Worth First.Excellence Together.
You’ve poured yourself into this work. And still, your people feel disconnected. It doesn’t have to stay that way.
The WORTHY Practice: Honoring the human spirit. Inspiring excellence.
Imagine staff meetings where people walk in interested and looking forward to the time together, rather than frustrated that they have to attend. Imagine a workplace people look forward to coming to, because they feel meaningfully connected to their colleagues and to the mission. And imagine a community where people have the skills to communicate directly with one another, and feel empowered to bring solutions and to advocate for what they believe is right, with grace and respect.
The WORTHY Practice builds that culture, brick by brick. You and your team will learn to:
- Make room for every voice, so people’s perspectives strengthen decisions and the work.
- Build deep investment in the mission, and a shared vision of why the work matters.
- Teach the skills the work requires, like communication, feedback and repair, so people can address concerns directly with one another.
- Share leadership and responsibility, with clear expectations and the confidence to take ownership.
- Work through challenges together: communicating honestly, navigating disagreement, and holding high standards while honoring each person’s worth.
Practical tools to keep growing together, starting Monday morning.
The WORTHY Practice
Worthy Communities, created through The WORTHY Practice.
Worthy Communities is Tamara’s broader body of work. The WORTHY Practice is the leadership approach at its heart. A Worthy Community is what leaders build with it.
Culture is intentional. It is practiced every day. And, importantly, it can be taught and built, brick by brick.
Six movements a community returns to again and again. Not steps to check off, but places to keep practicing.
Seeing the human spirit before us.
Uniting around an aligned and elevated purpose.
Preparing an environment where people can do excellent work.
Seeing clearly, speaking honestly, and meaning what we say.
Holding the standard without confusing performance with worth.
Growing together, because we are all still becoming.
Could Do Tomorrow
One small practice can make a world of difference.
Practices that can make a difference in your community, ready to put to work tomorrow. You’ll also be the first to hear what I’m working on, and receive special articles written just for subscribers. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hoping to book a talk, training, or coaching? Start a conversation →
“Simply put, Tamara is a builder: of community and partnership; of equity and profound respect; of inspiration and joy.”
Tamara Sheesley Balis is an educator, author and speaker on organizational culture, belonging and the human side of excellent work. Over more than twenty years leading three Montessori schools, she grew enrollment significantly at every one, inspired more than $2 million in giving, and built a culture people describe as joyful and unlike anywhere else.
Read Tamara’s full story →
Inspiring on Friday. Put to work on Monday.
Tamara speaks to nonprofit and organizational leaders, and to educators, about building cultures where the worth of every person is honored and excellence is held, at the same time. Grounded in real-life leadership experience, each talk and workshop is designed to offer practical tools people can use the very next day.
Keynotes, workshops, leadership retreats and parent evenings.
In person or virtual, shaped around your community.
How can I be of service?
Choose the one that sounds like you. Each starts a conversation.
A keynote or session for your conference, faculty or organization: warm, practical and rooted in real stories, with something to try the next day.
Hands-on practice with your team: hard conversations, truth and voice, and holding excellence with worth intact.
Focused work on the real situations in front of you, for leaders who want a thinking partner as they grow.
Bring me to your community.
For speaking, leadership training, parent education, and coaching. Tell me a little about what you need, and I'll reply personally, usually within a few days.
Explore some of Tamara’s work.
Articles and podcast conversations from Tamara’s body of work, for leaders in schools and organizations of every kind.
What can happen when we intentionally close the gap between the people making decisions and the people living with them: meaningful opportunities to lead, greater ownership and the wisdom already within our schools.
Read the article →Tamara shares her leadership journey and the communication practices behind a staff culture of belonging: assuming best intentions, directness and clarity, active listening and modeling vulnerability.
Listen to the episode →Conversations with educators, researchers and leaders about the adults who shape children’s lives: belonging, observation, mentoring and the inner preparation of the adult. More than 130,000 downloads.
Listen to Voices in Montessori →
Something new is growing.
Meaningful professional learning for educators and school leaders.
TeachTrue is a new home for educators and school leaders who believe that growing ourselves is part of the extraordinary responsibility of helping children grow.
Through inspiring, practical learning Journeys, TeachTrue brings together fresh perspectives, meaningful reflection, and tools you can put to work the very next day. Each Journey is designed to deepen understanding, strengthen practice, and help educators become more capable, confident, and intentional in their work.
Because when educators grow, children flourish.
Join Could Do Tomorrow, and you’ll be among the first to hear when TeachTrue opens.