Vision, Focus, Transparency: CEO in Education Offers 6 Lessons on Leading Now
Kristyn Klei Borrero, (far right) engages with teachers in her curriculum at CT3.
Growing up in Cincinnati, Kristyn Klei Borrero says the desegregation of local schools there gave her a view of K-12 education that “was not monolithic” nor steeped in “white kids’ privilege.”
It would fuel her career as CEO and co-founder of CT3, a coaching services company dedicated to improving curriculum across the country by coaching and training educators creatively and serving more than one million students in the past 12 years.
“@KKB_CT3 is the CEO and co-founder of @CT3, a #coaching services company dedicated to improving curriculum across the country by coaching #educators creatively. ”
Because she had dyslexia and could memorize well, she was steered to the sciences. Borrero studied education at Miami University in Ohio, graduating in 1995, and her first job was back at her middle school in Princeton City teaching science.
After a few years, she went on to graduate school at St. Xavier University, earning her masters in administration and moved to East Palo Alto, California to work as assistant principal in 1999. She was 26.
In 2000 she was promoted to principal and when she was offered the job, Borrero says her first response was, “Who are you talking to?”
“The first year was terrible,” Borrero says. “There was one problem after another, but I hired great people. After seven years, it was one of the highest performing urban schools with test scores.”
Seeing her own gap in leadership knowledge, Borrero began her doctorate study at University of California- Berkeley and started working on consequence systems for teachers and support systems of cognitive coaching. She worked as superintendent for other schools in Oakland as well.
The author of Every Student, Every Day: A No-Nonsense Nurturer Approach to Reaching All Learners, says she dove into the research and development of No-Nonsense Nurturer and Real Time Teacher Coaching, “widely recognized as two of the most innovative, transformative professional development models in education today,” according to CT3 materials.
In 2008, Borrero launched the Center For Transformative Teacher Training, now CT3, “the worst year to launch something,” she says. The coaching company that trains and assists teachers now works with up to 250 schools a year, all public schools.
“@CT3, a coaching company that trains and assists teachers, now works with up to 250 schools a year, all #PublicSchools. #Education”
Now that COVID-19 has pushed all curriculum from K-12 and the university level online, virtual teaching has pushed CT3 to “shift protocols to serve the needs,” Borrero says.
USA Today reports, “public schools serving approximately 55 million children in America shut down overnight, leaving parents to oversee the academic progress of their children at home. Through the coronavirus pandemic, millions of families realized that teachers are not just convenient but essential.”
Particularly now, “the amount of care you have to show is on a whole new level,” she says. “There are many more things to juggle and we have to be much more thoughtful about internal cultures.”
As a coach and mentor to thousands of educators across the country, Borrero says she has learned key leadership lessons. Critical is “the humility you bring to it all. You have to say, I made a mistake, where do we pivot now?”
“As a #coach and #mentor to educators across the country, @KKB_CT3 says she has learned key #leadership #lessons. Critical is “the humility you bring to it all.””
The big question in education now, that affects CT3, Borrero says, is “How to pivot in a world that doesn’t know how it will pivot?”
Listen here to Take The Lead Co-Founder Gloria Feldt’s Pivot With Power podcast
CNN reports, “Across the country, aspiring educators nearing the end of their coursework have had to adjust their plans after 43 states and the District of Columbia closed schools through the end of the year to slow the spread of Covid-19. They should be in the classroom, working with students and shoring up years of study with more hands-on experience.”
According to CNN, “Instead, some of them face uncertainty. They're navigating new rules as states try to provide alternate routes for certification. And they've had to adapt, like their mentors, to teaching online and redefining what their student-teaching experiences look like.”
Borrero says what is important in this time of uncertainty, particularly in education, is to give up on being a perfectionist and trust that “my team is smart people.”
“@KKB_CT3 says what is important in this time of uncertainty, particularly in #education, is to give up on being a perfectionist. #Leadership #Advice”
As the leader of a company addressing inequities and access in education – that are highlighted during online teaching during the global pandemic—Borrero says she is “hopeful that in this we will come out on the other side.”
She adds, “All students deserve an education, but we only give some students an education.”
Borrero suggests that leading in the time of COVID-19 requires pivoting and innovation, but it also requires keen focus. She offers these tips on leading any organization or startup.
“@KKB_CT3 suggests that leading in the time of #COVID-19 requires pivoting and #innovation, but it also requires keen #focus. ”
Vision is key. “You have to have a strong vision, know what your non-negotiables are. Have integrity. And when you do not hold your focus, you will not have your gold standard of service.”
“Vision is key. “You have to have a strong vision, know what your non-negotiables are. Have integrity,” says @KKB_CT3. #Leadership #Coaching”
Hold your focus. “When you do not hold your focus, you will not have your gold standard of service.”
“Hold your #focus. “When you do not hold your focus, you will not have your gold standard of service,” advises @KKB_CT3, co-founder of @CT3.”
Be transparent. “I’d rather be more transparent than have someone feeling I’m holding back.”
“Be #transparent. “I’d rather be more transparent than have someone feeling I’m holding back,” says @KKB_CT3, CEO of @CT3. #Leadership #Tools”
Build strong internal culture. “Without it, your folks cannot do the best work they possibly can.”
“Build strong internal #culture. “Without it, your folks cannot do the best work they possibly can,” says @KKB_CT3. #Workplace #Management ”
Nobody is perfect. “Acknowledge you are not perfect and apologize. Take feedback and move forward. Everything I say is not right. It’s not gospel.”
“Nobody is perfect. “Acknowledge you are not perfect and apologize. Take #feedback and move forward. Everything I say is not right. It’s not gospel,” says @KKB_CT3. ”
Hire the best people. “I do not want yes people around me. To sit at the table, the have to disagree with me and make me smarter.”
“Hire the best people. “I do not want yes people around me. To sit at the table, the have to disagree with me and make me smarter,” says @KKB_CT3. #Hiring #Advice”
Borerro knows that those who can, teach well. And the future is better for it.
“@KKB_CT3 knows that those who can, #teach well. And the #future is better for it. #Education #Mentorship”
