148. Developing your Distress Tolerance as a School Leader

You’re no stranger to challenges.

Whether it’s helping fifteen children into their winter coats, navigating a difficult relationship with one of your teachers, or balancing a busy schedule, you have a lot on your plate.

It’s stressful. It may even be distressing.

Enter distress tolerance. Building your own, personal level of distress tolerance is one of the most powerful ways you can manage the inevitable challenges of life as a school leader.

Let me give you an example. 

Recently, my husband and son went on a road trip together, leaving me to solo parent our other three children. As luck would have it, during their trip I had an immovable dentist appointment on the same day my other children returned from camp early.

Typically, I avoid bringing my kids on errands at all costs. But this time, it was unavoidable. Based on the dentist’s available time slots, I had two options: 

1. Pick the earlier time slot and bring them directly to the dentist’s office, 
2. or choose a later time and take them home first.

Years of developing distress tolerance led me to pick the later time. 

Why? 

Because it allowed me the space to fill my cup and those of my children before we did something none of us wanted to do. I was able to bring my kids home, have a snack, and give them some personal mommy time before we headed to the dentist’s office.

Why am I telling you this story? 

Because this decision-making process was distress tolerance in action. As mundane as a schedule conflict might seem, it’s one of the most prevalent stressors that threatens to throw us off balance. 

And when we’re off balance, our entire team can feel it.

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m going to dig into distress tolerance and resilience in the childcare industry. 

Join me for a conversation about:

• What distress tolerance is
• How it helps us navigate difficult situations
• The correlation between stress and performance
• Strategies for building your distress tolerance as a leader

Learn more and apply for the Director’s Inner Circle & Owner’s HQ: http://Chanie.me/jointhedic  

More about the show:

If you are an Early Childhood director or owner, prepare to transform your school and life with the Schools of Excellence podcast. Tune in each week to learn from Chanie Wilschanski, the founder and host of the Schools of Excellence Podcast and a mom of 4 little kids. Each episode will be packed with tools and strategies – equipping you to build schools with higher staff retention, teacher motivation, parent partnership, collaborative culture, and beautiful quality of life. 

Every week, Chanie shares the truth about the journey to excellence, the strategies that are working TODAY, and the mindset about the critical decisions and choices that you make every day which impact yourself, your teachers, parents, family, and children who you serve every day.