Educators, Be B.R.A.V.E.

In an education landscape that grows more uncertain by the day, it is vital for educators to equip themselves to navigate contentious situations that may arise in their schools and classrooms. The B.R.A.V.E. Communications model, developed by Lecturer Timothy Patrick McCarthy, is a powerful tool that provides educators with the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to be effective communicators and leaders.

Here, McCarthy, faculty chair of The B.R.A.V.E. Institute: Giving Voice to Your Values, discusses how educators can tap into the fearlessness to stay true to their values while leading learning — and why it's important.

What does it mean to be B.R.A.V.E.?

B.R.A.V.E. is a set of intentional, ongoing leadership and communications practices. The framework is designed to help people lead and communicate with courage and integrity:

• The B stands for “become bigger and bolder,” a practice of confidence to envision a fuller version of yourself.
• The R is “keep it real,” a practice of candor: speak directly, avoid euphemisms, name the elephant in the room.
• The A is “acknowledge risks and consequences,” a practice of clarity that helps you figure out what’s at stake and when you should speak up and step up.
• The V is “lead with values,” a practice of conviction where you identify your core values, your “non-negotiables,” so you can answer the “Why?” questions.
• The E is “engage with power,” a practice of co-tension where you discover and deploy your own power to challenge structures and institutions of power, people in power, and abuses of power.

Why are values so important for leaders and communicators?

Leaders and communicators need to be able to answer the “why?” questions: Why are you the person you are? Why do you do the things you do? Why have you chosen to live your life this way? Values are the roots that give us our wings. They are the forces that shape our moral decision-making, particularly in challenging circumstances and tough times. They are also the things that help others to understand us — and respect us — more deeply. 

Why do education leaders need to become braver communicators?

It is no secret that we are living in tumultuous times. Education leaders must be able to navigate a complex constellation of challenges — student diversity, parental advocacy, political authority, resource scarcity, teacher precarity, you name it. We are living in an age where book bans, curricular controls, and gun violence are ascendent, and where suspicion of institutions — including schools — is accelerating. Our best hope for overcoming these challenges is to confront them clearly and courageously with both our “walk” and our “talk.”

How do education leaders begin to align their "talk" with their "walk”?

The first step in aligning your “talk” (what you say) with your “walk” (what you do) is to want to do so. This is why thoughtful reflection and intention are so important to leadership and communications. People of integrity — whether or not they consider themselves “leaders” — are people whose words and actions are well integrated in a moral sense. In other words, they are people who reflect deeply about their values — what is right and wrong, just and unjust — and who try to live by these values as best they can. They are also people who can articulate to others why they are doing the things they do, what some philosophers call “moral articulacy.” We should all strive to do this.