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Last night, taking part in a professional development forum, I came across tools and dispositions necessary for success in the 21st Century. One that really struck a cord for me is that “students must learn the strategies and importance of embracing change while in the midst of change, and be flexible” and that during the process of change “there must be constant assessment of that change.”
These concepts really resonate with my examination of my leadership within my current position of trying to build a culture of blogging. Leadership in the 21st century can be a bit of a moving target. I am doing some great reading on Innovative Leadership, as well as Character based leadership. Both of these articles address the need for flexibility in today’s leadership role. “A character-based leader is open to ideas, people, risk, challenge, opportunity and experience.” This means that I have to be flexible in my comfort with risk-taking, challenging myself, and trusting others too. I feel that I have been doing a good job with this in mind, as I’ve opened up my meetings using a Tribes-based approach, where one of the first steps is to help build inclusion amongst the group. I don’t care what you think, but people need affirmation and Tribes has some excellent strategies to help build this. The result is a group more open to share ideas, willing to share responsibility, and ultimately take ownership over the initiative.
But being an innovative leader requires a different type of dexterity:
Innovative leaders create a culture of risk, change, and critical and creative thinking. They think for themselves, and they don’t just follow rules blindly. They shift from rules to principles. They open their schools to different ideas and don’t mind breaking established rules when they no longer make sense. They ask hard questions and expect the school community to grapple with the questions alongside them. And they really listen to what educators say. “As a leader, if you’re in a meeting, you should be talking the least of anyone else in that meeting,” Lemke said.
I really like this approach to leadership within a culture of change, as I think it speaks to the assessment of the change that is happening. Grappling with the questions speaks volumes to the idea of getting a program off the ground. I see much of the implementation because I am ‘in the trenches’; however, I don’t see all things, nor do I see the different needs and skills per grade. So being an innovative leader, letting others talk and assume responsibility is key.
I’d just like to leave with this:
The important thing to remember is that character is inborn, but leadership characteristics can be learned. Be the person who chooses to learn, who seeks to take on the characteristics of a leader. Don’t be afraid to lead with your heart. Don’t be the person who sits in their office wondering why everyone else is an incompetent loser. Take the next steps.
My next steps are going to be asking my team for feedback on my leadership itself, as well as with the program and how we are rolling it out. With the new year approaching, it is a time to reflect, assess and innovate both the program and my approach!