Empowered Educator: Leadership in Motion | Educational Leadership, Principal Leadership, Teachers as Leaders

Feedback Is a Gift — Coaching for Growth at Every Level #187

Dr. Mel Vandevort - Educational Leadership, Educational Consultancy, Teacher Transition Coach, Educational Administration, Educational Entrepreneurship Episode 187

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Feedback can feel uncomfortable, even discouraging—but the truth is, it’s one of the greatest tools for leadership growth. In this episode, Dr. Mel shares from her perspective as a superintendent, coaching principals to reframe feedback as a gift, not a judgment.

Main Message:
How you receive feedback shapes how your staff will receive feedback from you. Leaders who embrace feedback with humility build trust, credibility, and a culture of continuous growth in their schools.

Key Points:

  • Feedback doesn’t define you—it refines you.
  • Ask clarifying questions instead of reacting defensively.
  • Focus on the message, not the delivery—there’s always a growth point to apply.
  • Show gratitude, even when the feedback stings.
  • Model openness by sharing how you apply feedback in your own leadership.

Action Step:
Invite one trusted colleague or mentor to give you feedback in one area of your leadership this week. Listen, thank them, and take one concrete step forward—then share that with your team.

Power Quote:
I will embrace feedback as a tool for growth, modeling the humility and openness I want to see in my team.


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