Jul 20, 2026 · 2 min · 2 segments
In this bonus conversation, Michelle Velez-Jonte shares advice for first-time leaders, including the importance of listening, asking questions and staying connected to the purpose behind the work.
Darlene RepolletHost
Michelle Velez-JonteGuestNo entities detected.
I think it is so important for us to listen to others before we make a quick response.
It's okay to say, you know what? I'm not quite sure I know what you meant there.
Can you rephrase that for me or can you help me? It's all right to do that.
I think the biggest thing I would tell someone is never forget why you went into that job.
So if you went into a leadership job, it's because you want to mentor teachers.
It's because you want to help children, not because you want to be an administrator, not because you want to evaluate teachers, not because you want more money.
We go into education because we want to see that little light bulb in that little three-year-old grow and light up really bright in a room.
We want to see those seniors graduating and reaching out to us and saying, thank you.
So what I hear you saying is having purpose, remembering the purpose behind our roles, especially in education, but this is applicable regardless of any leadership role, right? Knowing your why, knowing your purpose and remembering that when times get tough and And I like also how you said listening.
Listening is the utmost critical component, I think, in any communication, whether we're talking about leadership or whatever we're talking about.
And finally, you also mentioned asking questions, not being afraid to ask questions or say, I'm not sure about that.
I think it is so important for us to listen to others before we make a quick response.
It's okay to say, you know what? I'm not quite sure I know what you meant there.
Can you rephrase that for me or can you help me? It's all right to do that.
I think the biggest thing I would tell someone is never forget why you went into that job.
So if you went into a leadership job, it's because you want to mentor teachers.
It's because you want to help children, not because you want to be an administrator, not because you want to evaluate teachers, not because you want more money.
We go into education because we want to see that little light bulb in that little three-year-old grow and light up really bright in a room.
We want to see those seniors graduating and reaching out to us and saying, thank you.
So what I hear you saying is having purpose, remembering the purpose behind our roles, especially in education, but this is applicable regardless of any leadership role, right? Knowing your why, knowing your purpose and remembering that when times get tough and And I like also how you said listening.
Listening is the utmost critical component, I think, in any communication, whether we're talking about leadership or whatever we're talking about.
And finally, you also mentioned asking questions, not being afraid to ask questions or say, I'm not sure about that.
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