Education leaders working toward a brighter tomorrow want to share that future and its success with the people they love. This includes family, friends, colleagues, etc. They don’t want to be the only one that makes it to the top of the mountain, they want to bring lots of people with them. They are not concerned with the possibility that people that they help might surpass them in terms of status and wealth. They see it as a badge of honor, something to be proud of.
Leaders mentor other leaders
Leaders must act with generosity by effecting positive change in the lives of the educators around them. As an education leader, you will not be judged by just test scores and student outcomes; you will also be judged by the number of educators that you help to become leaders in their own right. These leaders become your extended family, a testament to your leadership character.
Improving the lives of educators who are a part of your life, also means helping them become better individuals. Help other people grow by encouraging their potential both professionally and personally and allowing them to learn from your experiences, good and bad. Teach them that only 10% of good leadership is ability and skills, and the other 90% is comprised of leadership character. Leadership character encompasses virtues such as putting others first, taking responsibility, seeking wisdom, acting with courage, and being optimistic. If you help them to gain these often elusive human attributes, they will win in leadership and in life.
A brief anecdote
Let me share a brief anecdote on what it means to help people reach their potential. The world’s greatest and most distinguished mountain climber was being interviewed. He had the distinction of summiting more mountains than any human being who had ever lived. The interviewer asked him, “Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?” He replied, “I have helped more people make it to the top of the world’s tallest mountains than anyone in history.” You see, his greatest achievement didn’t focus himself, but on all of the people that he had helped reach their goals.
