As I gear up for the start of the year I find myself thinking a lot about leadership & what it means to lead. Like other organizations, schools are full of formal and informal leaders. Consequently, I put together a "Top Ten" list of thoughts on leadership based on my experiences and things I've learned over the years.
1) Leaders must know themselves, their beliefs, and remember them when times get tough. Be aware of
who you are, and what you stand for.
2) Leaders know they don't always know all the answers and seek out those who can help by listening and
solving the problem.
3) Leadership includes surrounding yourself with others who will challenge your thinking and help the
organization improve. Leaders have an eye for new talent and constantly develop those already
within the organization.
4) Leadership is often as simple as listening, inspiring, and relationships.
5) Leaders find balance between pushing the organization to improve and supporting those within
the organization.
6) Leaders commit to continuous learning and constantly expand their personal learning networks (PLNs).
A mentor once told me "you can't lead it if you don't take time to read". She was right!
7) Leadership is situational and contextual. It does not look the same in every organization.
8) Leaders must have some level of selfishness & humbleness. Leaders don't ask others to do things
they wouldn't do themselves.
9) Leaders continually expand their circle of trust AND their circle of influence.
10) Leaders must know when and how to recharge their batteries. (can't take full credit for this thought,
it's something I heard many times from a mentor).
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