I have learned so much in this course and it seemed each week there was something new to be impacted by. There were always different nuances of leadership that I was discovering, just like the various side of a diamond. I have held a couple of different leadership roles during this time; it has been very valuable to see and experience leadership in different contexts. However, if I were to summarize two learnings that have impacted my practice directly, I would say it was critical thinking and adaptive leadership.
Critical thinking is something we need to do everyday as leaders. Though I am aware of it and practice it, the experience of researching it in depth was very valuable as it gave me specific criteria against which to evaluate myself and areas to grow towards. I learned that one can intentionally practice critical thinking in order to solve problems more effectively. It is a process of active meditation, and it is ok to spend a portion of your day to just sit and think. Sometimes leadership get so busy that we make decisions so quickly we don’t value the time to pause and reflect. For me, this even means drawing out my thinking on a white board, writing notes, charts, maps. Instead of feeling like this is wasted time, it has actually been quite valuable because at the end of it, there is greater perspective and some possible answers. I have also learned to make decisions based on fact, not just on preconceived judgements or assumptions. Fact gathering takes time, and sometimes through a collaborative process with others. It also means gathering information about people indirectly. It means being attuned to their attitudes, preconceptions, and affinities. This takes practice and more time. Again, that’s ok to not make a decision right away and take time to ensure all facts are gathered. Overall, the learning on critical thinking really made me consider my own psychological processes in decision making and dealing with people. I have built into my routine time for the practice of thinking.
A second significant approach that I am learning to implement is that of adaptive leadership (Northouse, 2019). I really believe in and practice the principles of transformational servant leadership. The learning in those areas just affirmed what I already believe in and how I lead. However, in preparing a response to another blog, I did some reading on adaptive leadership, and it really applies to the current leadership position I am in. I am working on a project that will completely re-design one of our learning programs in the school district. There are several pockets of staff members who do things differently than one another and there is resistance to the suggestion of change. There is great unease amongst staff members and an underlying sense of distrust. However, principles of adaptive leadership have been very practical for me in this setting, as there are very clear steps on how to lead a group through tough challenges, change their underlying values, and come together as a team to collaboratively produce solutions towards the overall vision. It starts with vision, though, and I have been working on clear communication that inspires a vision of a better future. Then, I can begin to work through the steps of creating an environment of adaptive change where they feel some sense of dis-ease, but not so much they can’t be part of the process of change. It is a delicate balance, and the process I have learned is very valuable to help stay on track and monitor how fast to go. The adaptive leadership style fits very well with transformational leadership in that the overall goal is to help people change and grow. There is no better way to build trust than gently walk with people through the really tough process of significant change which challenges their values.
Regardless of which leadership strategy we need to use in any given situation, of paramount importance is to remember that leadership is always about people. We can never go wrong caring for, loving on, and helping others grow. Our role as leaders is to be a cheerleader, support, and a place of strong and quiet shelter for those who follow us. Regardless of the types of people we encounter or the struggles they face, in the words of Sam Walter Foss, let us above all be people with quiet and strong resolve saying, “Let me live in my house by the side of the road, and be a friend to man”. (Watson, 1951, pg. 210).
References:
Northouse, P. (2019). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Watson, L.E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.