Category: Leadership Story

Leadership Story

Ryan, from listening to your short story on leadership it is no surprise that you are well-liked and respected by your students. I appreciated your reflections on leadership, especially your own awareness of where you feel you would bring the most impact in terms of teaching effectiveness in different age groups.

Your story about Jon and his struggles in the classroom that you definitely care about your students, want them to succeed, and hope for them to become well-rounded people who do more than just get good grades in your class. The fact that you have conversations with you students to the point where you know their family situation and what they do in their time away from the classroom shows a real desire to impact each student individually and do more than just teach them the required material.

How you saw Jon thrive in a situation outside of the classroom was obviously quite eye-opening for you. As a leader, I know how it feels to see someone you had underestimated or written off perform in a way that you just didn’t think was possible. Because Jon was in this environment that was familiar to him, he had his moment to shine and was able to encourage his classmates to be re-engaged, be committed to the work, and persevere until it was done.

Your story makes me think of the times when, as a leader, I’ve focused on the task which needs to be accomplished and not the people I’m called to lead. We have developed so much great understanding in this course related to leadership but in this case I’m encouraged to go back to the fundamental definition of leadership itself. “Leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (Northouse, 2018, p. 5) How easy it is to be focused on the goal and not the individuals!

Jon’s story obviously had impact on you beyond that one event. It has helped to shape you to be a better leader, a better teacher, a better influence in the lives of students around you. In your role as principal, teachers and students for many years are being impacted because of your attention to Jon as an individual under your leadership, not only as a student who needed to learn the material.

Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

 

https://create.twu.ca/sjasmins/2018/11/27/my-leadership-story/

Sarah, your story was inspiring and refreshing to hear! To hear about the circumstances of your past and present, along with your decision now to open yourself to new experiences as a way to broaden your horizon is really impressive.

Your strong encouragement for leaders to get out of their own comfort zone, to serve others and to immerse themselves in new cultures is expressed so well and I wholeheartedly agree. Clearly these experiences have shaped you to be who you are today.

As I think about what we have learned in this course related specifically to transformational servant leadership, I resonate with your encouragement. I see how the experiences you are encouraging can help develop so many of the characteristics needed to live out this kind of leadership.

Thinknig about the ten characteristics of servant leadership from Spears (2002, as cited by Northouse, 2018) it is evident how many of them would be cultivated through transcultural, other-centred experiences. Listening, empathy, awareness, stewardship, and building community come to mind immediately as being affected by serving others and focusing on those whose needs are greater than my own.

When it comes to the four factors of transformational leadership, these work together to allow “followers to accomplish more than what is usually expected of them” (Northouse, 2018, p. 172). A leader who has been able to accomplish more than they thought possible in a scenario like you have described in your leadership story is one who will likely be able to help the ones they lead do the same. Regarding inspirational motivation and individualized consideration (Smith, Montagno, & Kuzmenko, 2004, as cited by Northouse, 2018), leaders who have experienced the impact and effect of intentionally serving others are more likely to be equipped in encouraging followers to do the same.

 

Reference
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and Practice, Eighth Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.