Day 13: Catch Them Being Good
The Pivot: Stop being a critic. Start being a hunter of excellence.
Most owners and 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. Because you’re wired to fix things, you become blind to the good.
Today, we flip the script. 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 we 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 moment of positive reinforcement ("I noticed how you got down at eye level with that upset child—that was incredible.") sends a signal to the whole team: This is what success looks like here.
It’s contagious. Staff start watching each other—and raising their own game.
The Strategy: The “Three-Before-Noon” Challenge
Today, your challenge is to find and name three specific examples of staff member upholding a standard before 12:00 PM.
Be sure to:
- Be Specific: “I saw how you calmly handled that drop-off. That helped Finn's Mom feel safe leaving her child.”
- Be Timely: Catch it and name it in the moment.
- Connect to the Vision: “That kind of patience is why families trust us.”
The Practice: Personas and Positive Reinforcement
Firefighter – Don’t rush the praise. You tend to shout “Good job!” on your way to the next fire. Stop and make it feel real.
Peacekeeper – Praise the hard stuff. Go beyond “You’re so sweet” and recognize professionalism, punctuality, or how they navigated a conflict.
Perfectionist – Praise the expected. You might think “They’re just doing their job,” but a little acknowledgment goes a long way. If you want a behavior repeated, reinforce it.
Exercise: The Shout-Out Board
No need for trophies or bonuses today. Just a marker and a board.
- The Action: Post a sheet of paper or 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 way more productive than gossip.
Director’s Journal Prompt
“Today, I intentionally looked for the good. I was surprised to see [Behavior/Action] that I usually overlook. By celebrating it, I noticed [Staff Name]’s attitude changed by [Observation]. It is much more energizing to lead through praise than through pressure.”