Looking for the 102 books from Kurtis and Lorna’s bookshelf that will have a dramatic impact on your collaborative culture? Download the free 1012 Must-Reads for Educational Leaders at https://bit.ly/102reads
Welcome to the milestone 100th episode of the Building a Culture of Collaboration podcast!
In this special episode, Kurtis and Lorna are diving into their ultimate summer reading list for leaders: 5 essential books (plus one powerful bonus) designed to help you move your teams, break down organizational silos, and build high-functioning, sustainable cultures of collaboration.
Whether you're relaxing by the lake or prepping for the upcoming quarter or new school year, these masterclass texts provide the exact blueprints you need to transform how your team works together.
📚 The Summer Reading List & Key Takeaways:
1. Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg Discover why psychological safety is the true engine of collaboration and how managing intentional group norms can radically drive your team's collective intelligence.
2. Drive by Daniel Pink Learn why traditional "If-Then" incentives crush creative teamwork and how to leverage Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose to build resilient, self-organizing teams.
3. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni A classic pyramid framework flipped to the collaboration angle. Learn why vulnerability-based trust and productive conflict are required to achieve true commitment and shared goals.
4. Right Kind of Wrong by Amy Edmondson Shift your culture from blame to curiosity. Explore how to reframe failure into "intelligent failures" and create low-stakes laboratories for cross-departmental innovation.
5. Hidden Potential by Adam Grant Discover how to look beyond "superstars" by building structures of peer-to-peer scaffolding, shifting from brainstorming to brainwriting, and rewarding "givers."
🔥 BONUS: Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working by Dan Heath Get unstuck! Learn how to scale organic collaboration by finding internal "bright spots," focusing on the "goal of the goal," and going directly to where the work happens.
#Leadership #Collaboration #TeamCulture #SummerReading #BookRecommendations #PsychologicalSafety #BuildingACultureOfCollaboration
Are you looking to further your growth as a collaborative leader? Access numerous FREE resources and webinars designed to help you build and sustain a strong culture of collaboration. https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/free
Interested in learning MORE about a framework that can transform your PLC and MTSS efforts? Access the FREE Overview of Collaborative Response Article https://bit.ly/CR-overview
Explore the book Collaborative Response by downloading the introduction for FREE https://bit.ly/CR-intro
Learn more about WeCollab and access a FREE trial.
https://www.jigsawlearning.ca/wecollab
FREE to join!! Become a JL Insider to receive access to newly added resources and video content, advance notice for sessions/workshops, discounts for learning events and resources, plus so much more!
https://bit.ly/JLinsider
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
🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when @jigsaw_learning posts a new video! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3U_RKp7yxQhckpKaQur7ow
Website https://jigsawlearning.ca
Email questions@jigsawlearning.ca
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JigsawLearningAB/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/jigsaw-learning-inc
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jigsawlearningab/
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!