The Together Leader Get Organized for Your Success - and Sanity!

The Together Leader is a practical handbook for the busy mission-driven leader. With an emphasis on time management, the book provides all of the tools, templates, and checklists necessary for leaders to stay organized and keep on top their responsibilities. Maia Heyck-Merlin describes step-by-step a set of habits and systems that help leaders to keep everything running smoothly and, most importantly, achieve their mission-driven goals. By learning how to plan for the predictable, leaders can face the unexpected head-on, going off-plan while keeping their eye on the objective. Education leaders will learn how to prioritize quickly and efficiently, and gain access to hands-on tools that take the turbulence out of their days, allowing them to truly become a Together Leader.

Mission-driven leaders are often required to multi-task; it's part of the job. This book gives leaders the tools and information they need to streamline their workflow, to take the day one task at a time without sacrificing productivity. The book includes lessons on how to:

• Prioritize effectively and work efficiently
• Get organized and stay prepared no matter what
• Manage time, staff, and resources
• Develop the habits of an effective leader

A leader's time is valuable, as is that of their staff. There's no room for waste. The Together Leader prepares leaders to truly lead their teams, with the tools and strategies that make real, effective mission-driven leadership possible.

MAIA HEYCK-MERLIN is the founder and CEO of The Together Group, a training and consulting practice focused on training school, district, and nonprofit leaders on topics such as time management, prioritization, organization, and efficiency. She is also the author of The Together Teacher.

Acknowledgments xiii

Website Resources xvii

SECTION ONE: SET THE STAGE 1

Chapter 1: Leading in a Mission-Driven Context 3

What Do You Mean by Mission-DrivenWork? • What Do You Mean by Togetherness, Anyway? • Why Togetherness Matters Even More in Your Context • My Own Togetherness Journey • Why This Book Is Different • How This Book Is Organized • How Each Chapter Is Organized • How to UseThis Book • Notes on Terminology and Methodology • Togetherness Is a Means to an End Togetherness Talks: Shawn Mangar

Chapter 2: Take Stock: Assess Your Togetherness Level 15

Overview and Objectives • Togetherness Levels • The Tools You Need • Reader Quiz: Togetherness Tools • Routines Rule • Mind-Sets Matter (More Than Anything) • Build the Habit • Don’t Go on an Organizational Binge • Let’s Jump In Togetherness Talks: Natalie Rubio

SECTION TWO: GET CLEAR ON Y OUR PURPOSE 27

Chapter 3: Set Goals: Define the Direction 29

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • How Do I Set Yearly Goals? • How Do I Set Quantitative Goals? • Create a Time Line for Goal Setting—and Put Someone in Charge • Reviewing Goal Progress • Start Strong See It In Action: Goal Setting Start to Finish

Chapter 4: Break Down the Goals: Create a Priority Plan 63

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Jen’s Priority Plan • Kari’s Priority Plan • How Big or How Small—AreThese Giant Leaps or Baby Steps? • The Routine • Getting a Team Onboard • My Priority Plan Isn’tWorking for Me • Start Strong See It In Action:Wrist, Elbow, and Shoulder

Chapter 5: Align Your Meetings: Make a Meeting Matrix 95

Seenand Heard • Overview and Objectives • The Model • Build Your Own • The Mechanics of a Regular One-on-One Meeting • Nailing the Content • The Routine • Meeting Follow-Up • A Long-Term View • Start Strong Common Challenge: The Crisis

SECTION THREE: GET YOURSELF TOGETHER 129

Chapter 6: Get Macro: Design a Comprehensive Calendar 131

Seenand Heard • Overviewand Objectives • Create Your Comprehensive Calendar • Articulate Your Priorities • Sketch an Ideal Week • Impose the Ideal Week onto Your Digital Calendar • Let’s Get Consolidated • Zoom Out to View a Year • Start Strong Togetherness Talks: Vince Marigna

Chapter 7: Strategic Procrastination: Design a Later List 151

Seenand Heard • Overview and Objectives • The Model • Build Your Own • The Routine • Start Strong Common Challenge: The Calendar and To-Do List Collide

Chapter 8: Reconcile Your Time and To-Dos: Create Your Weekly Plan 177

SeenandHeard • OverviewandObjectives • TheModel • Task-Driven, Time-Driven, or Blended? • Build Your Own • Little Things Make a Difference • Some Other Sneaky Calendar Tricks • But, Maia, What about Things That Just Come Up? • Keep It Alive:The Routine • Start Strong Common Challenge: Too Much to Do!

Chapter 9: Keep It Together: Routines and Checklists 209

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Weekly Routines: Clean Up and Look Ahead • Ensuring Weird Weeks Don’t Take You by Surprise • Monthly or Quarterly Practices • Other Useful Checklists • Need a Few Trackers? • Start Strong Common Challenge: A New Job

Chapter 10: Hold That Thought: Save It for Later! 231

Seenand Heard • Overview and Objectives • The Model • Build Your Own • The Routine • Start Strong See It in Action: What Should I Carry? Togetherness Talks: Shawn Stover

SECTION FOUR: GET YOUR TEAM AND ORGANIZATION TOGETHER 255

Chapter 11: Keep E-mail in Its Place 257

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Conduct an E-mail Audit • Get Your In-box Set Up for Success • Write Clearly and Efficiently • Process Efficiently • Creating Routines:When Do You Check Your E-mail? • Managing Communications as an Organization • Start Strong Common Challenge: E-mail Emergency

Chapter 12: Project Design, Planning, and Communication: More Than Just Spreadsheets! 289

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Set the Stage • Detour: Don’t Forget to Merge with your Personal Organization System! • Start Strong Togetherness Talks: Erica Phillips

Chapter 13: Become a Dynamic Duo: Maximize Your Assistant 323

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Evaluate Your Current Relationship • Hire the Right Person • Train Your Assistant Well • Use Your Assistant to Manage More Than Your Scheduling • Leader and Assistant Communication Structures • Start Strong See It in Action: The Management Memo

SECTION FIVE: PUT IT ALL TOGETHER 365

Chapter 14: Keep Track of Stuff, Space, and Knowledge 367

Seenand Heard • Overview and Objectives • Deal with Your Own Stuff • Make the Most of Shared Office Space • Track the Inventory • Manage the Knowledge • Start Strong Common Challenge: On-the-Go Office

Chapter 15: Create a Culture of Togetherness 393

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Define Togetherness in Your Organization • Select the Right People • Showcase and Model Togetherness at the Onset • Create an Onboarding Overview • Up and Running: Observe and Coach • How to Observe Togetherness • Maintaining Togetherness in Your Organization • Agreeing on Standard Together Team Tools • Start Strong Togetherness Talks: Stephanie Patton

Chapter 16: Conclusion: Keep It All Together 413

Seen and Heard • Overview and Objectives • Remember theWhy • What to Tackle First • Explaining Yourself to Others • What HappensWhen You Fall Off • Transferring Togetherness to the Home Front • Why the World Needs Together Leaders

Bibliography 421

Index 423

How to Access the Website Resources 439

About the Author 441

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