Greener Shepherd

This past weekend, Greener Shepherd presented at the Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa for their Professional Readiness Program (PRP). We had a blast! The students were engaged, supportive, and reflective as they grew in their ability to respond to feedback in the workplace and life. We are excited for these students to flourish at UNI and for them to become part of your teams and workplaces in the next couple of years. It's an honor to serve our community and our future leaders in this regard, and we are thankful to UNI for providing the platform for us to do so. Special thanks to Teri Trask for getting our yearly photo at the event :) - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

As we come to the conclusion of the first full "work week" of the new year, we know the unmatched value and immeasurable rewards from showing up at a place of work where you feel valued, respected, and know you make a difference. Education "is" that place for many people, and one way to enhance the value and rewards for staff members is to provide training on health, mindset, and communication. In a field that is constantly supporting new iniaitives, new directives, and new milestones to improve student achievement -- A school organization can benefit from fully supporting it's people to live out their mission and values. One message we've heard over and over again from school staff and employees is how important their health and well-being is -- Once your health and well-being falters, it can be harder to get it back, and that is why we are so passionate about helping educators and leaders maintain and thrive as healthy individuals -- both inside and outside their places of work -- so they can be fully present with their students, teams, and families. If your school, leadership team, or employees want to improve their health, well-being and communication skills, we here at Greener Shepherd provide practical, effective ways for them to do just that. We're looking forward to supporting more schools and educational leaders in 2025 and helping them pay it forward in even bigger ways. If you are interested in learning more about what this could look like for your staff or organization, email us at [email protected] - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

As the holiday week begins, we are grateful for our opportunities over the last year to spark change by -- >> improving school leaders' health, >> promoting better communication across stakeholders, and >> sharing powerful practices to cultivate a resilient mindset. One of the best pieces of feedback we received this year was data from a staff survey that showed a 15% increase in the culture and climate of school staff following our year-long program with them. It is these types of improvements that change lives and create ripple effects far out into any community. When the culture and climate of a school improves and satisfaction increases, the education of students improves as well, providing an inviting, welcoming, and energizing community for all. We look forward to helping more educational leaders create this type of change within their schools, so everyone can benefit. If you are interested in learning more about what this could look like for your staff or organization, please reach out here, or email us at [email protected] Wishing you and yours a joyful holiday season, Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

Receiving feedback like this is energizing and uplifting! Thank you to Madison Kraemer for her kind words and for asking us to be part of her programming with university students. It is an honor to help future leaders lead even better by improving their health, communication, and mindset. -Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

How do you get movement in during the cold, winter months? (Note: We didn't say 'exercise' - we said 'movement.') Often people think about the time they need to spend at the gym, or watch a workout video, or follow a prescribed exercise regimen in order to get healthy. In reality, we support and advocate for individuals to add regular movement?into their day and THROUGHOUT their day. Why? Because we want to see individuals make lifestyle shifts and habit formation that can continue?long into the future, even on busy/hectic days. Rather than focusing all your efforts on the 30-45 minute workout, or hour class you take - how can you incorporate movement across your ENTIRE day? The goal is to make movement a habit and not something we need to "check off the list" in order to feel better about ourselves. As we enter into the cold, winter months - we invite you to find fun, creative, and (most importantly) enjoyable ways for you to incorporate more movement into your day and make it a part of your lifestyle. If you need suggestions, message us here or email us at?[email protected] - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

Two weeks ago, we attended the Iowa Association of School Boards annual conference. In conversations with administrators, school board members, and other educational supporters and champions, the following two points stood out: 1. Most educators could benefit from the same support they give their students, staff, and colleagues. Educators are often considerate helpers who will bear heavy loads to benefit others and, at the same time, neglect their own needs. How often do you see this with the teachers, administrators, and support staff in your buildings? Often this sacrifice is celebrated when a better approach would be to support them in building and maintaining a healthy life, so their cup stays full. 2. Education continues to be a world of promise, of hope, of aspiration, and of change. The current reality is no exception, even if it looks otherwise to outside eyes. In order to inspire and support that mission, we need healthy, vibrant, and energetic administrators, teachers, and support staff who can teach and support our students. As we celebrate #GivingTuesday today, we challenge you to continue giving to yourself and your own well-being. If you are looking for ways to Give Back to your teachers and support staff, providing training and support for them to live a healthier life is an invaluable gift. Greener Shepherd can assist you and your staff in improving their health, communication, and mindset. Connect with us to learn more by emailing [email protected] -Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

Come visit us at Booth 424 today at the Iowa Association of School Boards annual conference from 9am - 2pm! We're handing out samples for you to elevate your wellness in simple, practical ways. Why? Because we know many educators and leaders put their own health and wellness last as they serve their students, athletes, teams, and staff. Our goal is to help you prioritize your wellness, so you can be an even better version of yourself for your students, staff, and entire school community. See you at Booth 424! Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

We're looking forward to attending our first Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) conference next week and hosting a booth at the event. While there, we'll be sharing how a focus on mindset, communication, and health can improve leadership and culture within the school system, and consequently positively impact our school staff, students, and greater community daily. Our request is this -- >> If you will be attending, >> If you know leadership from your district who will be, or >> If you know a school board member who will be present -- We'd appreciate you encouraging them to visit our booth. We’d love to share more about what we do and the impact it makes beyond the individuals who participate. Our work really does show the domino effect in action — and how an improvement in one person or a small group of people can change the entire school system?for the better. - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

How do you provide feedback? And - potentially even more important - how do you receive feedback? ... Are you open to receiving feedback? Or are you closed off to the insights of others? When we were at Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa last month, we talked extensively about communication and feedback with students. All too often, when we know feedback is coming we start to tense up -- And our mind starts to race thinking of all the worst-case scenarios (which immediately makes us defensive before the conversation even starts), Or our stomach drops and we get into a negative space before anything is even said. Sound familiar? Take a second and think about this for yourself - What are your initial reactions and feelings when you know you will be giving feedback to someone else, or receiving feedback? Do you feel cool, calm, and collected? Or do you feel anxious, on-edge, and jittery? Giving and receiving feedback is a part of life and many times we can struggle to communicate effectively, Especially in situations where it matters most, Because of our own perception and perspective. As a result, feedback becomes something that “stresses us out” So we avoid it. However, it doesn't have to be this way if you know some simple and effective tools to: >> become aware of your perception, >> reframe your perspective, >> and then make some minor adjustments to your breathing to change your physical state. When we can do these things more effectively, We increase the likelihood that we will become better communicators and better leaders as a result. If you are looking to improve your effectiveness as a leader - Communication is a key element and starting point that Greener Shepherd assists leaders with - both those who are well-established in their careers and those who are just starting out. It's an honor to do this work and help others be an even better version of themselves. - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle

Last week, we had the honor and privilege to present to 12 sections of Business 1000 in the Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa. We shared about the power of perception and how our perception can impact our communication with others. We also discussed the importance of giving and receiving feedback and shared with students our "secret tool" to improve their ability to communicate effectively in challenging and difficult circumstances. The students were engaged, motivated, and very receptive to sharing and improving on this topic. As we all know - all great leaders continue to hone their ability to communicate effectively and receive (and give) feedback with grace. These students are no exception. We are excited for the many great leaders who will be entering the workforce from UNI in the next 3 years. Get ready to see them shine in your places of work! - Kayla Becker and Nick Kuhle