Building a Culture of Collaboration

Looking to learn more and get started with a powerful meeting structure that will transform your school’s MTSS efforts?  Access the Collaborative Team Meeting Starter Kit at https://bit.ly/ctmstarter

Access the FREE Guide for Leaders to Develop and Reinforce Team Norms - http://bit.ly/teamnormsguide 

How do you move from simply surviving the chaos of leadership to building a team that truly thrives together?


In this episode of Building a Culture of Collaboration, Lorna and Kurtis sit down with Andrew Marotta, a veteran school leader with 25 years of experience and a former Division 1 men’s basketball official. Andrew shares how the high-pressure world of sports officiating mirrors the complexities of school leadership and why "presence" is the key to unlocking a culture of collaboration.


We dive into the "Long Game" of leadership, exploring what to do—and more importantly, what NOT to do—when trying to build trust within your organization. Whether you are a building principal, a district leader, or an aspiring administrator, Andrew’s "Surviving & Thriving" philosophy offers practical, heartfelt strategies to #IMPACT your school culture today.


Key Takeaways:


  • The "Referees' Secret" to maintaining team alignment under pressure.
  • Why storytelling and authentic presence are more effective than compliance-driven management.
  • The most common "culture killers" that leaders should avoid.
  • Strategies for sustaining a collaborative spirit over a 25-year career.

Learn more about Andrew Marotta at https://andrewmarotta.com/

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Connect with Andrew Marotta
Email: andrewmarottallc@gmail.com
X: @andrewmarotta21
Facebook: andrew marotta

Connect with Kurtis Hewson 
Email: kurtis.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca 
X: @hewsonk27
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hewsonk27 
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/kurtishewson 

Connect with Lorna Hewson 
Email: lorna.hewson@jigsawlearning.ca 
X: @LornaHewson 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorna-hewson-713a59104

#collaboration #norms #teamspirit  #leadership #systems
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Learn more about Collaborative Response https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbgetTdAiA&t=0s 

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Join the Facebook Group “The Collaborative Leader”, to engage in further conversations and resource sharing with others dedicated to ensuring effective teams and collaborative structures - https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecollaborativeleader

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Website https://jigsawlearning.ca
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Music: “Culture of Collaboration” has been composed, recorded, and produced by Trent Ferguson for Building a Culture of Collaboration.

Images: Visuals included in this video not generated under agreement with Jigsaw Learning Inc. have been carefully selected under Creative Commons for their permissions.


Creators and Guests

Host
Kurtis Hewson
Author/presenter with @jigsaw_learning, learner, teacher, father, husband, son, friend. He/him. Honoured to reside on Treaty 6 territory
Host
Lorna Hewson
Lead Learner and Co-Founder, Jigsaw Learning

What is Building a Culture of Collaboration?

Are you an educational leader or administrator searching for actionable strategies to build effective teams? In the Building a Culture of Collaboration podcast, Jigsaw Learning co-founders Kurtis and Lorna Hewson provide simple, purposeful tips to help you tackle meeting frustration, disengagement, and unproductive teamwork. This is your essential resource for advancing school improvement and collective efficacy.

You will find practical ideas for mastering effective meetings, where you learn the structures, roles, and agendas required to ensure your team meetings (PLCs, staff, student support) are focused and drive action. You'll discover how to shift your organization's mindset from isolated practice to powerful, shared responsibility for ALL students—this is key to teamwork and collaboration. Finally, you'll gain the leadership strategies needed to intentionally build a robust and sustainable culture that maximizes collective capacity and student success. We also talk with thought leaders outside of education, to grow our understanding of effective collaboration and teamwork.

Subscribe today to master the art of intentional collaboration and take your leadership to the next level!