Talking Out of School update
Paid subscribers help to make this work possible! If you’re a regular reader, and particularly if you’ve ever forwarded on of these articles to a colleague saying, “this is so helpful!” - please consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
As of September 1, I’m tweaking content offerings and simplifying subscription costs.
There will be two tiers and the price will increase slightly:
$9/month
$99/annual
The current price - $8/month and $90/annual - is available until August 31 and anyone who subscribes at that price point is guaranteed that price forevermore.
Free subscribers will receive weekly articles, including full People Talking interviews - articles are typically paywalled after two weeks but that can vary
Paid subscribers will receive weekly articles plus:
Access to the archive of over 100 articles
Six Zoom gatherings per academic year on topics related to communications for communications directors and heads of school
Quarterly “Helpful Resources” links post
Occasional bonus content: crisis communications guidance at times when things are kerfuffed or particularly good Helpful Resources that are timely or extended versions of People Talking interviews
Letter to a New Administrator - from 2022 - lightly edited for 2024
Dear Fellow Leader:
It’s so exciting and scary to be a new senior administrator, to feel the opportunity and the weight of the title of “leader” - whatever area you are leading. There’s always a balance and it’s just how you navigate it - do you lean in hard to the hope and optimism with a big smile, hoping no one notices that you stumble a bit when you hit those cracks in the sidewalk? Or do you move forward cautiously and precisely, the gravity of your responsibility influencing each movement? Or are you not thinking about any of this at all, with eyes fixed firmly on the beautiful horizon ahead?