Spirituality of Leadership
Dear Colleagues,
What a great experience with you all!
Would love to hear your thoughts on the following:
- What makes or breaks a leader when it comes to communication?
- Why do some leaders fail in achieving respect from their colleagues?
- What is it about Catholic education that inspires you to consider being a Servan Leader?
When it comes to communication, a leader must always be clear. There is nothing worse than vague directions or muddled intentions, especially from the person you look to for guidance and clarity. A leader must also be consistent in how they communicate and ensure the means by which they communicate is best for the group receiving the message.
ReplyDeleteI believe leaders lose respect, or have difficulty earning it, when they don’t follow through. If a leader stays true to his or her word and gives every effort to see it through, colleagues will openly give respect in response. I think this is true even when a desired outcome is not achieved. A colleague will see that the leader stayed with them through think and thin, backing them up all the way.
Catholic education allows us to teach our faith while we live our faith. I will never forget the teachers from my past who set the example for what it means to naturally weave faith into our daily lives. The impression they made on me as a student directly impacts the way I live, teach, and lead. It will always my mission to be the living example of a strong Catholic leader for my students.
A leader must be precise in their communication and it must be consistent. When communication is not clear it begins to break down trust between the leader and their colleagues. If there is not enough clarity in the communication a leader is most likely not going to end up with a satisfactory result. This lack of clear communication will then breed frustration and lack of trust.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is imperative in communication is the commitment to be of your word and to do what you say you are going to do. No one respects someone who says one thing and does another. This is so important in a leadership role. Be honest and live by your word.
My Catholic education made me who I am today. I often think about the teachers who helped to shape me as a Catholic that then not knowingly shaped me as a teacher. Teaching was not my major in college or what I did after graduation. It was not until about 5 years later that I had a calling to teach. Once I recognized that this is what I wanted to do, I only wanted to teach in a Catholic school. Catholic Education and sharing my faith with my students has been such a great joy in my life. It is not easy but I recognize that I am only planting the seeds of knowledge and of faith and I hope and pray that each of my students continue to grow and develop that knowledge throughout their lives.
What makes or breaks a leader when it comes to communication?
ReplyDeleteThree things come to mind: Time, Delivery, and Understanding
When are you delivering the news? How are communicating it? Have you thought about how the others will receive the information? It is important to deliver and act when action is needed, but often times it is better to wait for the appropriate time.
Why do some leaders fail in achieving respect from their colleagues?
Leaders often fail for their lack of mutual respect. Respect is key in relationships: friendships, marriage, work places, church. With respect, even the best communication will fail.
What is it about Catholic education that inspires you to consider being a Servan Leader? As I tell parents at back to school night, we get to teach the "Whole Child." We can celebrate God openly, grant the gift of grace when we must learn from our mistakes, and grow in faith in a community that strives for excellence. Why not share this passion with an entire community than just with those in middle school?