Principles for Leading

 

Principles for Leading

During my teaching career, I had the privilege of mentoring student teachers leading them from learning about teaching to actually teaching children. After a classroom tour and explaining the curriculum and the needs of the students, we’d focus on the nitty-gritty of teaching. 

Teachers are leaders. Teaching is a big responsibility. 

I offered three guiding principles. 

1. Be worthy of respect. Model good values. Act with dignity. 

2. Plan all the way through. Be prepared for the unexpected. 

3. Maintain control. Plan for it. Never start something you can’t stop.

Teachers lead their students. No matter how exciting your lessons are, no matter how much your students love you (and they will) if a teacher forgets these three rules, the lesson of what it means to be a good student, a good citizen, and a good person will be lost. 

These rules came back to me during this election season. Leaders, like teachers, hold great responsibility. Are they worthy of respect? Do they model good values? Do they act with dignity? Leaders teach lessons. Do they plan them all the way through? Are they prepared for the unexpected? Leaders have control. Words spur people to action. Can they stop what they start? 

Responsible leaders earn the respect of their followers. Act with dignity. Think all the way through. Maintain control — of yourself and your followers. Teachers who fail in these three rules should not teach. Leaders who fail in these three rules should not lead.

Student teachers receive a grade that determines their teaching future. Our leaders must also be graded. Are they worthy of respect? Do they act responsibly? The grades we give them determine our future. 

Leading is a big responsibility. Following is a big responsibility. Think all the way through. Hold to your principles. Act with dignity.