Building a Strong School Culture

What does empathy look like in leadership? Last night I sat in an after-hours clinic until 10 p.m. The place was filled with tired parents and restless children as winter illnesses spread across New Zealand. The wait was long, yet the clinic stayed calm. Two nurses worked with precision, and three doctors kept a steady rhythm from room to room. One nurse knelt to a child’s eye level to explain the delay. Another placed a cup of water in a worried mother’s hands without a word. They stayed late so everyone was seen. I was one of the last to be seen, but that is ok because kids deserve to be seen first. Year after year our health system face staff shortages and limited resources. Yet medical staff do their best to make a difference. Last night was a quiet masterclass in empathy, not as a PR slogan to "be kind," but as the culture of showing up when people need you. Then there’s the moment in this clip when Juan Martín del Potro pauses a tennis match so that an injured ball girl can be comforted and replaced. No glory and no extra point for his sportsmanship. Just presence and empathy under pressure. Virtue signaling posts values on a wall and calls it done. Real empathy, by contrast, seeks no recognition and genuinely serves others. The people on my team have families. If work wins and home loses, we all lose. The community pays first, and the business pays later. So, here are my 5 simple tips on how you can lead with empathy: 1. Ask real questions: ⇀ What really matters this month? ⇀ What would make work better? 2. Set humane rules: ⇀ Name the top three priorities. ⇀ No stealth weekend work. 3. Be present in hard moments: ⇀ Have the tough conversations early. ⇀ Support your team in public. 4. Share the load: ⇀ Move deadlines and reassign work. ⇀ Cover a shift. 5. Measure what matters: ⇀ Track energy, trust, and safety. ⇀ Let those guide decisions. Empathy is how we show up for each other, week after week - whether it's for our teams, families, or communities. How has empathy shaped the way you lead, or the way you’ve been led? ------- ➕ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA for finance‑leadership clarity. 🔄 Share this insight with a decision‑maker. 📰 Get deeper breakdowns in Financial Freedom, my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gYHdNYzj 📆 Ready to work together? Book your Clarity Session: https://lnkd.in/gyiqCWV2

"If you only make them a better player on the field, boy, you have lost a great opportunity" Tony Dungy was head coach for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts. In this video he provides some guidance for young coaches. Personally, I think this is great information for coaches of all ages and leaders in industry. Coach Dungy speaks about the importance of: 1) Getting to know your players 2) Connecting with players This approach fits very nicely with Ryan and Deci's (2000) model of self-determination theory, and in particular the basic psychological need of relatedness. When a coach gets to know his or her players and has a connection, it fulfils an athlete's basic psychological need of relatedness. The need for relatedness includes an athlete’s need to feel cared for by significant others such as a coach or team mates (Duda, 2013) and a secure sense of belongingness (Amorose, 2007). Techniques for coaches to enhance perceptions of relatedness 1) Develop the coach-athlete relationship The coach-athlete relationship is key to an athlete’s psychological needs being met (Amorose, 2007; Meageau and Vallerand, 2003), so coaches could work on developing their relationship with players and managing any conflict when or if it arises. 2) Promote positive relationships with other players  Coaches who work in team sports could devise activities that foster camaraderie among players to ensure that all players feel valued. This could also be achieved by not encouraging competition among team mates, or placing very little emphasis on the results of such competitions. Team building activities may also help athletes feel a sense of relatedness. 3) Listen and acknowledge – Coaches should listen to what their athletes say and acknowledge the feelings of athletes, rather than disregard such feelings (Amorose, 2007). This will help create trust between athletes and coaches, which is important in helping people feel cared for (Tessier et al., 2010). 4) Involve parents (IF COACHING YOUNG ATHLETES)  Amorose (2007) suggested that coaches should play an active role in involving an athlete’s parents, especially among younger athletes. This is supported by more recent research (e.g., Amorose et al., 2016; Gaudreau et al., 2016) who demonstrated the importance of autonomy support from parents. As such, coaches could provide information to parents regarding how they can be more supportive to their children and fulfil their basic psychological needs better. 

"Education is not just about imparting knowledge; it's about nurturing the heart and fostering emotional connections in the classroom. When children feel connected, their learning becomes a transformative journey." Here are ten ways to cultivate a heart focussed culture in your classroom. 1 Extend a heartfelt welcome: Begin each day by warmly greeting every student, embracing them with a smile and a genuine inquiry about their well-being. This simple act sets the tone for a compassionate and inclusive classroom environment. 2. Embrace the power of stories: Harness the captivating power of storytelling to create meaningful connections with your students. Share narratives that touch their hearts, ignite their imaginations, and make learning come alive. 3. Cultivate an atmosphere of trust: Create a safe space where children feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, emotions, and ideas without fear of judgment. Encourage open dialogue and respect for diverse perspectives, fostering a sense of trust and belonging. 4. Nurture empathy and compassion: Teach the importance of empathy and compassion towards others. Help students understand and appreciate different experiences and emotions, fostering a caring and supportive classroom community. 5. Engage through interactive learning: Encourage active participation by incorporating hands-on activities, discussions, and collaborative projects. This approach empowers students to become active learners, fostering critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. 6. Recognize and honor emotions: Emphasize the significance of emotional well-being and provide a platform for students to express and explore their feelings. By acknowledging and validating their emotions, you create a space for self-reflection and personal growth. 7. Foster self-assessment and reflection: Encourage students to reflect on their learning journey, set goals, and assess their own progress. Cultivate a growth mindset, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth and self-improvement. 8. Celebrate diversity and inclusion: Celebrate the unique strengths, backgrounds, and perspectives of each student. Create an environment that values diversity and fosters inclusivity, cultivating a sense of belonging and respect for all. 9. Cultivate mindfulness and well-being: Introduce mindfulness practices into the classroom, such as breathing exercises and moments of quiet reflection. Help students develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and overall well-being. 10. Build meaningful connections: Take the time to build strong teacher-student relationships based on trust, respect, and genuine care. Show interest in their lives, dreams, and aspirations, nurturing a supportive bond that fuels their love for learning. By fostering emotional connections, you create an educational experience that transcends textbooks and leaves a lasting impact on their lives. #education #teacher #students #students #community #growth #experience #learning

Universities and colleges put enormous effort into welcoming new students. Orientation weeks are colourful, busy, and full of opportunities to connect, but research shows that the sense of belonging students gain in those early days often fades as the semester progresses. The challenge, and opportunity, is for practitioners to design approaches that sustain belonging beyond the first few weeks. A recent study (International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, October 2024) examined how students navigate educational transitions and highlighted the importance of realistic preparation, sustained connection, and the role of educators in shaping belonging. Drawing on the study, here are five domains to guide practice: 1️⃣ Prepare by setting realistic expectations. Too often, students arrive with glossy images of university life, only to feel blindsided by the pace, workload, or challenges of forming new friendships. Providing honest, balanced information before arrival helps normalise difficulty and reduce the shock of transition. Examples could include current student or alumni-led Q&A sessions, “What I wish I’d known” videos and resources.   2️⃣ Connect by creating micro-moments not just big events. Large welcome events can spark initial excitement, but belonging is sustained through everyday micro-connections - someone to sit with in class, a lecturer remembering your name, a peer inviting you to coffee. Encourage tutors to use ice breakers beyond week one, support student leaders to facilitate ongoing low-barrier activities that foster peer and staff connection like weekly walks or shared study sessions. 3️⃣ Empower educations as ‘belonging builders.’ The research reinforces that educators play a critical role in student wellbeing. Approachability, empathy, and inclusivity from teaching staff often matter as much as peer friendships. Small practices like checking in, learning names, or acknowledging diverse perspectives can have outsized impact. 4️⃣ Integrate by addressing compounding transitions. Academic demands, social shifts, housing changes, and wellbeing challenges often overlap. Students rarely experience these in isolation, and when combined, they intensify stress and risk of disengagement. Consider integrated and holistic advising models where academic, wellbeing, and housing staff collaborate to support students. 5️⃣ Monitor, recognising loneliness as an early signal Finally, loneliness is often the first indicator of deeper wellbeing issues. Monitoring connection levels can provide an early warning system for support. Use pulse surveys, quick check-ins in tutorials, or digital tools to flag students at risk of isolation, paired with clear referral and early intervention pathways (e.g., peer connectors, student mentors, proactive outreach). 🔗 Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/gjvUH6sa

High-performing teams don’t just happen. They’re built on a foundation of empathy. Winning cultures lead with empathy and accountability. Leaders who create a culture of empathy lift others up, strengthen trust, and unlock the full potential of their people. Here’s how to do it in practice: ⭐Model empathy first: share your own challenges and perspectives openly, showing that it’s safe to be human at work. ⭐Listen beyond words: pay attention to tone, body language, and what’s not being said. ⭐Invite perspectives and ask: “What’s your take?” before making key decisions, especially when change is on the table. ⭐Respond, don’t react. Pause before speaking in tense moments to ensure your words build, not break. ⭐Recognize effort: notice the work behind the work. Appreciation fuels motivation and morale. ⭐Flex your style: adapt communication and leadership to different working styles and needs. ⭐Create space for well-being: encourage breaks, check-ins, and sustainable workloads so people can perform at their best. When empathy is embedded into the culture, performance isn’t sacrificed. Instead, it’s amplified. Teams move faster, collaborate better, and stay committed longer. Reflect on: one way you can lead with empathy today?

“If only my child / husband / boss / employee would do [something], everything would be OK.” Sounds familiar? I learned from a recent #stanforduniversity lecture to focus on changing situations, not changing people. When a situation feels safe, inviting, and nurturing, people naturally change. Here are 3 tips from social and organizational psychologist Dr. Geoffrey Cohen to help you create situations for change, whether you’re a manager, teacher, parent, or spouse: 1️⃣ Ask about values I put this one first because it’s the hardest. Research shows that reflecting on personal values improves health and simplifies decision-making. Yet, as kids many of us were taught to respect authority and rarely asked questions about our Selves. Our families might have emphasized teaching us the experiences of our elders and didn’t have a habit of asking, “What is important to you?” We must start asking the people we seek to influence to talk about their own values. In Dr. Cohen’s studies, teachers asked their students to take a picture of something that reminds them of their values and share what it means. Small acts like this are empirically proven to improve performance at school, at work, and even health outcomes for cancer patients. 2️⃣ Express your belief in someone’s potential when giving feedback Even when we give constructive criticism, people on the receiving end might still perceive ambiguity in the situation. They’re wondering, “Are you trying to help me or are you judging me, keeping me down?” You can change this situation to one of safety and learning by adding a line - “I’m giving you this feedback because I believe in your potential to meet higher standards.” The results are powerful. Dr. Cohen’s studies found that 7th graders who received a graded paper with this line were nearly twice as likely to attend college 7 years later (70% vs. 40%). 3️⃣ Share a story of adversity Talking about when you also had a hard time normalizes someone’s experience. Over the long-run, Dr. Cohen’s studies show that being vulnerable with the people you’re trying to influence raises students’ grades, increases employee morale and career satisfaction, improves health and wellbeing. Parents, try this, “I remember getting a bad grade in math class when I was your age. I felt stupid and wanted to give up. Then I got a tutor and it really helped.” Managers, try this, “When I started this job, I had no idea what I was doing. I made mistakes and my team didn’t respect me. After seeking advice from a mentor, I learned to prioritize 1x1 time with my team and was able to regain my team’s trust.”   ❓Which of these 3 tips will you try? 📌Want to go deeper and learn more ways to improve your relationships at work and at home? Register for my Nov 18 and Dec 2 Relationship Intelligence workshops here: https://lnkd.in/gVeNDyzD 📗“Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides” by Dr. Geoffrey Cohen #mentalhealth #coaching #relationshipintelligence

We often think of empathy as a trait—something you either have or you don’t. But neuroscience tells us that empathy is a skill.  Which means–it can be taught, strengthened, and rewired into the brain like any other ability. And in a world that’s becoming increasingly divided, teaching empathy isn’t just important, it’s essential. At the heart of empathy are mirror neurons, specialized brain cells that don’t just allow us to observe others’ emotions but to feel them. It’s why we flinch when someone else gets hurt. Why we tear up at a powerful story. Why kindness, understanding, and connection have the power to transform lives. So, what happens when our education system prioritizes memorization over human connection? When competition is valued over collaboration? When students are taught what to think but not how to care? We create leaders who can solve complex equations but fail to solve human conflicts. That’s why at Dreamtime Learning, empathy is embedded into how we teach. Perspective Shift That Creates Understanding – True learning happens when students step into someone else’s reality. Through storytelling, role-playing, and real-world discussions, we help children see life beyond their own lens—shifting their perspective from “me” to “we.” Emotional Intelligence as a Core Skill – Self-awareness is the foundation of empathy. We teach students to recognize, process, and respond to emotions—both their own and others’—through active listening and reflective thinking. A Culture of Compassionate Learning – Empathy isn’t learned through textbooks—it’s learned through experience. That’s why at Dreamtime, kindness, mutual respect, and open dialogue are the foundation of how we learn, grow, and interact every day. The future needs thinkers, yes. But more importantly, it needs compassionate leaders who know how to create impact that extends beyond themselves. Together, let’s raise: ⭐️ Doctors who don’t just heal the body, but heal with heart. ⭐️ CEOs who don’t just run companies, but lead with integrity. ⭐️ Politicians who don’t just make policies, but serve with purpose. ⭐️ Humans who don’t just exist, but truly understand one another. Because if we truly want to shape the future, we must start with the hearts and minds of our students today. ✨ Follow Lina Ashar for more insights on how neuroscience is shaping the future of learning and leadership. #LinaAshar #School #Student #Politics #DreamtimeLearning #Empathy #Culture #EmotionalIntelligence

Some people call empathy a "pathological weakness." Denmark has made it a strength for 30+ years. Some think empathy is "feminine" behavior holding back progress. But Denmark has made empathy central to its childhood education. Students 6-16 take weekly 1 hour empathy classes. Here's what it looks like: → Students share challenges (academic or personal) → The whole class listens without interrupting or judging → They collaborate on solutions together → They reflect on how others feel in different situations → Students build self-awareness through repetition → There's no tests, no grades, just skill-building The philosophy runs deeper: → 60% of schoolwork is collaborative → Children learn they cannot succeed alone → No prizes or trophies to avoid creating rivalry → Focus isn't to excel, but to help those who struggle After 3 decades, the results speak for themselves: 📊 Denmark ranks top 3 happiest countries globally 📊 Bullying rate: just 6.3% (one of Europe's lowest) 📊 Better job retention & stronger workplace bonds Empathy isn't "soft skills" fluff. Empathy does not have a gender. Empathy is for everyone. In a disconnected world, our ability to understand and connect with others is a sustainable competitive advantage. 👉 What would change if empathy was treated as a core skill in business, not a nice-to-have? ♻️ Repost if someone in your network needs this perspective 🔔 Follow Ashley Couto for more daily business content

Classroom management lays the foundation for a thriving learning environment. By building positive relationships, setting clear expectations, and maintaining consistent routines, teachers create structure, reduce disruptions, and foster student engagement. Proactive strategies help anticipate challenges and model emotional regulation, promoting mutual respect and accountability. With strong classroom management, educators reclaim time for meaningful instruction, and classrooms become spaces for growth, reflection, and joy. 🟥 Positive Relationships • In Action: Students are greeted by name, eye contact is intentional, and teachers model empathy and active listening. There’s space for student voice, whether through classroom jobs, reflection journals, or restorative conversations. • Impact: Trust flourishes. Students feel emotionally safe, which reduces anxiety and increases participation. A child who once hesitated to speak now volunteers to lead a group prayer or share a personal insight during a lesson. 🟧 Clear Expectations • In Action: Rules are co-created and posted visually, often with bilingual phrasing or symbolic anchors (e.g., “Speak Life,” “Honor Time”). Teachers revisit expectations regularly, using role-play or anchor charts to reinforce them. • Impact: Students internalize boundaries and begin to self-regulate. Transitions become smoother, and misbehavior is addressed with clarity rather than confusion. A student who once struggled with impulsivity now pauses and redirects themselves before acting. 🟩 Consistent Routines • In Action: Daily rituals like morning meetings, prayer circles, or exit tickets are predictable and purposeful. Visual schedules and timers support executive functioning, especially for neurodiverse learners. • Impact: Students thrive in the rhythm. They know what’s coming next, which frees up cognitive space for deeper learning. A student with attention challenges begins to anticipate tasks and complete them with growing independence. 🟦 Proactive Strategies • In Action: Teachers use proximity, nonverbal cues, and pre-corrections to guide behavior before issues arise. Lessons are differentiated, and seating arrangements are intentional to support collaboration and minimize conflict. • Impact: The classroom feels calm and responsive, not reactive. Students learn conflict resolution and emotional regulation by example. A student who used to shut down during group work now engages with peers confidently, knowing the environment is structured to support them. #TeachWithStructure #LeadWithRhythm