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Something is compelling about the fact that the magnetic compass came before the modern mechanical clock. Before we became exceptionally good at measuring how long something took, we had already developed a tool to help us figure out where we were going. I think there is a lesson in that. We spend an enormous amount of time measuring time. How long did the lesson take? How quickly did the student finish? Are we on pace? How many minutes are left? When will the initiative be i

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg We tend to celebrate change once it is visible. The new program. The new habit. The new direction. The breakthrough everyone can finally see. What we do not always notice are the hundreds of smaller decisions that came before it. The conversation that shifted someone's thinking. The question that challenged an assumption. The decision to try something differently, even when no one else noticed.

The Work Behind the Work Labor Day gives us a reason to step away from the usual pace and recognize the work that keeps our communities, families, schools, businesses, and lives moving forward. It is also a good reminder that not all work is visible. Some work comes with a title, a paycheck, or a finished product. Other work looks like caring for someone, encouraging a child, managing a household, building something slowly, starting over, learning something new, or simply con