“Too many of us clock out of life as we clock into work. Where we were once looking for fulfillment and meaning in our careers, we now just show up for a paycheck… But what if we could change all that? What if we could reignite that passion in ourselves… in our coworkers…in our employees? David Shar was happily managing his small ice cream parlor in Baltimore City when his employee came in with tears in her eyes. Her boyfriend had been shot multiple times, she didn’t know if he would survive. David tried to give her the day off, but she refused, telling David that she had to be at work… work was her “happy place.”   When David began his career he had no idea how much his crew of teenagers and young adults from the inner city would impact his view on work, life, & leadership. His experiences in that ice cream parlor led David on a journey of discovery to answer the question - What makes work one person’s happy place and another person’s purgatory? He discovered how organizations, through their leadership & culture can create burnout-proof work environments that engage and inspire employees to be the best versions of themselves. President of Illuminate PMC and creator of the FTF Burnout-Proof Culture Model, David is a keynote speaker, consultant, and trainer specializing in helping organizations improve their leadership and culture, combat burnout, and design meaningful work. David combines decades of leadership experience with the latest psychological research to help attract, retain, and motivate top talent. David holds his bachelor’s in human resource management from Colorado State University and his master’s in industrial / organizational psychology from the University of Maryland – College Park. He is a current doctoral candidate in business psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where he is studying the interaction between meaningful work and burnout. David is NOT your typical academic - as a scientist / practitioner translator, David makes leadership theory & business psychology accessible, implementable, and fun through the use of humor and storytelling.” How do you support people who are going through struggles? Their lives were so beautiful in so many ways, first and foremost. Finding the beauty in someone else’s life is the first thing you need to do. We did a lot of volunteering. Ice cream was a tool to make Baltimore a better place. Kids who saw themselves as the bottom rung started to see that they had something to give. Stress is everywhere! Work was an escape from that. Work can be a place where we are in control. Work can be a place where you feel like your hands are tied behind your back. She’s a first grade teacher that cannot comfort her kids the way she always has. Administrators can facilitate what people are experiencing What is burnout? How to help prevent burnout. Give them some autonomy in their day. This is a time for innovation! Support is so crucial to prevent burnout. Instrumental support, mental support. If support comes in the wrong form, it can blow up in your face. Instrumental support - jumping in to help. Mental Support Emotional support - being there as a sounding board. Communication Cards It’s not about the Nail how to bring back the water cooler Open the lines of communication It’s really hard to separate from the challenges of their lives. We’re so worried about encroaching on people’s time, but we need to make time to How to be a transformative principal? Show vulnerability. It’s ok to not have all the answers. Ask their opinion. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on time