SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/15/25 -

This week’s Tip: You’ve done good work, and it matters.

Christmas break and the end of the semester is on everyone’s mind this week.  Consider:   What you do this week will be remembered throughout the break and frame how your school community view their return in January.  Staff, students, and parents will remember how they felt, not every initiative or project.

This week, share one clear message: You’ve done good work, and it matters.

How can you accomplish this? 

1. Prioritize People Over Paperwork Your relationships matter more than reports. If something can wait until January, let it. Use this time to:

• Thank staff personally (a short note or hallway conversation goes a long way)

• Check in on staff who seem stretched or disengaged

• Be visible, calm, and joyful — your tone sets the emotional climate

  
  

2. Protect Staff Energy Burnout peaks before holidays.  Consider:

• Canceling or shortening meetings

• Avoiding last-minute initiatives or “one more thing” emails

• Offering small flexibilities (dress-down days, lighter schedules)

• Limiting emails to what staff needs to know this week ~ don’t address January

• Encouraging staff to disconnect from school during the break: refresh, renew, relax

• Explicitly say: “Please disconnect—you’ve earned it.” 

  
  

3. Take Care of Yourself

A depleted principal can’t lead well. 

• Rest without guilt

• Reflect on what worked so far

• Celebrate your TimeTrack gains.  Save next steps and reflective work for later.  Taking time during the break to refresh, renew and relax is critical for your success in 2026.

  
  

Start the Christmas break with gratitude, clarity, and calm. If your staff and students leave feeling seen and respected, you’ve done your most important work.

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19^th Annual National SAM Conference

Registration link:  https://registration.samprocess.com/ 

A few things to consider when planning to attend:

Ø The conference is January 15-18. 2026.

Ø To be eligible to attend, you must be a SAM team member doing the process with efficacy, NSIP staff, Board member or presenter.

Ø The conference will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Marriott Harbor Beach Resort

Keynote Speakers

·      Will Parker, Principals Matter: Living your Best Life as an Educator

·      Will Bowen, You Can’t Complain Your Way to Success

·      Tracie Swilley, The PrinciPAL Effect: Setting the Vibe, Energy, and Excellence Every Day

·      John Antonetti, Personal Response: Am I safe to share my thinking?

·      William Martinez, Signing the Song: The Power of Belonging

Pre-Conference All-Day Workshop Presenters

·      Jim Masters, Beyond Why and What – Getting to How School Leaders Make a Difference

·      Ken Williams, Better Teachers, Better Results: Where Students Learn Because Of US

·      Willow Sweeney, Top 20 Moves for Building Effective Staff and Student Relationships

·      Brendan Houdek and Caleb Shomaker: Executive Speaking Coaching Seminar

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/8/25 - Working Longer Does Not Make You Better

This week’s Tip: Working Longer Does Not Make You Better

A Stanford study determined that productivity per hour declines significantly when you work more than fifty hours a week. Since most school leaders exceed this amount it might be time to stop and think: “Do I work too much?”  The study found that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that there’s no point in working any more. That’s right, people who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours.

Why Effectiveness Drops:

• Cognitive Fatigue: Extended hours impair focus, decision-making, and complex problem-solving.

• Physical Exhaustion: Leads to stress, poor eating, less activity, and susceptibility to illness.

• Sleep Deprivation: More hours worked beyond 8 can directly reduce sleep quality and quantity, impacting next-day performance.

• Diminishing Returns: Research shows output gains plateau and then decline; some studies suggest performance plummets after 50-55 hours. 

What can a leader do?  Accept that you can never finish your work as a school leader.  There is always more you would like to do. Use your TimeTrack.  Your data shows the work you’ve accomplished.  Set a reasonable time to go home each day.  Most SAM teams schedule a “wrapping up” event to close the day.  Then, the SAM says: “You had a great day.  Let me walk you right out of here.”

When you leave at the end of the day, disconnect from tech.  Turn off your cell phone.  Staying available 24/7 keeps you from relaxing, resting, exercising and spending time with loved ones. Refocusing and recharging will make you happier and more effective when you return.  

During the school day, consider a mindfulness break.  Many SAM leaders take 15 minutes to get centered and focused.  One Arizona principal says his best reflection happens when he walks the perimeter of his school property.  He reports feeling refreshed with renewed enthusiasm and, sometimes, has creative ideas.  Find what works for you. 

Celebrate a win at every SAM Daily Meeting.  This first of seven SAM Daily Meeting steps is critical.  Each school leader needs to see that they are making progress and their work makes a difference.

I thoroughly enjoyed being Jenn David-Lang’s podcast guest last week.  It was great talking with Jenn about how you, and other SAM team members, use the SAM process.  I bet it will make you feel good, too!

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/em5TepdJ

Apple: https://lnkd.in/eTJWJsej

YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e8F9p7qs

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19^th Annual National SAM Conference

Registration link:  https://registration.samprocess.com/ 

A few things to consider when planning to attend:

Ø The conference is January 15-18. 2026.

Ø To be eligible to attend, you must be a SAM team member doing the process with efficacy, NSIP staff, Board member or presenter.

Ø The conference will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Marriott Harbor Beach Resort

Keynote Speakers

·      Will Parker, Principals Matter: Living your Best Life as an Educator

·      Will Bowen, You Can’t Complain Your Way to Success

·      Tracie Swilley, The PrinciPAL Effect: Setting the Vibe, Energy, and Excellence Every Day

·      John Antonetti, Personal Response: Am I safe to share my thinking?

·      William Martinez, Signing the Song: The Power of Belonging

Pre-Conference All-Day Workshop Presenters

·      Jim Masters, Beyond Why and What – Getting to How School Leaders Make a Difference

·      Ken Williams, Better Teachers, Better Results: Where Students Learn Because Of US

·      Willow Sweeney, Top 20 Moves for Building Effective Staff and Student Relationships

·      Brendan Houdek and Caleb Shomaker:  Executive Speaking Coaching Seminar

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/1/25 - Stay in the Green all December

This week’s Tip: Stay in the Green all December

Did you arrive this morning to a TimeTrack in the green? If so, you have a plan for the day. Congratulations! If not, have your SAM Daily Meeting early so you can be your better self today.

Some SAM teams play catch-up in the first week in December. Some make excuses: “There aren’t many school days in December. We’ll start scheduling in the GREEN when we come back in January.”

Keep in mind that your school community observes what you do, or don’t. If you want teachers in your school to continue teaching in December, you need to lead by example by doing your own work with the same intentionality you displayed in October.

Intentionality is what your SAM work is all about. Look at your plan for today. What events will likely result in improved practice? What would you like to do that isn’t on your TimeTrack today?

During your SAM Daily Meeting, examine time spent with each teacher new to your school. Can you identify improvement? If so, great! Schedule a 15-minute celebratory feedback session. If not, schedule a 30-minute session non-directive feedback session, share your data, and ask three questions: “What am I doing that helps? What could I do differently that would help more? What do you think you need to focus on?

Your TimeTrack has a wealth of data you can use to improve your work. Open your dashboard and explore.

Connecting time spent with improved practice, by using your TimeTrack data to make the best time use choices for your staff and school, is your best move.

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19^th Annual National SAM Conference

Registration link:  https://registration.samprocess.com/ 

A few things to consider when planning to attend:

Ø The conference is January 15-18. 2026.

Ø To be eligible to attend, you must be a SAM team member doing the process with efficacy, NSIP staff, Board member or presenter.

Ø The conference will be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Marriott Harbor Beach Resort

Keynote Speakers

·      Will Parker, Principals Matter: Living your Best Life as an Educator

·      Will Bowen, You Can’t Complain Your Way to Success

·      Tracie Swilley, The PrinciPAL Effect: Setting the Vibe, Energy, and Excellence Every Day

·      John Antonetti, Personal Response: Am I safe to share my thinking?

·      William Martinez, Signing the Song: The Power of Belonging

Pre-Conference All-Day Workshop Presenters

·      Jim Masters, Beyond Why and What – Getting to How School Leaders Make a Difference

·      Ken Williams, Better Teachers, Better Results: Where Students Learn Because Of US

·      Willow Sweeney, Top 20 Moves for Building Effective Staff and Student Relationships

·      Brendan Houdek and Caleb Shomaker:  Executive Speaking Coaching Seminar

Breakout session preference selection, featuring national presenters and SAM practitioners, will open next week.  Travel information is due December 1.