Sometimes we, as educational leaders and teachers, have to have courageous conversations. Conversations that are uncomfortable and difficult. Conversations that must be tackled. Words that need to be said with love, but said.

Lately, I have been a little more aware of this and have had a few discussions with friends and colleagues about this. In these discussions I have said that if you are clear on who you are as an educator and confident in the course you are taking, if you know that students are the focus, courageous conversations are easier to engage in. When you are clear as an educator about who you are, you can be grounded in that knowledge when you go into a difficult conversation. It serves as your anchor and allows you to be honest. I do believe people respect that honesty.

I’ve read the book, Difficult Conversations, and I can’t say I learned all that much from it. I learned to be courageous in conversations from years of honing who I am as an educator and a human being. That, and a whole lot of practice.

It is so important for us to not shy away from courageous conversations. They are a learning tool for us as much as they are for the people we are talking with.