Laura K Spencer, Ed.D.

Author: Laura Spencer

  • A Guide to Recognizing and Tackling Recency Bias

    A Guide to Recognizing and Tackling Recency Bias

    Are you falling into the trap of recency bias?

    Recency bias is basically our tendency to put way too much emphasis on what’s happened lately when we’re making decisions. I came across a blog post that explains the bias as basically focused on how our brains prioritize recent stuff. Think about it: in the workplace, this can mean totally overlooking someone’s awesome track record just because they messed up a few times recently.

    But here’s the deal: everyone has bad days, weeks, even months! Sometimes I personally feel like I may even be having a bad year… Life throws curveballs. Maybe they’re going through something personal, trying to figure out a new role, or just feeling a little blah about work. It happens to all of u!

    Before you freak out, take a step back and look at the big picture. Think about their entire performance history, what they’ve brought to the team, and their potential to grow.

    Ask yourself:

    • What’s their overall track record like?
    • Have they consistently been rad in the past?
    • What are they really good at? What are their weaknesses?
    • What kind of support or help do they need from you to get back on track?

    The best leaders I’ve known focus on helping their people develop and grow. When we look at performance holistically and see the potential of each employee, we truly create a work environment where everyone feels supported and can succeed.

  • Embracing the ‘Find’ Journey in 2025

    Embracing the ‘Find’ Journey in 2025

    A #OneWORD Challenge

    Stepping into 2025, the word “Find” resonates deeply, embodying my journey of exploration and self-discovery. This past year, it served as a quiet guide, a personal mantra that helped me navigate the uncertainties and challenges of 2024. Now, I’m ready to embrace “Find” with renewed intention, seeking the unknown with open arms and a curious mind.

    What Does “Find” Mean to Me?

    “Find” is more than just a word; it’s a commitment to step outside my comfort zone, to challenge assumptions, and to dive deeper into the world around me. It’s about uncovering hidden passions and talents, peeling back the layers to reveal my authentic self. “Find” is about:

    • Exploration: Stepping outside my comfort zone and embracing the unknown. This resonates deeply with me, especially through my love for off-roading. There’s something truly liberating about navigating challenging terrain, pushing my limits, and discovering hidden gems along the way. Every bump in the road, every steep incline, every unexpected obstacle has become a metaphor for life’s challenges. And overcoming them has not only built resilience but also revealed a passion for adventure I never knew I had.
    • Curiosity: Asking questions, challenging assumptions, and digging deeper. It’s about that insatiable thirst for knowledge, that drive to understand the “why” behind everything. This year, I want to cultivate my curiosity, to approach the world with a beginner’s mind, and to never stop asking questions. So as I learn a new subject, explore a different culture, or simply engage in meaningful conversations, I want to embrace the wonder of discovery.
    • Self-Discovery: Uncovering hidden passions, talents, and values. It’s about peeling back the layers and unearthing the authentic self within. To “find” myself means actively engaging in introspection, exploring new experiences, and reflecting on the lessons learned along the way. This year, I’m committed to excavating those hidden depths, embracing my strengths, acknowledging my vulnerabilities, and ultimately, understanding who I truly am.
    • Connection: Finding common ground with others and building meaningful relationships. It’s about recognizing the shared humanity that binds us together, despite our differences. This year, I want to foster deeper connections with the people in my life, to cultivate empathy and understanding, and to build a strong community of support.

    Finding My Trail

    This year, I’m committed to “finding” in every aspect of my life:

    Professionally, I’ll push myself to find new ways to contribute my skills and knowledge, master new technologies and strategies, and embrace opportunities that align with my evolving goals. Personally, I’ll dedicate time for introspection and self-reflection, pursue hobbies and activities that spark joy and fulfillment, and prioritize my mental and physical well-being. Creatively, I’ll seek inspiration in unexpected places, experiment with new mediums and techniques, and push the boundaries of my imagination.

    Why “Find”?

    This year, “Find” is more than just a word; it’s an invitation to join me on a journey of self-discovery. It’s about embracing the unknown, pushing boundaries, and uncovering the hidden gems within ourselves and the world around us.

    Want a symbol of this journey?

    I’ve created a “Find Your Trail” sticker as a reminder to keep seeking, keep exploring, and keep discovering. If you’d like one, send your #oneword and why (plus your address) to laura@laurakspencer.com and I’ll gladly send a sticker your way. Let’s embrace the adventure of “finding” our way together.

    What are you hoping to find this year? Share your thoughts and aspirations in the comments below!

  • Addressing Poor Performance: Reflect Before Reacting

    Addressing Poor Performance: Reflect Before Reacting

    Okay, let’s be real – we’ve all had that employee who just isn’t cutting it. You know, the one who’s missing deadlines, making mistakes, or just not pulling their weight. It’s incredibly frustrating, right? And it’s so easy to let those feelings get the better of you. But trust me, you really don’t want to do that. So before you even think about confronting them, take a deep breath and ask yourself: ‘How is this situation affecting me personally and professionally?’

    Now, I’m not saying you should sweep the problem under the rug. Yes, their underperformance impacts you too. Maybe you’re losing sleep over it, picking up their slack, or worried it’ll make you look bad. It’s okay to admit that – we all have a stake in the game here.

    I’ve definitely been there myself! I had a staff member not quite hitting the mark, and the frustration was building. And unfortunately, I let my own frustration get the best of me. Instead of taking a step back and understanding the situation from that person’s perspective, I jumped right into critique…Okay, it was really just criticism because I was so done at that moment. And not surprisingly, it totally damaged the trust we had built. Ugh!

    That experience taught me a huge lesson. Now, before I address any performance issues, I take a moment to reflect on how the situation impacts me personally and professionally. It’s not about ignoring the problem; it’s about understanding my own role in the situation and how my emotions might be influencing my perception.

    By acknowledging my own feelings, I can approach the conversation with more empathy and objectivity. It’s amazing how much of a difference that makes in finding a constructive solution and preserving the relationship.

  • AI in Leadership: A Balancing Act

    AI in Leadership: A Balancing Act

    As we all know, the world of tech is constantly evolving, and AI is no exception. It’s amazing to see how AI is changing the way we make decisions, especially for those of us in leadership roles. But with this new power comes a whole lot of responsibility.

    One of the biggest things we need to consider is the ethical side of using AI. We need to be open and honest about how AI is being used to make decisions, and what data is feeding into those decisions. For example, we need to be aware of situations where AI tools might be used to evaluate student work, and understand how those tools might have different error rates for evaluating essays written by native vs. non-native English speakers. It’s also super important to make sure everyone on the team understands how AI works and feels comfortable questioning its recommendations. After all, we’re a team, and we need to be accountable to each other.  

    Of course, we can’t forget the human side of things. We need to make sure that using AI doesn’t leave anyone out or reinforce any biases. Our goal should always be to create a more inclusive workplace. This is especially important when using AI in situations with the potential to create a hostile environment, such as when using facial recognition technology or AI-enabled content moderation tools.  

    Now, don’t get me wrong, AI can be incredibly helpful. It can help us streamline our work, personalize learning opportunities, and even give us a glimpse into the future with predictive analytics. But we need to find a balance between using AI to make things more efficient and staying connected to the human element in our organizations. For instance, if we’re using AI to identify students at risk of dropping out, we need to make sure that the tool isn’t unfairly targeting certain groups and that we’re providing support to those students in a way that is both effective and respectful.  

    As leaders, it’s up to us to set the ethical standards and make sure we’re always putting our team’s well-being first. If we can do that, we can unlock the full potential of AI without sacrificing the trust and integrity that are so important for successful leadership.

    What do you all think? I’m really interested to hear your thoughts on this!

    And for more reading on this subject, check out this memo published by the U.S. Department of Education, which inspired this post.

  • Transform Meetings with Gemini’s Live and Research Tools

    Transform Meetings with Gemini’s Live and Research Tools

    As many of you know, I’ve been on a journey to become a more effective and empathetic leader. Part of this journey has involved using Google Gemini to help me analyze my communication patterns and identify areas for improvement. I’m truly excited to share that Gemini has recently rolled out some incredible new features – “Research” and “Live” – that I believe will significantly enhance how we communicate as a team.

    Research: Fueling Our Conversations with Knowledge

    I haven’t spent a ton of time with Gemini’s Deep Research option yet, but from what I can gather, I think it will be great for real-time fact checking as well as diving deeper into topics. With Gemini Research, we can instantly verify details during meetings or presentations, ensuring our communication is always accurate and credible. It will also empower us to analyze complex data, and gather comprehensive insights, which is pretty impressive.

    Live: Dynamic Interactions for a More Connected Team

    Imagine us all jamming on ideas together, in real-time, and actually getting somewhere! With Gemini Live, brainstorming sessions become super dynamic, and everyone gets a chance to chime in and build on each other’s thoughts. Plus, we can fine-tune our messages to hit the right note with different folks, so our communication really lands. And get this – we can even get instant feedback on how we’re doing, so we can tweak our style and make sure our message is crystal clear. Pretty cool, right? I used it the other evening to better understand AB 2013, California’s new generative AI law that is set to go into effect in 2026. We had a great conversation and I left feeling enlightened.

    How Research and Live Could Transform Our Workplace:

    • More Impactful Presentations: Deliver more compelling and informative presentations with real-time data and research support.
    • More Efficient Meetings: Make our meetings more productive by quickly accessing relevant information and facilitating dynamic discussions.
    • Stronger Collaboration: Foster a culture of knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving with interactive tools and personalized communication.
    • More Informed Decisions: Make well-informed decisions based on accurate data and diverse perspectives.

    I’m optimistically hopeful (is that a real phrase?) about how Google Gemini’s Research and Live features can elevate our communication, strengthen our collaboration, and ultimately, help us achieve our goals more effectively. Would love to know your thoughts.

  • How Great Thinkers Inspire Learning Through Doubt

    How Great Thinkers Inspire Learning Through Doubt

    “Great thinkers don’t harbor doubts because they’re impostors. They maintain doubts because they know we’re all partially blind and they’re committed to improving their sight.” – Adam Grant

    I love that quote! It’s a good reminder that even the best thinkers know they don’t have all the answers. They’re always looking for ways to learn and grow. And that’s a big part of what empathetic leadership is all about: creating a space where your team feels safe to try new things, even if they might stumble along the way.  

    Think of it like a coach who lets a player try a new move in the middle of a game, even if it means they might mess up. The coach gets it – mistakes are part of how we learn. By giving the player the green light to take a chance, they’re helping them add a new skill and become an even better player.

    It’s the same in leadership. Empathetic leaders give their team the room to experiment and learn from their slip-ups. They’re there to guide and support, but they also let their team own their ideas and choices.

    And guess what? This doesn’t just help individual team members grow, it supercharges the whole team! When people feel supported and know they can take chances, they’re more likely to think outside the box and come up with game-changing ideas. And when they know their leader has their back, that’s when real trust and respect kick in.

    I’ve been there myself. I had a team that was wrestling with a big decision about which direction to go. It was tempting to just step in and say, “Hey, here’s what we’re gonna do.” But instead, I hung back and watched them work it out for a few weeks. It wasn’t always pretty, but they learned something super valuable: that slowing down, really listening to each other, and working together was their secret weapon. Sure, they had to set aside their egos for a bit, and there were some bumps and frustrations along the way, but it was worth it.

    By the end, they didn’t just nail the decision, they became a way stronger team in the process.

    So, here’s my takeaway: if you’re aiming for empathetic leadership, don’t freak out when your team makes mistakes. Just be there to help them learn from it and come back swinging even harder.

    Remember, empathetic leadership isn’t about being a pushover or dodging tough conversations. It’s about building a team culture where trust, respect, and support are the name of the game.

    Grant, A. (2016, June 6). Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. Viking.