Follow the Leader

Follow the Leader

One of my favourite places to visit (besides Pinterest) to be inspired and build my professional learning network is Twitter. I joined Twitter back in September 2012.  One of my jobs in 2012  was working as an Instructional Services Teacher in the School Board Office. As part of my role, I would work one on one with teachers or conduct workshops on the use of technology and how to incorporate its use seamlessly into teaching practice and classrooms.  Twitter was where I turned to for tips and ideas!  Over the years, I have been able to connect with and follow people that I have found inspirational and who have shared the same philosophy of teaching.  If you’re on Twitter as well, I would love to connect with you! You can find me here.

One person that I follow (who I don’t know at all on a personal level and have never even spoken to online) is Danny Steele.  His Twitter link can be found here.  Danny is a Principal from Birmingham, AL.  He also has a blog entitled Steele Thoughts which can be found here.  Since joining in April 2016, he has posted 16.1K times and has amassed 35.3K followers! A social rockstar in educational world terms!

What is it about this man and his posts that has attracted so many followers?  He has a common goal with the rest of us, he truly wants to make a difference! His banner on Twitter reads “I want to do something that MEANS something”, and isn’t that what it’s all about? What makes him stand out from others who spout the same language, is that Danny Steele shares how he tries to make a difference both in his blog and Twitter posts.  He goes beyond just words and demonstrates his words through actions. He is willing to be vulnerable and has the courage to share not just his successes but also his failures and how he has learned from them.  People appreciate his willingness to put himself out there and to express what so many of us are thinking or wanting in ourselves, our community and in our leaders.  He tackles those difficult conversations and asks thought provoking questions that promote self reflection and change. He’s not afraid to share his vision and is quick to acknowledge and give credit where credit is due. He puts his students and his staff above himself and his own needs.

Danny’s values, ethics and leadership principles align with my own (and tie in nicely with Northouse, 2019) as he addresses topics such as empathy, integrity, moral stewardship, healing, awareness, building community and working towards common goals.  Some of the titles of his latest blog posts include;

• “Every Kid” – he saw a challenge on Twitter that he immediately applied to his own school and had every single student write down the name of someone within the school who cared about them. If a student wrote down “nobody”; he shared this information with the team and together they took steps to try and ensure that every child would have an adult advocate. He shared his findings online and based on questions and feedback that he received, adjusted his approach. He believes that every single student matters and that they need to know that they do. He shows awareness, that he listens to feedback and he demonstrates the ability to conceptualize and wants to promote emotional healing. 
• “Why I love Teachers” – he recognized the efforts of the teachers at his school and that they don’t often get thanked for the little things that they do that no-one else knows about. His post was about giving credit and thanks where he felt it was due and empowering others.
• “My Top 10 List for Principals” – he asked for feedback from his own staff and also on Twitter about what people would most like to see in a principal and then he created his own list so that he could better improve his own practice.  I appreciate his self-reflection and recognizing that there is always room for improvement. It is evident by his list that he wants to put the needs of students and staff first.
• “A Thanksgiving Thought” – he shared an email from one of his staff members that highlighted the need to have empathy for students and what some students face each day. He puts the needs of students and staff first by trying to connect and empathize with the struggles of others.
• “Letter to a Discouraged Student” – he demonstrates that he believes in a student’s capabilities that go far beyond a grade. He recognizes that the system when it comes to grades can be flawed and doesn’t allow for grading beyond what is on a rubric. Through his letter,  he shows that he genuinely wants his students to grow and succeed.
• “5 Ways to Raise Teacher Morale” – like a good, and authentic leader he understands the importance of building a school community, one that works towards a common goal and he knows that he carries the burden of this responsibility. He looks for ways to help his staff grow and succeed and empowers them to do what they do best. 

Like I mentioned already, I don’t personally know Danny Steele. He works in another country, within a different school system. Yet, there are so many things that make him not just an assigned leader (Principal) but an emerging one, well beyond the four walls of his school on the world stage of education.  I wouldn’t have even known of his existence, if he wasn’t willing to be vulnerable and share his stories (the good, the bad and the ugly).  It’s what makes him real and appealing to follow. It’s what makes me aspire to be more like him and to remember some of his examples when I’m faced with similar issues. He’s the sage on the Twitter stage, a guide who has walked the path before and has the insight to share areas of continued development.

If I could give Danny some advice on how to better motivate followers or use the capabilities of the medium to influence people toward a common goal, it would be; to share more of his journey and how he got to where he is today. I would love for him to start at the beginning of his story before he was well established. I would also like to know more about how he builds community on a daily basis within his school and to learn more about the types of activities that he incorporates during staff meetings or collaboration days. How does he help empower his team to further their professional development? How did he overcome negativity and go from an emerging leader to a leader with a powerful, far reaching voice that over 30 thousand people around the world listen to on a daily basis?

I have never told Danny Steele, how much I enjoy following him or what his willingness to be vulnerable has meant to me or how I try and emulate his leadership style. I think I should!