Category: Light from Many Lamps

Reading Ryan Morrow‘s brilliant post was very timely for me. I have noticed a pattern in my life: work to exhaustion, become incapacitated, recover, then repeat. I am ashamed to say that this pattern has been happening for many years (the older I get, however, the longer the recover stage takes). I believe that there is wisdom in withdrawing from the busyness of daily life, and as Ryan aptly notes, Jesus modeled this in his life on earth. However our society tends to see this as the two-week vacation we take once a year to get away from it all. I have recently come to the realization that daily quiet time with God is hugely beneficial for re-focusing, clarifying purpose, and even rest. Having made this a regular part of my routine, I will next begin to implement a true Sabbath. Too often my weekends are simply a change from being busy with work, to being busy with other activities. I am starting to appreciate the value of spending time doing very little activity once per week. Like Ryan noted, life “can quickly allow me to become buried in the details of the urgent or distracted by things which shouldn’t be important” and regular times of solitude and reflection are as necessary as air and water for us to be able to function effectively in our lives.

The story I selected for my final Light from Many Lamps assignment was about Franklin D. Roosevelt’s last speech,  a radio address he was to give in honour of Jefferson Day. In it he also  addressed the upcoming end to the second world war and his hopes for peace and a better life for all. He encouraged the people of America to conquer their fears and spend time cultivating relationships. He ended his speech with these inspiring words:

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith” (Roosevelt, 1979, p. 309).

Unfortunately President Roosevelt died before giving this address. It turned out to be his final written message to his countrymen and the world.

Northouse (2016) defines leadership as ‘a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal’ (p.6).  My greatest influence as a leader presently comes through the relationships that I create with my students, colleagues, friends and family. Although I have not been formally promoted to a leadership role, I have come to the realization that life is all about relationships. The words of President Roosevelt’s speech are very timely as the end of this course fast approaches for me. I do not know where my leadership path may take me in the future, but I continue to move forward with ‘strong and active faith’ investing in the lives of those around me while I discover more about myself and new ways that I can make a difference in this world.

 

Roosevelt, F. D. (1979). The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith. In L. E. Watson (Ed.). Light from many lamps (pp. 309-318). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

This story was about how Robert Browning convinced his wife Elizabeth to publish poems that she had written to him while they were courting. Elizabeth was understandably reluctant to make her innermost thoughts public. However, she eventually did publish them and her work—especially the poem ‘How do I love thee’ is famous today. Elizabeth didn’t feel that she had any special talent, it was her husband who recognized it and told her that her work was too important to keep hidden but should be shared with the world (p. 242). As a leader it is easy to share your ideas when you are convinced that they will work, but it is much harder to be vulnerable when you are unsure of your ability or of the merit of your ideas. Add to this an introverted personality and it becomes all the more difficult at times. When I taught alongside three educational support staff I struggled with this. These individuals had been previously trained to follow directions and keep their opinions to themselves. But I felt it was important that I create an environment where everyone’s ideas were welcomed and equally valued. So I went out of my way to solicit their ideas and perspective; utilizing our collective experience and expertise to create my programs. Having said that, however, I was reluctant to share MY thoughts when I was stuck, especially when I was required to make decisions that I didn’t have the answer for. My silence in those moments flew in the face of my hard work to create a collaborative environment. One individual who was a little bit insecure took it personally, and this grew into a conflict between us. I learned that as a leader, it is just as important to share your vulnerabilities as it is to share your great ideas. Had I done so she would not have misconstrued my silence and I would not have missed some great opportunities to learn and to grow in my role as a leader.

 

Barrett Browning, E. (1979). How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…. In L. E. Watson (Ed.). Light from many lamps (pp. 240-243). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster

When Monica wrote in her post: “It is important to keep in mind, that sometimes leaders have to make hard decisions or voice difficult things, that first seem negative, but actually in the larger perspective are positive and produce growth” it really resonated with me.  I am faced with having to have a difficult conversation with an individual at work that I have been putting off out of fear that it will negatively impact our working relationship. However, the behaviour displayed by this individual is known to everyone, including our administrators. Having this conversation may be difficult, but your post reminded me that I should think of the bigger picture. In the larger perspective, if this individual becomes more aware of their behaviour and changes, it will positively impact all those he works with. Your post also aligns with this week’s focus on conversations about professional development.

I am reminded that transformational leaders “empower followers and nurture them in change. They attempt to raise the consciousness in individuals and to get them to transcend their own self-interests for the sake of others” (Northouse, 2016, p. 175). I recognize that this begins with a positive attitude, and with making a conscious decision to look beyond what the individual is currently producing and seeing them accomplishing more your mind’s eye. It involves being first convinced within yourself that he or she can change for the better, then acting out of that faith. Thank you for inspiring me to look at my current situation from another perspective.

 

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Sam Walter Foss was an editor, humorist and poet (Foss, 1979) who was inspired to write a poem after encountering a kind old man who shared openly with anyone who passed by his house by the side of the road. As I read the first stanza of his poem below,

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn

In the place of their self-content;

There are souls like stars, that dwell apart,

In a fellowless firmament;

There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths

Where highways never ran-

But let me live by the side of the road

And be a friend to man. (Foss, 1979, p. 209)

I reflected upon the fact that servant leaders choose to become the type of leader that is like a ‘friend to man’ (Foss, 1979). Some people become influential leaders because they are visionaries. Like the stars and the pioneer souls in Foss’ poem, they live way ‘out there’ creating new paradigms and blazing trails for the rest. But in my opinion, the most influential leaders of all are those who simply walk alongside individuals to guide and encourage. They are parents, grandparents, teachers, counselors, mentors and friends. They often do not ever attain the notoriety that the trailblazers do. But they win the right to lead and influence because of the power of relationship. John Maxwell calls this the second level of leadership, where people follow because they choose to (Maxwell, 2016). “When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. And that can change the entire working environment.” (Magda, n.d.). To me, this describes what a servant leader does. He or she wins the right to influence someone through service to that individual. When you add the notion of investing in others’ development in order to empower them, this type of leadership is now transformational servant leadership and it becomes even more powerful. Maxwell calls this the highest level of leadership. How ironic that the path to highly influential leadership doesn’t begin by demonstrating your talents and abilities, but by putting others before yourself. According to Maxwell, leaders at this level “create opportunities other leaders don’t. They create a legacy in what they do. People follow them because of who they are and what they represent. In other words, their leadership gains a positive reputation. As a result, Level 5 leaders often transcend their position, their organization, and sometimes their industry”. I am continuously drawn to this type of leadership because it is not about me; it is always about the other person. Watching someone grow and develop is such a rewarding experience. 

 

Foss, S. W. (1979). Let me live by the side of the road and be a friend to man. In L. E.Watson (Ed.). Light from many lamps (pp. 208-212). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Maxwell, J. C. (2016, August 30). The Five Levels of Leadership. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.johnmaxwell.com/blog/5-levels-of-leadership

Magda, K. (n.d.). The five levels of leadership by John Maxwell. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://psychologyformarketers.com/5-levels-leadership-john-maxwell/

“my identity as a person shouldn’t be defined by a single goal”. I think that was well said in your Light from Many Lamps II post. When I was younger, my identify was tied to many goals that I had set for myself. Unfortunately many of my goals were not realized and I underwent a crisis in identify. I slowly came to the realization that my identity is defined by more than the achievement of goals, but it is a lesson I continue to learn.

Upon reflection, it occurs to me that this understanding is also crucial for a leaders to know because every leader experiences failure at some point. How this impacts my self-identity as a leader will be determined by how I process each failure and the learnings I take from them. In my observation of leaders that I interact with, those who acknowledge their failure openly and honestly win the respect of others far more than those who hide them.  Learning from your mistakes is a difficult thing to do when it is done in the public eye. The motto “this too shall pass away” may well be a personal motto that I repeat to myself during those difficult times. Thank you for your thought-provoking post.

The story I selected, written by A.J. Cronin (1979), details how he came to realize his dream of writing his first book. At first, the novelty and excitement of writing was extremely motivating for him. As he continued however, he became acutely aware of how much he did NOT know about the act of writing. He became discouraged, eventually throwing away his manuscript.  In the end he came to realize that the choice to retreat to his comfort zone or persist doing something new and difficult was a universal struggle. He decided to persevere with writing and low and behold, the manuscript that he threw away ended up altering his life dramatically. It became a book that was “dramatized, serialized, translated into 19 languages and bought by Hollywood” (p. 149). The obvious message of this story is that the greatest victory we can achieve is victory over ourselves when we demonstrate persistence through challenges.

Many people underestimate the powerful impact that their thinking has over their lives. “Whatever you are doing, whatever you feel, whatever you want–all are determined by the quality of your thinking” (The Foundation for Critical Thinking, n.d.).  As a future transformational servant leader, the most important task before me is the task of taking control over the thoughts of my mind.  As Elder and Paul point out, serious thinking about one’s thinking is rare, and taking control of one’s thinking is not easy work. Gaining victory over my thoughts means “being willing to objectively accept information that refutes what I already think, being willing to suspend my beliefs to fully hear what others are saying” (Elder & Paul, n.d.), being willing to question my motivations, and being willing to challenge my biases. Just as Cronin’s persistence as an author became life changing for him, I am convinced that my pursuit of  the art of critical thinking will be no less of a life-changing experience for myself and those upon whom I will have a future impact.

Cronin, A.J. (1979). The virtue of all achievement is victory over oneself. Those who know this victory can never know defeat. In Watson, L. E. (Ed), Light from many lamps (pp. 147-152). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Elder, L., Paul, R. (n.d.). Becoming a critic of your thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/becoming-a-critic-of-your-thinking/478