Leadership is often about resiliency… standing up in the face of adversity, getting back up after being pushed down, planting the seeds of hope in what appears to be a field of rocks or concrete or unturned stones.
To me, resiliency is not something that can be taught, but is something that must be learned, through experience. As a new principal, I often struggled with not only the big challenges, but also the day-to-day frustrations. Being an elementary principal can be isolating and lonely. Over time I developed the leadership skills to handle the ups and downs. I also developed my own resiliency.
Was it always easy Absolutely not!
Am I a stronger leader today because of the adversity I have overcome Absolutely!
I hope that today we develop resiliency in our leaders, our teachers, and our students. The first Mathematical Practice called out in the Common Core State Standards asks us to help our students learn how to “Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.” Wouldn’t it be great if all of our students, teachers, and leaders had this skill? It is not easy, and it is not taught in one lesson. But it is valuable and necessary as we move forward in a global society where the answers won’t always be handed to us by an “expert”.
Reflective questions to consider:
- How do you develop resiliency in others?
- What challenges have you overcome?
Abecedary of Reflection