Fostering support for today’s learners requires what Bolman and Deal’s (2001) refers to the giving of authorship, significance, love and power. Maria taught Steve Camden how to expand his repertoire of heart songs. In Leading with Soul: an Uncommon Journey of the Spirit, Maria leads Steven on a journey of the spirit. She assists him in finding out who he really is thereby uncovering an inner truth that allowed him to relate to those in his personal and professional lives with honesty and transparency. This transparency led to personal as well as social trust among Steven’s stakeholders. Steven Covey speaks to this issue in The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything (2006).
If we are going to succeed as leaders, knowing whom we are is essential. Although there is a multiplicity of ways for us to be in touch, connecting is the most important aspect of communication. Being willing to open ourselves to questioning by those whom we lead will foster openness, respect, competence, integrity and altruism. Steven Covey refers to these qualities as credibility, consistency, alignment, reputation and contribution.
It is a cliché but true, people do not care about how much you know, until they know how much you care. In Leading with Soul, Steven Camden learned how to care in a language that his stakeholders understood. He then practiced that language until he became fluent. Reaching a level of fluency, he was willing to disseminate what was beneficial for him to others.
Check out the website and find out what your trust quotient is. Have fun!!!!
http://www.coveylink.com/ or http://www.whotrustsyou.com/
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I totally agree that people don't care about what you know until they know you truly care from your heart. I have worked with a couple of administrators that are highly intelligent and know a lot about managing a school but very little about working with people. I may not be able to recite policy from memory or be an expert when it comes to curriculum and instruction, but I do know a lot about people. Your staff is willing to work hard for you as long as they know you truly care about them, and the only way you can get people to know you care is through your actions. I have also worked with administrators that adopt the philosophy, Fake it til you make it. They seem to care but after a while people see through the facade. I do a number of nonadministrative tasks throughout the day just to help out a staff members so they can see that I care about them. Happy staff equates to happy students and higher student achievement.
ReplyDeleteSo true. Teachers need love and support too.......
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