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LEADING BEYOND INTENTION
and her leadership team doubted their own decision and sound judgment; however, they knew that the brave decision to close was the right one, despite public opinion. The views of others, difficult operational situations including space, bussing, and, of course, finances, created obstacles. As Karen found out, leadership isn’t a road to popularity, but bravely putting students first is always the right decision. Reflection Keep it real. Consider a time when you knew that you allowed an obstacle to get in the way of courageous leadership. What could you have done differently?
As former First Lady Rosalynn Carter once said, “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be” (BrainyQuote, n.d.). Be brave enough to survey staff and ask them what they need from you as a leader. Be vulnerable and listen to their feedback and adjust accordingly. If you interview staff, you must be willing to do something with the information you receive, or it is not worth asking for it. You will be modeling what it looks like to be vulnerable and brave. This is how you create a courageous culture; leading from within means that you will gather the courage to make many decisions—decisions that may not always be popular. In this chapter, we ask you to consider what holds you back. We explored some reasons, including being held back by anxiety and fear that people will not like you. Leaders often stumble when they don’t take the time to consider their options before jumping into decisions. The bottom line is brave leaders confront what they need to confront. They have straightforward conversations they need to have. They balance willpower and patience to take on the issues, take risks, engage vulnerabilities, and remain steadfast in addressing behavior not aligned with the school or district value system. We ask you to consider what you stand for. Are you consistent? Do you always stand your ground regarding what you believe? Courageously espouse your beliefs and live them wholly. Run through all decisions to ensure alignment with values. Do not waver. Use the reflective tool at the end of this chapter (see page 34) to consider your next brave steps. In chapter 2 (page 37), we explore the fine art of
©️2022 by Solution Tree Press
Wrap-Up
