“You think you’re too small to make a difference?” I keep rereading this line over and over again from a short passage titled, “Advice From a Raindrop” by Kim Stafford. Dan Reichard shared this brilliance in a Legacy of Learning:Teaching For Lasting Impact by Meghan Lawson Voxer book study group I am facilitating. It reminds me of the small moves we can make within our own organizations and the greater educational community that have a significant impact on the educators you are still becoming.

Throughout your career, have you encountered individuals who recognized the leader living inside you? Perhaps they were meant to guide you and offer the wings and courage needed for flight. In my upcoming book, I delve into those who did just that for me. However, it’s essential to acknowledge there may have been others who didn’t see those same qualities, causing you to momentarily stall in your pursuit of growth. Have you realized that pushing through discomfort and disappointment fuels personal growth, making you better today than yesterday? This empowers you to pay it forward, sharing your learning and goodness with others.

In my current school district, there’s an abundance of talent. Stepping into classrooms daily, I yearn to extend the impactful teaching and learning I witness to broader spaces. Recently, I invited several teachers to lead professional learning sessions. Witnessing their shine as they shared their learning was inspiring. Initially hesitant, one teacher asked, “Do you really think what I do will resonate with others?” This took me back to when George Couros encouraged me to write and blog. “George, what will I have to share that no one has seen before?” “You write to reflect on your learning,” he advised. Suddenly, I was giving advice, sharing, “I learn from you every time I step into your classroom or converse with you. Your gifts need to be shared with others.”

On this particular day, I wasn’t the presenter. Cheering on, supporting, and learning from others felt refreshing—being on the other side of learning.

In Adam Grant’s ‘Hidden Potential,’ he shares, “You can’t tell where people will land from where they begin. With the right opportunity and motivation to learn, anyone can build the skills to achieve greater things.”

There is immense talent among us, waiting for a few guiding souls to nurture and reveal those gifts. Small moves wield enormous impacts—showing vulnerability and embracing imperfections creates spaces for profound collective learning. Despite artificial intelligence, it can never replace human intelligence and our ability to truly see others. And yes, like raindrops, even the smallest actions can ripple into something profoundly impactful. So, do you still think you are too small to make a difference? Let’s take the advice from the raindrop. We know you can.

Actionable Ideas to Implement Tomorrow 1. Recognize and Empower Potential: Take a moment tomorrow to identify one colleague or student who exhibits leadership qualities or untapped potential. Offer them encouragement, whether it’s through a simple acknowledgment of their strengths or a conversation discussing their aspirations. This act of recognition and encouragement could set off a chain reaction of empowerment. 2. Create a Sharing Platform:  Start a small initiative within your school or district where teachers can share their experiences, insights, or impactful teaching methods. This could be a blog, a shared drive for resources, or even regular informal meetings where teachers share their successes and lessons learned. Encourage participation by highlighting that everyone has valuable experiences to share, fostering a culture of learning from each other. 3. Offer Supportive Feedback: Tomorrow, intentionally provide meaningful and specific feedback to a colleague or student. Highlight their strengths or a particular effort they’ve made. This feedback could be as simple as an encouraging email, a note of appreciation, or a conversation where you express gratitude for their work and acknowledge the impact they have.