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Recently, I overheard a moment that made me laugh and then made me think. My great niece was doing an excellent job ignoring her older sister, who finally burst out: “Why are you not listening to me?”
Without missing a beat, the younger sibling calmly replied, “Sorry, I had my AirPods in.”
Here’s the kicker: She doesn’t even own AirPods.
Even when there’s nothing in our ears, we’re tuning out:
And as educators, we talk about connection, belonging, and relationships. But connection requires listening. Not passive presence, not fixing, and not advising. Authentic connection and belonging happen with real, grounded listening.
That’s harder than ever. Phones buzz. Emails ping. There’s always another crisis to handle. But if our staff, our students, and our families don’t feel truly heard, trust erodes fast.
So maybe we all need the reminder: Take out the imaginary AirPods.
Thought Spark:
Listen with intention. Because in a noisy world, listening is leadership.
Try This:3 Leader Shifts
Train your ear to hear data, emotion, and intent. Then reflect it back: “Here’s what I’m hearing... did I get that right?
Instead of leading with announcements, start with - “What are you noticing that needs attention right now?” And close with commitments and clarity.
Try: “What’s the real challenge here for you?” or “What does this situation mean to you?”
Your Turn:
Who needs your full attention this week? What would it look like to listen first and strengthen your relationships?