Who am I as a leader?

I feel the need to start by restating something from my first blog post, "I am looking at switching gears in my career as an educator. This switch would involve leadership, which is something I have always feared, being the person in charge." This change both excites and terrifies me. I am starting to embrace the possibility that this change will be just what I needed and that I already have the skills necessary.

 Through my coursework, I was tasked with listening to and reading about Simon Sinek. This was a valuable refresher for me. I was lucky enough to take Simon Sinek's "Finding your why" course about 5 years ago. This course was transformative in so many ways. It not only helped me find my "why" but also helped me get to know more about the leaders in my own building.  My "why" is to help others so they can make positive changes in their lives.  I have been trying to do this in the classroom throughout my 20-year career, but now I think it might be time to add adults to that mix.

 When thinking about positive leaders in my life, Simon Sinek's words come back to me. "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it." People need to see and understand why I want to help them make positive changes, whether it's lesson planning, life choices, or using technology. Sinek also said, "There are leaders and those who lead...we follow those who lead not because we have to but because we want to, we follow those who lead not for them, but for ourselves. It's those who start with 'why' that have the ability to inspire those around them..." This is what I strive for. I want to be transparent in my "why" first and then my "how." I want people to feel that I am approachable and that I understand what they are going through and what they might need. I want to be "followed" because of what I do and not because of a title.  
EDIT:  a visual of who I am as a leader 

Comments

  1. Lucie deLaBruereJanuary 21, 2020 at 8:11 PM

    I am so curious to know more about the Simon Sinek course.
    Was it face to face? Was it online? Who sponsored it? What was it like.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Embracing ChangeJanuary 25, 2020 at 6:39 AM

      It was online and was offered through the school. Dena set it up was the facilitator. It was a great experience. We used the course like a book group. We were assigned sections of the course to complete by specific dates and then we would meet to discuss what we had learned. Parts of course require you to work with a partner, who is not necessarily taking the course with you or at all. We were encouraged to partner with someone in our group to help us make the most of the course. This is the link to the course https://simonsinek.com/product/why-discovery-course/

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