#196: The "We vs. Me" Test: Why the Same Staff Meeting Energizes Some Teachers and Drains Others (with Dr. Sheldon Eakins) Artwork

Coaching the Whole Educator

Coaching the Whole Educator, hosted by education consultant and author Becca Silver, is a podcast on instructional coaching, teacher leadership, and school leadership for anyone who wants to strengthen their educators' effectiveness and resilience, especially the ones who need it most. Each week, you'll hear quick tips, proven coaching strategies, and coaching mindsets designed to keep you on top of your game.

This show is rooted in a human-centered coaching approach, where we get things done through people's humanity, not around it. Whether you're new to instructional coaching or a seasoned coach or leader looking for fresh perspective, you'll learn how to focus on the mindsets and motivations driving unproductive behaviors. By getting to the root of teacher resistance, using the Catalyst Mindsets framework from Becca Silver's book, The Resistance Solution, you'll discover how to build stronger relationships, lead with clarity, and create lasting impact in your school.

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Coaching the Whole Educator

#196: The "We vs. Me" Test: Why the Same Staff Meeting Energizes Some Teachers and Drains Others (with Dr. Sheldon Eakins)

July 17, 2026 • Season 4 • Episode 196

0:00 | 23:19

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What if the pushback you're getting from teachers isn't about the initiative at all, but about a hidden cultural mismatch in how your school defines belonging?

In this episode of Coaching the Whole Educator, Becca Silver sits down with Dr. Sheldon Eakins, author of Meaningful Classroom Management, What Are You Bringing to the Potluck?, and Leading Equity, to explore a dimension of belonging that rarely gets airtime in school leadership conversations: individualism versus collectivism.

Dr. Eakins explains why American schools are built around individualist norms (GPAs, valedictorians, teacher of the month, "stay in your classroom") while many students and staff come from collectivist backgrounds where success is defined by "we," not "me." When leaders don't recognize this mismatch, the result looks like resistance, disengagement, and retention problems.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How individualism vs. collectivism shows up in staff meetings, PLCs, and professional development, and why "sit and get" works for some educators and alienates others
Dr. Eakins' LENS framework for leaders: Look for biases, Examine communication, Notice group dynamics, Shift perspective
How to separate facts from interpretations when you catch yourself labeling a colleague "rude" or "disengaged"
Why introversion and extroversion are NOT the same as individualism and collectivism
Practical ways to design staff culture that balances individual recognition with collective connection

This conversation is essential listening for instructional coaches, principals, and district leaders working on teacher retention, staff culture, psychological safety, and buy-in for change initiatives.

Grab your copy of 📖 The Resistance Solution

Book Study Facilitator Training: www.thewholeeducator.com/book-study-facilitator-training

Connect with Dr. Sheldon Eakins:
IG: @sheldoneakins

Twitter: @sheldoneakins

Website: purposeful247.com

Books: Amazon