The 2025-2026 school year has begun, and with it, an opportunity to reflect on how you started this new school year. In what areas are you facilitating change or growth? When have you prioritized difficult conversations to best support your staff, students, families, or the community? How are you showing up for yourself and making time to care for your needs as a human and a leader? With the first few weeks of school behind you, consider spending five minutes to celebrate your strengths and recognize what went well with the start of the year before jumping into planning what's coming next. And, consider reaching out to extend appreciation to those who are supporting you.
Last school year, the MCPS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) launched a new professional development series for supervisors on Caring for Yourself While Leading Others.
Session #1 (December) focused on strategies to prioritize leader well-being while navigating work-life demands.
Session #2 (January) focused on tools for leaders to cultivate psychological safety for their teams and worksites.
Session #3 (March) focused on communicating non-defensively with colleagues and supervisees.
There were twenty-two attendees for the three sessions and we received nine anonymous survey responses, which are summarized below:
100% agreed or strongly agreed that "this presentation was meaningful to my work and/or life."
100% agreed or strongly agreed that "the objectives of the presentation were met."
100% strongly agreed that "the overall quality of this presentation was excellent and highly engaging."
100% strongly agreed that "I highly recommend MCPS continue to offer this presentation."
Thank you to all who participated in these engaging sessions! The EAP will continue this series during the 2025-2026 school year. These professional development sessions are open to current supervisors, administrators, and staff leading other employees. We hope you can join us this year!
October 17, 2025 from 12:00–12:45 a.m.: Leader Well-Being. Participants will identify realistic and attainable strategies to prioritize their well-being as an MCPS leader. Participants will identify their successes and barriers, and connect with other leaders on well-being. Register on PDO Course #92916, Section #143000.
January 26, 2026 from 12:00–12:45 p.m.: Cultivating Psychological Safety. Participants will explore what contributes to a psychologically safe workplace and identify strategies to cultivate psychological safety at their worksite. Psychological safety is not a “check-the-box” or “one-and-done” event; it involves conscious, intentional leading while encouraging a growth mindset. Register on PDO Course #92917, Section #143006.
March 20, 2026 from 12:00–12:45 p.m.: Non-Defensive Communication with Employees. Participants will explore and practice non-defensive strategies to communicate with employees. Non-defensive communication involves being curious, asking questions, and making statements without trying to control how others respond. This valuable approach can enhance clear communication with staff and encourage accountability. Register on PDO Course #92918, Section #143007.
We welcome your thoughts in the newsletter feedback form or email eap@mcpsmd.org.
According to the American Psychological Association, resilience is defined as, “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”
As a leader, you face demands, challenges and setbacks, sometimes one right after another.
It is important to engage in resilience-oriented mindsets and practices to endure these inevitable challenges and lead your staff through any storms. Below are important components for fostering resilience and questions to assess where your resilience skills are as a leader:
Engagement in support seeking: Who are the ones you can call on when you need an outlet or advice? Do you allow yourself to share with others how you are doing and engage in a dialogue that allows you to receive support?
Belief in self: Do you have the mindset that you can move through the current challenge? Where is your self-efficacy and what affirmations can you focus on that bolster your self-efficacy?
Be solution-focused: What action steps can be taken in the current adversity? How can you move your energy toward solutions and action?
Psychological flexibility: Do you embrace learning and growth? Can you pivot?
Routines: What routines are in place that allow you predictability in the current uncertainty or challenge? Are you able to add more stability in your work routines or routines before and after work? This dependability and focus on routine allows your brain a sigh of relief.
Self-compassion: Are you being kind to yourself? Are you open to being understanding and loving toward yourself?
Consider these options as food for thought as you face your next challenge as a leader. The questions posed with each item can be used to bring awareness and reflection to how you are operating as a leader. This is not an exhaustive list, and there are many more practices and tools one can utilize to bolster their resilience in leadership. If you need support in being a resilient leader through adversity, please reach out to the EAP for coaching. We can provide support in identifying an individualized plan for you and your specific circumstances.
Interested in scheduling an EAP workshop for your staff? Complete this Google Form and an EAP wellness coordinator will contact you to schedule a consultation. Workshops are also available on PDO throughout the school year. View the EAP Calendar on the MCPS website and contact us to learn more.
Interested in inviting the EAP to present during your next PLC meeting? Submit this Google Form and an EAP wellness coordinator will contact you to schedule a consultation. Please also share your thoughts on continued professional development workshop offerings on PDO in the newsletter feedback form.
The information below can be shared with your staff to support their well-being and help increase awareness about the no-cost, confidential, and voluntary services available from the EAP.
This video highlights EAP services available to MCPS employees, their adult household family members, and MCPS retirees. Consider showing it at your next staff meeting!
This video from the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County (CRCMC) highlights mediation and conflict coaching available to MCPS employees and their adult household family members. Consider sharing it in your next email to staff!
In this quarter’s newsletter of A Healthy Outlook, you’ll find tips to nurture resilience this fall, information about free mental health screenings from the EAP, and activities for staff during Mental Health Awareness Week. Share the newsletter with your staff!
The EAP Calendar on the MCPS website lists upcoming workshops and webinars available to employees that can be shared with your staff.
Q: I'm a leader going through a hard time and I'm not sure if EAP counseling or supervisory coaching is right for me. What's the difference and how do I decide?
A: Both EAP short-term counseling and supervisory coaching sessions are confidential, no-cost, and voluntary. They are also both available virtually or in-person at the EAP office located at 45 W Gude Dr. Suite 1300, Rockville, MD.
Counseling sessions are 45-minutes, short-term (up to eight sessions per year) and provide support to address your individual needs related to a wide variety of concerns such as:
Managing personal or work-related stressors
Navigating interpersonal issues
Job-related challenges
Balancing work and family
Depression, anxiety, grief, or other mental health concerns
Alcohol or other substance use
Other concerns impacting your mental health and well-being
Supervisory coaching sessions are 30-minutes and there is no limit on the number of sessions. Supervisory coaching provides specific support on navigating your role as a supervisor and issues related to staff concerns, such as:
Using constructive confrontation to address an employees' work performance issues
How to best support an employee experiencing difficulties
Referring an employee to the EAP
Support for staff following a critical incident at your worksite
And other supervisor-specific challenges that may arise
We are here to support you as a human and a leader! Call the EAP at 240-740-6500 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) to learn more about how we can help and to schedule an appointment.
Do you have a question you'd like to see answered in a future newsletter? Fill out the feedback form or email eap@mcpsmd.org.
We hope you enjoy reading this issue of The Leadership Lounge: Navigating the Waves of Leadership. Please take a few moments to share your feedback in this Google Form so we can adapt future issues to best meet your needs.
Important note: Information in The Leadership Lounge: Navigating the Waves of Leadership is for general information purposes only, for adults, and is not intended to replace the counsel or advice of a qualified health professional.
For further questions or help with specific problems or personal concerns, please contact the EAP. Call 240-740-6500 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.).