work on my fitness as an obsessed Pure Barre Junkie for years.
How hard could it be?
Freaking hard I’ll tell you. Mid (pushing late) 30’s me is not the same as 22 year old college lacrosse player me .
But, what I have learned is it just takes time to get comfortable again into the daily routine of running. Am I sore, tired, out of breath, red face rivaling that of a person with MAJOR road rage? Yes. Do I feel empowered, inspired and energized afterword? You bet.
The same thing goes for leadership. You gotta train daily. And just like working out, your training regimen will look different from others.
There might be a time when you spend a lot of time reading about leadership and learning about ways you can improve your craft.
There might be times where you are wholly invested in showing up in spaces that inspire you like a community leadership group.
There may be times where you go hard on a specific leadership skill like improving your speaking abilities with toastmasters or committing to writing everyday on your LinkedIn page.
There may be times when you are committed to self reflection and keep up with journaling and meditation.
YOU get to make the training regimen that works for YOU in this time of YOUR life and what YOUR goals are.
What I know about you just from the fact that you made it this far into a blog about growing your leadership skills is that you care deeply about supporting others and that makes you qualified to lead. It might not be in an official position today but that doesn't mean it can’t be tomorrow.
Marigolds
On the top left corner of my silver MacBook Air is a sticker that means more to me than a 2 dollar piece of sticky paper should.
It’s our original “be a marigold” sticker that we ordered back in 2021.
And being a marigold has become the lifeblood of Green & Growing Education ever since.
We send these stickers to each other when we need a pick me up. We send these stickers to teachers who we see doing amazing things in the agriculture education world. We send these stickers to our consulting clients who are movers and shakers of their industries.
But, we might have left out the reason why these silly little stickers mean so much to us.
It all started when we read this blog that Kindra sent to the team way back in 2020. The TLDR (to lazy didn’t read) version is that in education you can surround yourself with marigolds or walnut trees.
Marigolds are people who are encouraging, supportive, nurturing.
Walnut Trees are people who are negative nellies, discouraging, stuck in their ways.
Stick around marigolds and be one for others. Avoid walnut trees and don’t become one.
When we read that blog we knew that:
It passed the vibe check (I mean we are Green & Growing)
Gave us a simple visual reminder of what we believe as an organization for ourselves and our community.
So today is the day that we plant our marigold flag in the ground and say “this is us, this is what we believe, and here is how you can be a part of it”
Without further adieu, I present to you the three reasons why we preach being a marigold:
THREE REASONS WHY WE PREACH “BEING A MARIGOLD”
(and why it’s the Green and Growing Motto and Mission)
1️⃣ Marigolds are beneficial
If you are an agriculture teacher reading this (which is approximately 95% of you) you know about the benefits of marigolds in the garden.
You know that they repel unwanted pests, attract beneficial insects and can even suppress weed to all the surrounding plants. What they really do is elevate the longevity and success of the garden as a whole, right?
You might also know that there are non-beneficial plants to have around. I remember when we first heard about this concept from Kindra Callahan she talked about Black Walnut trees. If you didn’t know (like me at the time) these trees are poisonous to animals and can taint the soil surrounding it.
Not too great, right?
What we believe at G&G is to be a marigold is to be beneficial. When we make decisions we make them to make sure they are beneficial to the teachers we serve.
For example, we stopped offering a winter Germinate conference this year. You might be thinking “how does that help teachers?”
Good question!
After years of providing this conference and getting feedback from our community we realized that we could never find a good time in January to allow most teachers to attend and the timing put a huge strain on the speakers to curate their awesome sessions in October, November, and December since their calendars were slammed packed from National Convention to Winter Break.
So, for the longevity and success for not just the attendees but the speakers we decided to stop offering that and put more time and effort into summer Germinate.
(If you are reading this in real time, the Germinate 2025 Speaker Application is open and we are accepting on a rolling basis to allow you more time to work on your content!)
Something else that blossomed out of a discussion about being beneficial was providing MORE resources, which is why G&G has a small library of resources for teachers to freely download, edit and use.
What hasn’t happened in a while, however, is providing new resources. So to be beneficial and to use our expertise we polled our IG followers and are currently curating new resources MONTHLY for teachers to use.
Just recently we posted the Exit Directions, Email Home and Leadership Start-Ups resources for download.
Finally, we realize wholeheartedly that our team cannot solve all of the education or agriculture education industry issues. What we CAN do is help fill gaps!
Because we have all been in a situation sitting at our desk wishing we had a resource to help us in our next class hoping that someone out there has felt something similar and could provide wisdom. And we have been there when contemplating big life changes and how they will impact our careers.
We hope that the community built within G&G can help you fill those gaps with resources and people.
2️⃣ Marigolds are companions
Going back to our horticultural roots (pun intended) we know that marigolds are fantastic companion plants.
There are certain plants that marigolds enhance, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and peppers to name a few. They work together like peanut butter and jelly, or national blue and corn gold.
And you know what, that is what G&G wants to be for you. A companion.
Now, companions cannot just give you stuff. A companion accompanies another on their journey.
That’s like hopping in the car, stopping by the gas station for the perfect treats (I’m a white cheddar popcorn and chocolate covered pretzels person), making the perfect playlist and sitting side by side through the weather, traffic, road closures, construction and smooth cruising on that trip.
We truly want that for you. And to be honest it might not be with one of the 6 of us on the G&G team, but we know that it could be with someone you encounter in the G&G world.
Someone who might be different from your background, live in a different state, like different foods, teach different classes, has differing views and yet you become connected through your career and commitment to growth.
You’ve probably heard it before but this community changed my life. I truly felt lonely in my career (especially those first few years in a brand new state). I didn’t know who to ask for help, I felt like I couldn’t ask more veteran teachers or state staff for fear of looking weak or silly, and many times I sat alone at state events waiting for my students to return because I had no one to talk to.
That is not a way to live. Especially in a career that takes up at a minimum 40 hours a week (and that is a very low estimate).
I found my teaching buddies through the internet. And what is crazy is we talk often, if not daily. And it’s not just about teaching ag anymore.
It’s about what cool things we thrifted this weekend
It’s about funny family stories that leave us cackling
It’s about sharing the highs of the day and venting about the lows
It’s about planning the next time we can get together to have fun
THAT is a true companion!
And we know that this is a HIGH goal for us who run a virtual community. We also know that companionship must be interactive. And we know that we have less opportunities to open rooms for these organic friendships to grow.
And so, our commitment in the next few months is to provide more opportunities for live interaction between agriculture teachers.
Why?
I can still remember the people that I was on trivia teams with at Germinate
I can still remember making smores in a mug at a Virtual Coffee with a handful of you
I can still remember Ohhhing and Ahhhhing at Keynote session and seeing your faces light up
I can still remember the first time I met some of you in person
I can still remember being able to share a meal with some of you at Conventions
And you can’t have those connections or memories without being in the same room, virtually or in person.
The best way to stay up to date on these happenings is making sure you’re subscribed to The Gazette, our monthly newsletter.
3️⃣ Marigolds provide beauty
Just last night at our team meeting, we did what we normally do by sharing a win from the week.
And they can be silly like me sharing I got new glasses that turned out were the same as Hannah’s (#lifetwins) to something more heartwarming like Cassidy sharing she was awarded Teacher of the Month and her student gave a beautiful introduction about the impact Cassidy has made that had us all wiping our eyes.
And LC mentioned that she was so thankful about the G&G community because just that day she needed to talk to someone who experienced that issue before and called up someone from a different state and that conversation was “life-giving” to her.
That is the kind of beauty we hope comes from G&G if you are truly immersed in it.
We have moments that bring beauty into our lives daily when it comes to the G&G community.
We want you to be able to walk through the halls at state contests, the expo at national convention, and the banquet halls at NAAE and you feel so much joy and excitement because you are going to see your G&G friends that you have spent days, weeks, months, years talking with and now you get to do life with them together!
This is why we rented a space to have some time to feel that joy and see the beauty that this community has built over the past 5 years.
If you are interested in our in-person Marigold Meetup at National Convention 2024 fill out this form so we can get you the details.
Because when I started Ag Teacher How Tos in 2017 the goal was to just share some ideas and hope it helped a teacher or two.
What this has become since then is beyond my wildest dreams that brings me joy everyday when I sit down in the early morning or late at night to work. I have even made HUGE life decisions that allow me to stay committed to providing this community. And I wouldn't take back those decisions for a second because of what G&G means to the AgEd world and me.
We are invested in providing agriculture teachers need and deserve for the long haul.
We want to be a marigold in your life. We know we can’t be it for everyone and that you have more marigolds in your life like your state ag teachers association friends, the art teacher who is next door to you at school, or your National Ag Teacher Ambassador team.
We hope you have marigolds and that you are a marigold in others lives. We hope that G&G provides you an arena to GET from marigolds and also a place for you to GIVE as a marigold.
Overall, being a marigold is a true celebration of what and who G&G is.
G&G is a place that is beneficial, provides companionship and provides beauty in the lives of agriculture teachers. And we hope that you decide to join into the commitment of being a marigold!
Three R’s of Summer Break for Teachers
Welcome to summer ☀️ agriculture teachers!
While some of you may be in a great spot and are crossing the finish line with a lot of energy and excitement for what lies ahead, I also want to recognize that some of you aren’t feeling so great as you step into summer.
You might be feeling tired, worn out, and emotionally drained. Wherever you are on that spectrum, you did it.
Congratulations on finishing the school year!
As you enter into summer break, it can be easy to shut off until school starts in the fall, but what if there were a way to rest well while “getting your ducks in a row” for the next school year?
There is! This is your season of growth, renewal, and opportunity!
As the school year draws to a close and summer begins, it's time to shift gears, recharge, and prepare for the exciting journey ahead. Let’s explore three essential aspects for you to lean into this summer: rest, reflect, and get ready.
By embracing these elements, you can find the motivation and inspiration necessary to continue nurturing young minds and cultivating a thriving agricultural education community.
Three R’s of Summer Break for Teachers
1. Rest: Replenish Your Energy and Passion
After a demanding academic year, it's vital to prioritize self-care and recharge your batteries. Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup. Embrace the beauty of this summer by taking time for yourself. Whether it's lounging in a hammock, exploring nature, or engaging in hobbies you love, allow yourself to unwind and rejuvenate.
Rest is not just about physical relaxation; it's about rekindling your passion. Take a step back from the daily routine, immerse yourself in the simplicity of life, and reconnect with who you are at your core.
Just the other day I was on a walk and I was pondering the concept of habit stacking. If you haven’t heard of it before, James Clear states: “habit stacking is a special form of an implementation intention. Rather than pairing your new habit with a particular time and location, you pair it with a current habit.” This can include listening to a podcast while going on a walk.
Now, I do think this has its benefits, but don’t put yourself in a mindset where you always have to be doing a thousand things to get better.
There is value in unplugging and just going on a walk without the distraction. Like we say rest IS productive. Or it is also okay to just read a book for fun while laying on the couch. Whatever you decide to do to rest this summer- do what works best for YOU. It’s okay to unplug for a little while!
2. Reflect: Grow Through Introspection
As an agriculture teacher, reflection is a powerful tool for growth and improvement. Use this summer as an opportunity to reflect on your teaching practices, your successes, and areas that may need refinement. Consider the lessons learned from the past year, both in the classroom and beyond, and how they can shape your future endeavors.
This might include implementing introspective practices such as journaling, meditation, or simply sitting in quiet contemplation.
By reflecting on your experiences, you can gain valuable insights, discover innovative teaching methods, and set new goals for the upcoming year.
Remember, growth is a continuous journey, and taking the time to reflect will help you evolve as an educator and mentor.
3. Get Ready: Harness the Power of Professional Development
Preparing for the next academic year begins with investing in your professional development.
Seek out opportunities to expand your knowledge, network with fellow educators, and stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in agricultural education.
How can you do that?
Enroll in online courses
Attend conferences
Participate in workshops to sharpen your skills, learn innovative teaching strategies, and discover fresh perspectives.
Collaborate with other educators, share experiences, and foster a supportive community that will empower you throughout the year.
By investing in your professional development, you'll emerge from the summer break equipped with new tools and ideas to inspire your students and enhance their learning experience.
Green & Growing Education exists to offers a wide range of resources designed specifically for agriculture teachers like you.
One simple way you can build connections with other Ag teachers while intentionally preparing for the year ahead is by attending Germinate Conference.
This is a virtual conference created back in 2019 for Ag teachers so that you can immerse yourself in a virtual room with like-minded Ag teachers who are ready to encourage you and help you grow.
And feeling supported by other educators knowing that you aren’t alone in this career is what you want, right? If it is, be sure to register for Germinate today! If you still have questions, reach out to one of the team members and we can see if this conference is a good fit for you.
As an agriculture teacher, your dedication and passion are the driving forces behind the success of your students and the growth of your community.
This summer, prioritize rest, reflect on your journey, and get ready to embark on another transformative year in the classroom.
By embracing these three essential elements, you'll find the motivation, inspiration, and renewed energy to continue making a positive impact and shaping the future of agriculture.
Remember, this is your time to rejuvenate, learn, and grow. Embrace the summer's embrace the summer's opportunities, and lean into rest, reflection, and readiness. Your journey awaits!
How to make personal development personal again
About 4 years ago I went deep into personal development.
Reading all the books. (fiction or fun no way)
Listening to podcasts non stop (who listens to music anyway?)
Giving all my spare time to bettering myself for accolades (relationships, health etc. no need)
And admittedly it continued until I had a wakeup call recently and I took a moment to just think.
What am I trying to prove with reading only non-fiction?
Am I actually learning anything from the non-stop podcasts or are they going in one ear and out the other?
Is spending every waking moment on growth what I want to look back at when I am 80?
So I stopped.
Unfollowed a bunch of accounts.
Unsubscribed from podcasts.
Started reading for fun only.
And then I just rested to figure out the question “where do I actually want to grow?” or “what do I actually want?”
This pause over winter break and the start of the new year led me to my word of the year, revival. Which means “an improvement in the condition or the strength of something.”
Because admittedly I’ve been living for others' praise, appreciation, mentorship, compliance for too long. I am committing this year to the cause of figuring it out.
And you might be in the same place. Wanting to grow but not even knowing where to begin. And we get it - we live in a world inundated with “the next big thing” “your success starts here” “that magic pill you’ve been looking for.”
Now, I am not against personal growth, but what I AM against is toxic personal growth. I am against doing something just because everyone else is.
If you didn’t know, personal growth is UNIQUE to you. Hence the word “personal” 😉. Here is what I mean.
Let’s go to a quick lesson from Mrs. Nerswick on bell curves.
An example Bell Curve
Now, you’ve probably seen a bell curve in science class or in grad school right? It is a graph that shows the distribution of a variable symmetrical probability in statistics. You’ve probably seen it used to describe human height, test scores, or even head circumference in babies.
Ok, let’s break it down. This means that based on a variable – for this example, let’s say a personal development strategy like listening to ONLY personal development, meaning no music/audiobooks etc. – the probability of this strategy working is a bell curve.
It will work extremely well for about 3% of people who try.
It will work for 47% of people who try.
It won’t work well for 47% of people who try.
It will utterly and completely fail for 3% of people who try.
If you missed that, statistically speaking personal development strategies will only work moderately well for HALF of the people who try them.
This is why there is NO SUCH THING AS BLANKET ADVICE!
Think about it…
Does a doctor prescribe a Z pack to everyone with a stuffy nose? No, they need to make sure their patient actually has a bacterial infection and they aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients.
Does a teacher just teach the same exact lesson to every single class, every single year? No, they analyze who is in their class, the strengths, the areas for improvement, their level of knowledge in the subject and even modify the lesson in the middle of it to fit their students.
Does a therapist give the same advice to every patient? No, they listen, they ask questions, they get to know that person deeply before giving advice to help them through their journey.
Does every street have the same speed limit? No, the transportation authority researches every road, the twists, the turns, the blind spots and assigns an appropriate speed limit to that particular part of a street.
YOU ARE UNIQUE.
Your business is PERSONAL.
Your goals are PERSONAL.
Your schedule is PERSONAL.
Your priorities are PERSONAL.
Your work is PERSONAL.
So therefore, your personal development should be PERSONAL!
Success doesn’t come from following a certain formula. Success comes when you thoughtfully consider your life and your goals before subscribing to what others say is the solution and then iterating and modifying often to align with your life flows.
3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Making Your Next Personal Development Move
So, before you join that membership, enroll in that course, read the book, apply for that event, or register for that conference take a moment to ponder these questions. Because you need to know what you want, what you need before you can be successful in your growth journey.
1️⃣ What are you trying to improve? Specificity is key!
It’s time to get specific. Saying “I want to improve my business” or “I want to be a better mom” or “I want to get stronger” isn’t going to cut it here.
To make sure you are finding the right strategies you must be specific with what you are trying to improve. Maybe it sounds something like:
“I want to increase revenue in my business by 10% this year.”
“I want to spend more time playing with my kids after school.”
“I want to be able to do a pull up this year.”
Specificity will allow you to start searching for strategies that specifically address that area of your life.
2️⃣ How would you define success in that specific area?
I was in a recent training that taught us about categorizing good, better, and best goals and I kinda love that. It’s not pass or fail – there is flexibility in your goals,just like life!
Let’s take “I want to be able to do a pull up this year” for example.
Your BEST goal would be “Be able to do 5 unassisted pull ups by Christmas 2024”. Your BETTER goal would be “Be able to do 1 unassisted pull up by Christmas 2024” and your GOOD goal would be “Be able to do 1 strength band assisted pull up by Christmas 2024.
Start thinking through your specific goal how you can categorize it into good, better and best results.
And the best part here is to remember that we get to edit and iterate once we get more data on our progress. Say you are progressing really easily toward your goal, go ahead and tweak it!
3️⃣ How will this align with your current life situation?
This is the step I believe a lot of people miss. Your life situation is unique.
Maybe you have children, maybe you are the caregiver for your parents/grandparents, maybe you are the sole breadwinner in your family, maybe you need to work two jobs to make ends meet.
All of that is personal to you and makes working toward your goals unique.
Blanket Personal Development strategies set people up for failure, disappointment and end up misleading many people.
Once you know your specific goal and your definition of success, see how you can fit that into your current (key word current) life situation.
Does that mean spending 10 minutes a day on this? Great!
Does that mean getting a babysitter for 2 hours every other Thursday? Great!
Does that mean working on your goal at 10 p.m. after your kids go to bed? Great!
Does that mean taking a PTO day to work on your goal? Great!
To set yourself up for success, you must set up your goal to fit into your current life situation.
REMINDER: your life ebbs and flows.
Life mimics that of Earth’s seasons. Some seasons are full, vibrant like Spring and Summer. Some seasons are set up to let go of unneeded things like Fall. And some seasons are a time of dormancy and rest, like Winter.
It is important as your life seasons change (which might be week by week or even day by day!) to change your strategies. Because progress is progress. Even if that means taking a much needed step back sometimes.
This is the part of the blog post that I am hoping you feel validated and inspired to take some action on what you learned (I wouldn’t be a good teacher if that wasn’t the goal right?!). So, here is your action step!
(And remember: this is something you can decide to take or not because this isn’t toxic personal development – either way I am cheering for you!)
Take a pause the next time you hear blanket advice and go through steps 1-3 before accepting this new strategy into your life. And if you aren’t sure how to mitigate that and want to talk through it, hit reply and we can chat through your thoughts.
Here’s to making your personal development PERSONAL again. 🥳
ONE way you can do that if you are an AGRICULTURE TEACHER is by attending Germinate Conference this July 1-3, 2024.
We hope that you DON’T have the same conference as others. WHY because you have different goals and needs for your students and chapters. I mean think about it, you teach different subjects, you teach different grade levels, you have different facilities on campus, you have different state association requirement, you have different administration, you have different students and are in different communities. What you need SHOULD be different than others.
If you want to attend only the sessions on animal science based topics, go for it.
If you want to attend all the live sessions to expand your network, do it.
If you want to watch everything to get a taste of all the new sessions, that’s awesome.
Early Bird Registration closes on May 15. Grab your registration today here.
What it’s like learning outside of your discipline
I was a teacher, specifically an agriculture teacher for a decade. One thing that we pride ourselves on was being a “jack of all trades, master of none.” Over my career I taught close to twenty different classes, most years teaching upwards of 6 different subjects. That kind of daily mind gymnastics bounding from one topic to another makes your brain expand in many different ways.
Truly, I was gifted with the opportunity to be flexible and work outside of my zone of genius daily.
Many industries don’t allow for this. You typically “stay in your lane” and do the work that you’ve been asked to do. So let me ask you… when was the last time you decided to step outside of your zone of genius?
While it might seem like staying in your one lane is the best thing to do, overspecialising can actually be detrimental to your career and business.
Being able to learn in a broad spectrum can help you achieve more in your current career and even move up. There are three values of learning outside of your discipline. Let’s take a look.
Three Values of Learning Outside Your Discipline
Learn new skills
Think about all the skills you need to do your job well. It’s a long list right? I can almost bet that some of those skills on your list are beneficial in other careers.
Like time management, hello! What about collaboration with team members or conversations with a client? You can decide to take some time to learn about more broad skills needed for your career.
For example, you might be a course creator for health/wellness but stepping outside of your niche and learning about email marketing might benefit you greatly.
What about if you are a teacher? Could taking a project management course help you gain skills in “getting it all done”?
Your new skills will help you elevate where you are in your career and allow you to enhance the skills you already have.
Alternate Thinking
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and they simply say something that just blows your mind? It’s because you have never even ventured to think the way they think – how amazing right?!
When you look at a problem or situation from a different vantage point you are able to get your brain to work in new and different ways.
I distinctly remember going to a conference session on history, not my favorite subject. What I walked away with was a new learning strategy I had never thought of to use in my classes about timelines. Who knew? Certainly not me. I had to immerse myself into something new to be able to gain that new knowledge.
Improve your work
You’ve heard how the saying goes… “An old dog can’t learn new tricks.” Well, I call bull!
Humans are habitual, it’s in our nature. What you do in your job daily starts to become habitual.
When you take a step back and implement some new skills or techniques from outside of your discipline you may be able to improve your work. You get to avoid the “same old, same old” practices of old. You get to improve yourself and your work all at once.
And bonus? I bet your boss will be happy to see the new coming from you!
I recently wrote about this on LinkedIn and my friend Shelley mentioned she recently took up learning about pastries and it has been blowing her mind. She is an entrepreneur, communications director, coach and professional pianist.
Could you easily say this drive to learn about pastries isn’t beneficial to her? You could… but I would push you and ask why you think that.
Because the truth is that she is creating new neural pathways in her brain.
She is learning about processes. She is learning about directions. She is learning about patience. She is learning about trial and error. She is learning about quality control. She is learning about trying new things. She is learning from experimenting.
All of those things can help her in truly any career.
And the same can be true for you too.
There is no need to pigeon hole yourself into one area of growth.
You can build a library of skills and knowledge that will benefit you as a whole person. If you want to learn it, go for it. It is still beneficial to your brain and your whole self even if it isn't career driven.
Because at the end of the day learning doesn’t have to be results driven.
And if you want to dive into learning in 2024, join educators from across the country at Germinate Empowered. Registration closes on Saturday January 6, 2024.
If you read this after the registration deadline, stay connected with G&G through the podcast, blog, and Instagram