Day 13: Catch Them Being Good
The Pivot: Stop being a critic. Start being a hunter of excellence.
Most directors have correction fatigue. You walk down the hall and your eyes go straight to the one messy cubby or the teacher who’s sitting down. You’re wired to fix things — and so you go blind to the good. Today we flip it. Culture isn’t built by what you punish; it’s built by what you celebrate.
The lesson: the law of reinforcement
In the classroom, we tell teachers to ignore minor misbehavior and praise what they want to see more of. As a leader, the same rule applies to you. When you catch someone doing something right, you’re not just being nice — you’re defining the standard.
A quick bit of positive reinforcement (“I noticed how you got down at eye level with that upset child — that was great.”) sends a signal to the whole team: this is what success looks like here. It’s contagious. Staff start noticing each other and raising their own game.
The strategy: the “three before noon” challenge
Today, find and name three specific examples of a staff member upholding a standard before noon. As you do:
- Be specific: “I saw how you calmly handled that drop-off. That helped Finn’s mom feel safe leaving him.”
- Be timely: catch it and name it in the moment.
- Connect it to the vision: “That kind of patience is why families trust us.”
The practice: personas and praise
Day 13 exercise: the shout-out board
No trophies or bonuses needed today — just a marker and a board.
- The action: post a sheet of paper or a dry-erase board in the break room.
- The practice: write down your three shout-outs. Make them public.
- The observation: watch the energy shift. Positivity spreads fast — and it’s far more productive than gossip.
Director’s journal prompt
“Today I looked for the good on purpose. I was surprised to notice [behavior] that I usually overlook. Celebrating it, I saw [staff name]’s attitude shift by [observation]. It’s a lot more energizing to lead through praise than through pressure.”