Just say “YES” with Ronke Adetolu
Outline and Show Notes
321: Just say “YES” with Ronke Adetolu
Power Quote: "If my future stayed parked in 'someday,' then I did not have to risk failure today”
Teaser:
I love having guests on the show who are coming from outside the field of education I think they can bring fresh perspectives and help us interrogate our own situations through a different lens. In today’s episode, my guest helps us dig into the idea of saying yes, even when your mind wants to say no or maybe later specifically will talk about moving into a job that you don’t quite feel prepared for so if you’re a teacher, listening to this show, looking to move into the assistant principalship, or maybe her assistant principal looking to move into the principal ship I think this will be a great episode for you.
Sponsor Spot 1:I’d like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today’s show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn’t that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.
Show Intro
Guest Bio:
Words shape minds and every voice holds the potential to inspire. I’m here to turn stories into sparks and messages into movements. Ronke Adetolu is a TEDx speaker known for her talk, “The Myth of Someday,” where she exposes how postponing purpose quietly keeps people stuck. Her message is direct, relatable, and action-oriented, helping individuals and organizations move from intention to action with clarity and confidence.
Warmup questions:
- We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?
- Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?
Questions/Topics/Prompts
- Your TEDx Talk was about saying yes and pushing before you are ready, without certainty. In it, you said, “If my future stayed parked in someday, then I did not have to risk failure today” I think this opens up multiple avenues of reflection for listeners:
- Do I yes to the job (AP or P) even if I’m not ready?
- Do I say yes to being an instructional leader, even if I’m not ready?
- How do step into the gap with confidence?
- Addressing imposter syndrome
- Courage Activation “YES method”
I talk a lot on this show about using 5-minute coaching to help your teachers reflect when you can’t get into classrooms, but what about those times you do get into classrooms? Do you have a system and tools to make the most of each visit?Imagine the perfect classroom walkthrough process. You are focused on instructional priorities and provide meaningful feedback that leads to coaching conversations.
digiCOACH has been making that walkthrough process a reality for more than a decade. Every year, digiCOACH supports thousands of classroom walkthroughs with tools that save school leaders time, strengthen feedback, and connect classroom visits to next steps.
Learn more at digiCOACH.com and mention The Assistant Principal Podcast to receive an exclusive offer.
digiCOACH has been making that walkthrough process a reality for more than a decade. Every year, digiCOACH supports thousands of classroom walkthroughs with tools that save school leaders time, strengthen feedback, and connect classroom visits to next steps.
Learn more at digiCOACH.com and mention The Assistant Principal Podcast to receive an exclusive offer.
Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…
Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.
And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.
Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.
And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.
Closing questions:
- What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?
- If listeners could take just one thing away from today’s podcast, what would it be?
- Before we go, is there anything else that you’d like to share with our listeners?
- Where can people learn more about you and your work…
Summary/wrap up
- YES: especially envisioning our future self
- Imposter syndrome is part of the process
- Act before you are ready:
- You’ll never be ready
- Opportunities don’t wait
- Caveat: Consider the leader
- Stack easy wins by leaning into strengths and leveraging presence and listening skills (e.g. 5mc)
Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!
- Ranford’s homepage: https://ranfordalmond.com
- Ranford’s music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoul
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/
Sponsor Links:
Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/
digiCOACH: digiCOACH.com
Close
- Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.
- You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/
- I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at frederick@frederickbuskey.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
- If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html
- Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
- Remember the secret to good leadership:
- Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for others
- Be fully present
- Ask reflective questions
- And then just listen
- Don’t overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.
- Have a great rest of the week!
- Cheers!
Guest Links:
Frederick’s Links:
Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/
Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a
The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520
