Years ago, I was blessed to be in a position to hold seminars with groups of educators designed to discuss and build leadership skills both informally and formally, internally – for the individual and externally for the school. As we discussed leadership skills and qualities, we would talk about new tools being put in our toolboxes as leaders. This year in Teach & Serve, I have decided to talk about many of those tools.
RELATIONSHIP
I work in a Lasallian, Catholic school. When I am asked what makes our school different from other Catholic schools or other schools in general, the first word that comes to my mind is “relationship.” The connections that our teachers make to our students and that, we hope, our students make to each other defines who we are. We believe that our work in fostering relationship is as important as the curriculum we teach. Strike that. We believe that our work in fostering relationship is the curriculum we teach.
Building appropriate relationships is no small matter for an effective leader. It is a tool that serves a leader quite well. Knowing those you serve and letting them know you is very important to our work as educational leaders. Being able to form solid relationships speaks to openness and authenticity and approachability. Those who do not wish to be in relationship have a harder time being in leadership.
I have often considered and discussed whether those with a preference for introversion are as naturally suited to leadership as those with a preference for extraversion. This question really comes to a head here when we think that relationships are so important to leadership. Those with a preference for extraversion generally develop relationships more quickly than those with a preference for introversion. But those with a preference for introversion tend to develop more solid relationships over time. For either preference, relationships are important and those with either preference can be strong leaders.
Those who do not desire relationships cannot.