Professional Learnings NSWPPA Educational Leadership

Steps to Success: An Insightful Discussion with Deborah Hannon

• NSW PPA Professional Learning • Season 1 • Episode 8

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Ever wondered how to cultivate habits that make you highly effective in life? Strap in for a transformative journey as we navigate the intricacies of the globally recognised program, 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People', with our facilitator and guest, Deborah Hanoon, an educator with four decades of rich experience. Get ready to unravel the secrets behind effective relationships, balancing personal and professional life, and the art of understanding others in this enriching conversation.

In the second half, we dive into a heart-to-heart with Deb as she emphasises the power of honesty in self-reflection and the pivotal role of a personal mission statement in guiding us towards our goals. Discover how small steps can usher significant changes and why self-renewal is an essential part of the process. This episode promises a treasure trove of insights and practical tips from Deb's journey with this impactful program. Tune in to learn, grow and make these seven habits your stepping stones to success.

To view our Professional Learning Offerings visit:
https://www.nswppa.org.au/professional-learning




Drew Janetzki:

Great to be with you everyone, Drew Janetzki, Professional Learning Officer for the New South Wales Primary Principals Association, and in today's podcast we're going to be discussing the seven habits of highly effective people with Deborah Hannon. Deb has worked in the education sector for over 40 years. She began her teaching career in the western suburbs of Sydney and she's held all of her executive positions over her career, including being an executive teacher when it was called an executive teacher position assistant principal, deputy principal and principal. Deb gave her first principalship in 2001 at Belmont Public School and moved to the Entrance Public School in 2007 and finished as a principal of Bateau Bay Public School. Deborah then joined the high performance team as in the Principal School Leadership role, known as the PSL role.

Drew Janetzki:

Until her retirement, Deb has continued to work for the New South Wales Department of Education, delivering professional learning, such as the Seven Habits of Highly effective people, and has been part fast-stream the initiative. Deb also has roles with Franklin Covey Education and the University of Newcastle. So in today's episode we unpack seven habits highly effective people. Enjoy that, Deb. Welcome, and what inspired you to Seven Habit as a course facilitator?

Deborah Hannon:

Well, I was fortunate enough to attend a seven habits program over 20 years ago in my first year as a principal, and it really enabled me to deeply reflect on the principles that would help me be more effective personally and professionally, though, in my role as a leader. So it really gives you a scaffold to help build better relationships, but also the importance of staying healthy and renewing yourself. So in my time as a principal I witnessed many dedicated and committed leaders and teachers struggle with the demand of the job, so copies model gave them habits to allow them to be more effective. So, as a facilitator, I find it really rewarding now that I can share this knowledge with others.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, that's, that's fantastic. So, Deb, what are some of the benefits that you have personally experiencing from practicing the seven habits in your own life?

Deborah Hannon:

Well, I think there's many benefits, obviously and some of the habits you resonate with more than others and they really have a greater impact than others, but generally, it definitely makes you lead more effectively. It gives you those skills that allow you to work with people and obviously the education industry is very people based more effectively. It actually allows you to balance your professional life and your personal life with greater clarity and it also allows you to certainly allow me to support my friends and colleagues in their ability to be more successful in life and particularly the role of principal. It's a very enduring, long term skill that builds up. It's not a, it's not a trend and it's not really. It really does stand the test of time, I believe.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, sure has, hasn't it? It's really tested. I'm not sure how long the program has been around Over 30 years? Yeah, so it's been. And for those who aren't familiar with it, with the seven habits of highly effective people, it is as you said. It's a globally recognised program. It has impacted countless individuals and organisation. For those who are unsure or want to know further about it, can you briefly explain what the course is about and the significant, particularly in the in the school context?

Deborah Hannon:

Sure. So the model is based on seven principles or habits that make people more effective. And I think again, the key difference for me in in the in delivering this course, is it doesn't just focus on your professional life. It definitely focuses on your professional life and your personal life Because, as Kavi says, if you are not coping in your personal life, it's very difficult to then be effective in your professional life. So it's it shows how it's principle centred. So it's very much about character. It's based on the, the fact that the character is really the roots of effectiveness, and it helps you build those healthy relationships that are a key to an effective life. So, yes, it definitely is one of those programs that's all encompassing and it gives you lots and lots of skills and it scaffold you to be, to be better and more effective.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, so for those who, for those who have done the course, do people come back to the course as a refresher as well? Deb?

Deborah Hannon:

Definitely.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah.

Deborah Hannon:

Definitely. And, as I said I, I did it over 20 years ago and I probably haven't really seriously revisited it again until about five years ago when I became more involved as a facilitator. And yes, I can see the, the real benefit I think of of revisiting the program, saying that it's got a lot of support documents. You know, you've got a little skill set card, you've got your, your what I call the journal which you write in, which is great to reflect back. And I think the other thing that's good about that is and I did mine 20 years ago I look back. Some of the issues or some of the factors that I were concerned about then I've resolved, but others I still am working on.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, and that's part of life, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely so. Can you touch base on there's? I'm sure you've got some success stories that you'll be able to share, either in your personal life, or or you can talk about transformational moments that you witnessed as a facilitator. I'm sure there's plenty, plenty that you can share. Is there any one or two that come to mind?

Deborah Hannon:

Look, I think and it's again, it's interesting being a facilitator as opposed to a participant in the beginning. I know when and I often share this with my groups when I first did it there's a habit that is seek first to understand, then to be understood. It's I think it's a really critical habit in the public victory. So that's when we're working with others about relationships. It's. It's all about making sure that you really understand and listen to people, as opposed to sometimes jumping in and having your own agenda when you're talking to people, which is a habit that many people have. So that was one that really resonated with me because I tended to be a fixer and a doer. So when people came to me with problems, I tended to straight away take on board their issues and try and fix them, as opposed to allowing them to work through those issues, and that is not good to build people's capacity. So that was one that resonated deeply with me.

Deborah Hannon:

But others you know they vary. You know many people have real light bulb moments when they come into the course. They they have something in their nature start working through that habit and giving them concepts that they're thinking and reflecting about. They sort of go yes, that's what I need to do. The other really great thing about being a participant in the courses you'll often learn and share from others. So they might have an issue or a problem or something they're working through or something they're struggling with, but then they someone else says, yes, I used to be like that or had that issue, and now I've worked through it this way, so it's a really good community of people. When you work in the facility, the advice is very easy to apply and sometimes we don't see that. You know, we can't see the trees through the forest. We get clouded by the issues, and this brings clarity, I think. Sometimes when you're just working through these things, it breaks down key concepts into really manageable, bite-sized pieces.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, it's a real opportunity to reflect on current habits and where to next. I guess, in terms of the real question in education or any organisation is that word of impact and in terms of the impact with seven habits. Have you seen anything regarding individual impact or network impact or organisational impact that you have seen? Wow, this course has really transformed that individual, which has led to transformation within the school, which has potentially had another influence in the network. Have you seen any impact? Deb?

Deborah Hannon:

You know, over the years since I first did it, as I said, I found it a real game changer. So I then, you know, ensured all my leadership teams went through the cover. So every school and I was principal in three different schools, all my executives went through the program so we all could talk the same language and we had the same understanding. And I also, you know, gave the opportunity to the aspiring leaders. And there were some people who were sort of thinking that maybe they were interested in taking on leadership roles but maybe they didn't really have the capabilities.

Deborah Hannon:

And I saw some individuals once they had done Covi, really that developed their confidence and their capacity because they had this scaffold. Now they had this backup group that they could of habits they could call upon if things became difficult. So it definitely. I definitely saw, you know, some individuals who were concerned that they weren't ready for that role then become more confident they could take on that role. That's definitely one, you know, that's one stream that I can see developed and built on that. The other, I think, as organisations. I think it's really a powerful language that organisations could have if many individuals in the group have completed the course, and we see that more regularly now, where some schools you know are allowing every teacher or every you know person who works in the work group to come through and do the program because they believe it's a language and a belief system and a value system that needs to be embedded in the whole organisation.

Drew Janetzki:

So that's a definite you know trend that I see, and I think that's really a powerful process if you can go through that Well it is powerful and, as we said at the start, it's over 30 years, the program, which is a testament of time, a testament of the quality of seven habits. There are many other courses in the market. What do you think Deb sets seven habits apart from other personal development programs and what do you think makes it particularly effective and valuable?

Deborah Hannon:

Well, I think what we've talked about already in this podcast is the fact that it's not a trend, it's not, you know, a moment in time. It's actually their lifelong values and they and as as Stephen Covey says many times through the program and when he shares his insights with us they're enduring, they're timeless. So you know, we have, you know, we all know that we have things become the flavour of the month. We all buy into them and then time shifts and change and they no longer become relevant or pertinent to our lives. The seven habits is not like that. The seven habits is something that's part of our, our makeup. It's how we connect with people from time, from when time began, and in 50 years time they're not going to change. You know they're. As I said, that word enduring, I think, is really, is really pertinent to the fact that they will stand the test of time.

Drew Janetzki:

That's really powerful, what you've said. So, for someone considering attending the seven habits course, what advice would you give them to maximize their learning experience and ensure they can effectively implement the habits in their lives?

Deborah Hannon:

Well, I think you have to really be willing sometimes to make some changes and be honest in your reflections. And again, when I start the program with new participants, I say that to them, that some of these things are going to be probably a little bit hard and it's no use trying to sugarcoat what you do. As I said, I remember that habit that resonated with me seek first to understand, then to be understood. I tended to always go to the second part seek to be understood, as opposed to the first part and I had to be brutally honest with myself when I looked at some of the conversations around that habit. You know I'm thinking this is what I do. You know I do do this. I do jump in.

Deborah Hannon:

I do tend to look through the lens of what I'm thinking as opposed to actually listening to the person that I'm working with or talking to or communicating with. So I think you need to be. That can be a blocker if you don't, if you're not open to that change. But but I find everyone, when you really see the benefits and you consider how that change is going to make you much more effective in your relationships and get more out of them, people are open to considering. Well, I'm happy to do that and I'm happy to consider these, these changes and these options. And it's step by step, it's small bites, you know you, just you know you don't have to change the world in five minutes. It's. You work through these things and you constantly change and reflect.

Drew Janetzki:

That's right and it was good that you said that in terms of the awareness that you gathered from from there and and the steps. It's not an instant fix. It's practicing over time and reviewing what you said and how that can improve and being a being aware of that. At least then you can practice on what you could, what you could, you know in terms of it Outset to achieve.

Deborah Hannon:

So and sometimes until you actually sit down and work through some of these habits, you haven't actually really given them deep thought before in your part in your past. You know, one of the I think one of them really powerful things that comes out of this course is the fact that people create their own personal mission statement and people find that really really difficult really difficult.

Drew Janetzki:

Tell us what that's about.

Deborah Hannon:

Well, the personal mission statement is where you have to really reflect about what you is really meaningful to you, what gets you out of bed every day? What do you want people to look back and think? That's a legacy that you left to others. So you know, it's something that we don't do very often. Well, we never really do. Think about these long term impacts on people and how we're going to be viewed in the future. You know, you know.

Deborah Hannon:

So that takes a lot of thought, a lot of honesty in the program. We do a lot of scaffolding to build how that works, because people generally, when you first mention the fact, well, you say state we're going to make a personal mission statement. It's daunting, it would be confronting Absolutely, but I will say every time I cannot. There's no, no one that I have ever worked with that hasn't found it really rewarding, worthwhile, and they've and everyone has said that was a fantastic process to go through and they've come up with some really powerful statements that will then drive what they do in the future. And that's what it's all about. The mission statement is something to build as a platform for the decisions that you make in everyday life.

Drew Janetzki:

Yeah, Deb. Is there any other final words of advice you'd like to to share about the seven habits, of how they affect your people?

Deborah Hannon:

I think you know one thing that is asked of me over time and I do connect with people after we've finished this, and people often connect with me. It's really nice to have these lovely little emails saying thanks, I'm still working on this or I've implemented this and I can see rule change. And you know, it's those, yeah, those really nice feedback, that feedback that you get. It is easy to fall back into those old habits that you had if you're stressed or tired or unwell. That's when we lower our capabilities to a point. So the last habit, habit seven, which is Charlem's sore, is so important to make sure that that's all about yourself. That's looking after yourself.

Deborah Hannon:

That's that daily renewal Stephen Covey calls it. That's so critical. So if we aren't on top of our game, we cannot be the best we can be in our home life, in our personal life, with our friends, with our family or with our work colleagues, so that I hark back to that. We often push that to the back. You know, looking after ourselves is the last thing we do. We prioritize everything else but that and I think that's one of the really key points and the messages that Covey give you If you are not, if you are not well within yourself, you cannot be the best father's.

Drew Janetzki:

Absolutely, Deb. That is fantastic advice in terms of thanks for coming on Seven Habits sharing , Deb Hannon and everyone, a facilitator Seven Habits the of Highly effective people. Thanks for your time.

Deborah Hannon:

Thanks, Drew.

Drew Janetzki:

The Seven Highly Effective People Habits of is exclusive for the NSW Primary Principals Association. Covey believes the way we see the world is entirely based on our own perceptions, and you could hear that in Deb's discussion today with us. So in order to change a given situation, we must change ourselves, and in order to change ourselves, we must be able to change our perception. I strongly encourage you to explore seven habits of highly effective people, exclusive for the NSW Primary Principles Association. All of the details at our website:

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