Mary-Anne Murphy 10/15/24 Mary-Anne Murphy 10/15/24

Flourishing Together

“When the going gets tough, the tough find their purpose”.

I have the privilege of working alongside teams and leaders, supporting them in becoming even better at how they function together and individually. One thing I’ve come to realise is that it’s easy to get so caught up in the busyness of day-to-day tasks that we sometimes forget why we’re doing them in the first place. And often, that busyness can lead us far from our original purpose, causing us to lose sight of what truly matters. We might fall into patterns of doing things simply because that’s the way they’ve always been done, because it feels easier, or because we can’t envision a different way.

Research by Hooker and Masters (2016) highlights that meaning in life enhances both psychological and physical resilience. Having a clear sense of “Why” acts as an emotional compass, helping us stay grounded and motivated through life’s storms, and keeping us focused on the mahi (work) that truly matters.

Uncovering our collective "Why" isn’t about memorising an organisation’s mission statement. True meaning is personal and deeply rooted in values like whānau (family), service, and community. While personal meaning often aligns with broader organisational goals, it always begins at the individual level. When people connect with their deeper purpose, they become more resilient, adaptable, and prosocial—strengthening both themselves and their communities.

In my work, one of the things I focus on is helping individuals and teams reconnect with their deep "Why." What drives them at their core to do the work they do?

Our "Why" can evolve over time, which means it needs to be revisited regularly. Sometimes people discover that their personal purpose no longer aligns with the organisation’s, which can be a valuable opportunity for reflection and further exploration.

Meaning isn’t a luxury; it’s a proven strategy for success. By linking individual purpose to collective goals, we create stronger, more motivated teams and communities, leading to collective flourishing.

Here are a few reflective questions to consider:

How well do you understand your own "Why," and how does it shape how you approach challenges in both your personal and professional life?
In what ways can you help others in your team or community connect their personal purpose with the broader organisational mission?
How might cultivating personal meaning and purpose contribute to building a more resilient, engaged, and supportive environment within your team or organisation?

This time of year is when, as leaders, we begin to review our journey and look ahead to the next few years from a strategic perspective.

This is a personal invitation to you and your leadership team to join us for a day at the end of the year to review and craft your strategic goals, initiatives, and annual plan. I will facilitate and guide the process as you work with your leadership team, surrounded by other leaders, to analyze your data, synthesise your consultation documentation, share ideas, make connections, optimise AI to support your thinking, and leave with a draft strategic and annual plan.

It will be a day of dedicated mahi to get things done. You may also choose to stay the night before and join us for dinner. You'll be in the beautiful surroundings of Waihi Beach School, with the beach only a stone's throw away.

Contact me directly to book your spots - limited spots available.

Check out our 2025 empowered series offerings

Mary-Anne Murphy 9/17/24 Mary-Anne Murphy 9/17/24

Mastering our Mindset Mountains

Sir Edmund Hillary once said “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves”.

In today’s fast-moving, unpredictable world, managing tasks and responsibilities is only part of what it takes to be at your best. True success, especially in tough times, depends on how well we build our own inner strength. This is where psychological capital (PsyCap) comes into play. Originally developed by Fred Luthans, Bruce Avolio, and Carolyn Youssef in their pioneering research on positive psychology in the workplace, PsyCap centres around four core psychological resources: self-efficacy, optimism, hope and resilience.

Think of it as your mental toolkit—designed to help you navigate challenges, adapt to change, and stay focused, even when things don’t go as planned.

So, how do you go about building your own psychological capital? Let’s break it down.

What is Psychological Capital?

PsyCap is about cultivating a positive mindset that helps you perform well, regardless of the obstacles. It’s made up of four key components:

Self-efficacy: The belief that you can take on tasks and reach your goals.
Optimism: A positive outlook that helps you see opportunities in setbacks.
Hope: The drive to pursue your goals and the ability to find different ways to achieve them.
Resilience: The ability to bounce back from difficulties and keep moving forward.

Building these traits within yourself is about more than just coping; it’s about actively growing and getting stronger in the process.

How You Can Build Your Own Psychological Capital

Here’s some ideas on how you might reflect on and develop each part of your psychological capital:

1. Self-Efficacy: Building Confidence in Your Own Abilities

Self-efficacy is about trusting yourself to handle challenges and achieve your goals. We all have moments where doubt creeps in, especially when something new or difficult comes our way. But by building on small successes, you can gradually strengthen that belief in yourself.

Questions to Reflect On:

Do you believe you can overcome challenges, or do you tend to question your abilities?
How can you break down your goals into smaller steps to experience regular wins?
Are you taking time to acknowledge your achievements, even the small ones, to reinforce your confidence?

2. Optimism: Seeing the Opportunity in Challenges

Optimism isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about seeing the possibilities, even when things don’t go to plan. Being optimistic helps you stay solution-focused and positive, especially in challenging times.

Questions to Reflect On:

When things don’t go your way, do you find yourself fixating on the negatives, or can you see the bigger picture?
How can you start reframing setbacks as learning opportunities, rather than barriers?
Are you intentionally surrounding yourself with influences that support a positive outlook, instead of those that drag you down?

3. Hope: Staying Motivated and Flexible

Hope is what keeps you going, even when the road gets rocky. It’s about having the motivation to reach your goals and the flexibility to find new paths when the original one isn’t working.

Questions to Reflect On:

Are your goals clear and meaningful enough to keep you motivated?
When one approach isn’t working, how can you shift your thinking and explore different ways to succeed?
What strategies help you maintain hope during long periods of uncertainty or challenge?

4. Resilience: Bouncing Back from Setbacks

Resilience is the ability to recover from difficulties and come back stronger. It’s what keeps you going when life throws a curveball (or five). The key to resilience is not just “powering through” but also learning from setbacks and using that knowledge to move forward.

Questions to Reflect On:

When faced with a setback, how do you typically respond? Are you able to regroup and refocus, or does it derail your progress?
Are you giving yourself time and space to process challenges, or are you trying to fix everything immediately?
What tools or habits can you build into your routine to help you recover from difficult situations more effectively?

Bringing It All Together

Psychological capital isn’t just an abstract concept—it’s a set of skills you can actively build within yourself. By focusing on self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience, you’ll become better equipped to handle life’s ups and downs, both personally and professionally.

This process takes time and reflection, but it’s worth the effort. There will be moments when things feel tough and your resilience is tested. But with intentional focus on building your psychological capital, you’ll find yourself bouncing back more quickly, staying more motivated, and facing challenges with confidence.

Take a moment to reflect on these areas. Think about where you’re already strong and where you might need a bit more attention. Building your psychological capital is an ongoing process, but the payoff is becoming more confident, motivated, and resilient in the face of whatever life throws your way.

You’ve got this! Go well this week,
MA :-)

P.S. We have a few spaces still available for our Strategic Planning Day in December. This is a personal invitation to you and your leadership team to join us for a day to review and craft your strategic goals, initiatives, and annual plan. I will facilitate and guide the process as you work with your leadership team, surrounded by other leaders, to analyse your data, synthesise your consultation documentation, share ideas, make connections, optimise AI to support your thinking, and leave with a draft annual plan.

Contact me directly to book your spots.

Mary-Anne Murphy 9/3/24 Mary-Anne Murphy 9/3/24

Planning ahead…

As we know, the education sector is undergoing many changes. Understanding what these changes mean for your setting and planning a pathway forward can seem like a daunting task.

This time of year is also when, as leaders, we begin to review our journey and look ahead to the next few years from a strategic perspective.

You might be a leader in a smaller context, feeling isolated and overwhelmed by the changes, wondering how best to navigate them. Or perhaps you have a team of leaders around you, where finding uninterrupted time to think is a rarity. When speaking with a principal I work alongside, she shared how helpful our retreats over the past two years have been. These retreats allowed her and her leadership team to get off-site, into a lovely setting with great kai, and dedicate time to strategic thinking and planning, which has set them up for success. She suggested, "How about we open this up to others to join us in another context?" And so, the idea was born!

Mary-Anne Murphy 8/28/24 Mary-Anne Murphy 8/28/24

Pendulum Swings 'n Things.

It’s not unknown in the wider Aotearoa, New Zealand context, that there are some shake-ups within the education sector.

Structured approaches have become the ‘new’ dialogue, common practice models considered and page, or slide numbers the potential next learning tool.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I see the merits in parts of this movement. But in this post, I want to share some thoughts that have been simmering in my mind for a few months. My aim is to provoke thought and dialogue (definitely not to invite trolling or personal attacks, to be clear!).

I’ll explore this within two key areas. So here goes…

Is a programme-approach programming our teachers?

Some structured learning approaches are, for lack of a better term, highly regimented. The 'paint-it-done' approach is starting to resemble a 'paint-by-numbers' method, with strict guidelines, prescribed movements, and somewhat rigid plans.

We know from cognitive load theory that consistent approaches are essential when learning something new. However, based on my experiences working alongside schools, I’m beginning to wonder—are we unintentionally stifling our teachers' ability to think independently? Let me explain. If teachers are conditioned to follow a particular approach, to what extent are they losing the ability to think for themselves, address individual needs without the fear of straying from the programme, or use their creativity to craft engaging lessons tailored to their wonderfully unique learners?
I am already seeing this rigidity within the education sector, and it concerns me.

My wondering is, are we once again throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

Are we educating our learners for our past, or their future?

When co-presenting at the recent International Conference on Thinking in Melbourne, I was fortunate to listen to some incredible speakers. They ranged from neuroscientists, indigenous leaders, doctors, philosophers, educational researchers, to name a few.

A topic that stood out was the role of AI in education today.

One thought that has been on my mind since then is whether our current educational approach is remedial or accelerated. Are we simply filling gaps and moving slowly to go fast later, or are we embracing the new world and fast-forwarding across barriers to accelerate learning? Like many parents, I have a son with dyslexia. And like many other parents (with the added layer of being a teacher), I trained in SPELD, collaborated closely with his teachers, and did everything I could to support his learning. But when he entered a school that provided him with a Chromebook to capture his thoughts and assist with spelling, everything changed! The barriers that had once hindered his learning were lifted through the introduction of tools that allowed him to engage with his world. Today, at 28, he runs a thriving engineering business, excels in the share market, and reads voraciously online. With AI's introduction, these barriers are being removed even further.

So, my second question is, whose future are we really preparing our children for?

As I wrap up this piece, I want to reiterate that this is a thought-piece intended to provoke reflection and dialogue. I have a foot in both camps, but I believe it's crucial that we continue to question, discuss, and explore as we navigate this journey.

Drop me a line and share your respectful thinking. 🙂

Arohanui

MA :-)

Mary-Anne Murphy 8/18/24 Mary-Anne Murphy 8/18/24

From Flux to Focus.

In today's world, change is constant. Whether it's the environment, the people around us, or the political landscape, we all face an ever-shifting reality. This sense of flux can be felt especially in the workplace, where the pressures of the season and the demands of our roles can sometimes weigh heavily on us.

During the winter months, there's often a noticeable shift in energy levels. People may feel more tired, stressed, or even a bit withdrawn. These are natural responses to both the season and the challenges we face. However, it's important to recognise that when we're not operating at our best, it can affect those around us. This can lead to misunderstandings, tension, and even strain on relationships.

But there is a way to navigate these challenges with resilience and positivity. By taking a moment to reflect and ask a few key questions, we can prevent this state of flux from leading to fall-outs:

What do you know for sure? Identifying the certainties in a situation helps to ground us and provides a solid foundation to build upon.
What can you do to help? Offering support or solutions not only benefits others but also creates a positive ripple effect in the workplace.
What would great look like? Visualising success helps to align efforts and inspires everyone to work toward a common goal.
What can you do next to add value? Taking proactive steps, no matter how small, can make a significant difference and keep momentum going in the right direction.

By focusing on what we can control and taking positive action, we can navigate even the most challenging times with grace and strength. The key is to remain adaptable, supportive, and forward-thinking, ensuring that we all move through this period of flux together, stronger than before.

Are you thinking about 2025?

Take a sneak peak at our 2025 offerings.
Contact Mary-Anne to find out more.