"There are many people who think they want to be matadors, only to find themselves in the ring with two thousand pounds of bull bearing down on them, and then discover what they really wanted was to wear tight pants and hear the crowd roar." - Terry Pearce
Leadership is not an easy thing. There as many different theories regarding leadership as there are leaders and organizations, maybe more. In educational strategic plans, mission and vision statements, and character education curricula, there is significant focus on the role of schools in developing "leaders of tomorrow". Clearly defining the elements of great leadership is not easy, because there are many successful and different ways to lead. Not unlike the classic Justice Potter Stewart definition of obscenity, "...I know it when I see it..." (Jacobellis v. Ohio, 1964), great leadership is often in the eye of the beholder.
The other night my 8th grade daughter had a homework assignment to interview an adult regarding World War II. Apparently my inability to take an in-focus selfie has led her to believe that I might be old enough to have memory of life in the forties, so I became the subject of her interview. One of the questions was "Do you think Adolf Hitler was a great leader?". Now, by many definitions of leadership, one might characterize Hitler as a successful leader. He was enormously successful in gaining followers, and in crafting a horrific plan, but the objectives of his leadership were so heinous that the negative implications of his leadership far outweigh the successes of his efforts. In assisting students to develop leadership qualities, it's important that we emphasize not just processes, qualities and procedures of leadership, but philosophies and development of an individual moral compass.
Paul "Bear" Bryant once said that "Good leaders take more than their share of the blame, and less than their share of the credit." At Detroit Country Day School we place an emphasis on learning to be part of a team. Every student plays interscholastic athletics and / or participates in an extracurricular team environment such as robotics, yearbook, newspaper, theater etc. These experiences are invaluable. Collaborative work environments are not the exception in the 21st century, they are the norm. Students who leave here with experiences in sacrificing for others and working towards a greater group good have an advantage over those who don't learn those lessons at a young age. Rarely is a leader more valued than when he or she recognizes the efforts of the team in securing positive results. Giving and sharing credit to teammates is an essential core competency of leadership.
Finally, one of the most important lessons for our students is that "wearing the shiny pants" doesn't make one a leader. Leaders have to have strength of character, perseverance, and thick skin. They have to be willing to do whatever it takes for the team's success, even when that is not personally easy. One of my former mentors was fond of saying "If no one's mad at you, you probably haven't made any decisions recently." The point is that if there were no decisions to be made, there would be no need for leaders. Leaders who have developed a team first attitude, who put the success of the team ahead of their personal needs, who give credit, and who have developed a strong philosophical approach and individual moral compass will most often make the right call - even with 2000 lbs. of bull heading their way!
Of all the things we teach, putting students in positions to grow as leaders, and developing the competencies that make one successful as a member of a team, may be the most important. As for the would be matadors, it's important to remember that some days, no matter how hard we work, the bull can get the best of us. We have to learn to fail in order to lead. Learning to minimize damage, dust ourselves off, and come back for more is an essential part of developing leadership skills. Leaders have to be willing to fight for those things that are meaningful, and be willing to fail occasionally along the way. Those skills are great skills to impart to our children.
Mostly, we have to teach our future leaders that to hear the roar of the crowd, they're going to face a lot of bull...
"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." Robert Louis Stevenson
Paul "Bear" Bryant once said that "Good leaders take more than their share of the blame, and less than their share of the credit." At Detroit Country Day School we place an emphasis on learning to be part of a team. Every student plays interscholastic athletics and / or participates in an extracurricular team environment such as robotics, yearbook, newspaper, theater etc. These experiences are invaluable. Collaborative work environments are not the exception in the 21st century, they are the norm. Students who leave here with experiences in sacrificing for others and working towards a greater group good have an advantage over those who don't learn those lessons at a young age. Rarely is a leader more valued than when he or she recognizes the efforts of the team in securing positive results. Giving and sharing credit to teammates is an essential core competency of leadership.
Finally, one of the most important lessons for our students is that "wearing the shiny pants" doesn't make one a leader. Leaders have to have strength of character, perseverance, and thick skin. They have to be willing to do whatever it takes for the team's success, even when that is not personally easy. One of my former mentors was fond of saying "If no one's mad at you, you probably haven't made any decisions recently." The point is that if there were no decisions to be made, there would be no need for leaders. Leaders who have developed a team first attitude, who put the success of the team ahead of their personal needs, who give credit, and who have developed a strong philosophical approach and individual moral compass will most often make the right call - even with 2000 lbs. of bull heading their way!
Of all the things we teach, putting students in positions to grow as leaders, and developing the competencies that make one successful as a member of a team, may be the most important. As for the would be matadors, it's important to remember that some days, no matter how hard we work, the bull can get the best of us. We have to learn to fail in order to lead. Learning to minimize damage, dust ourselves off, and come back for more is an essential part of developing leadership skills. Leaders have to be willing to fight for those things that are meaningful, and be willing to fail occasionally along the way. Those skills are great skills to impart to our children.
Mostly, we have to teach our future leaders that to hear the roar of the crowd, they're going to face a lot of bull...
"Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others." Robert Louis Stevenson
