Leadership Lens: What Do You See?

For a dozen years, I drove a red Jeep. I was amazed at how many people drove Jeeps. We all waved at each other and enjoyed the thrill of a rugged vehicle. 

Then, I got a new ride: a gray Toyota Camry. The weirdest thing happened. All of a sudden, it was like everyone drove a Camry. One day I commented to my friend that I simply didn't realize how many gray sedans were on the road. She giggled and said, "Well, that's because you see them now." 

Has that ever happened to you? You buy something new and then begin to see it everywhere? 

The same is true in our service to school systems. If we are looking for negative things, we are bound to find them. No organization is perfect. If we are looking for positive things, we are bound to find those, too. Great things happen in our schools every day. Much of the time, what we "see" the most is what we are looking for. 

From a leadership perspective, where is your focus? That focus shapes what you see, and it often shapes what those around you begin to see as well. Leaders have a powerful influence on what gets noticed, discussed, celebrated, and addressed. 

This doesn't mean ignoring problems or pretending challenges don't exist. Effective leaders see those things clearly. But they don't allow problems to become the only lens through which they view the organization. They intentionally look for progress, potential, people who are making a difference, and opportunities to build on what is already working. 

Consider what you have been noticing lately. Are you primarily seeing what's wrong, who's difficult, and what isn't working? Or are you also noticing the progress being made, the goals being reached, the good work happening across the system, and the successes worth celebrating? 

You will probably find some of what you're looking for either way. 

So, what are you looking for?

Janice Stockman
AASB Director of Leadership Development