This week, I was surprised to find a few unexpected messages in my inbox, people reaching out with inquiries about my book, The Leader Inside. There are so many moments we never see coming. It still catches me off guard that others take the time to connect with me and are engaging with my writing, especially when I think back to the beginning of my journey. I never imagined I’d be able to blog about my learning every week, let alone write a book.
Have you ever had an unexpected moment that stopped you in your tracks, one where you look back at your past self and feel an overwhelming sense of pride for how far you’ve come?
As I’ve been responding to these unexpected messages, I’ve gathered some key ideas from The Leader Inside that I’d love to share with you.
3 Messages to Share From The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within:
1. There is a leader waiting to be discovered on your path.
Everyone you meet on your journey has the potential to recognize the gifts that live inside you. People are lanterns guiding you to your next destination.
Every interaction you meet along the way shapes the leader you are becoming.
Part of what makes you an exceptional educator is your ability to shine a light on the small things that often go unnoticed but have a big impact. It’s in these little moments where the magic happens.
Your personal evolution exists in the hard things too. You will meet people who challenge your thinking, help you step out of your comfort zone, and cultivate your growth. No path is linear or the same. That is why I invited four incredible educational leaders to share their stories with you too. I am grateful for the inspiring perspectives shared by Lainie Rowell, Stephanie Rothstein, Natasha Nurse, Meghan Lawson, and my 4th-grade teacher turned mentor, Linda Roth, who recognized my leadership qualities from a young age, sending a powerful message that you can help others discover the leader within from the beginning.
So, I ask…Where are you now and where do you want to be?
2. Mentorship Matters!
I wanted to highlight the importance of mentorship. One of my greatest opportunities was being entrusted to facilitate the mentor program in a previous school district. It allowed me to lay a strong foundation for educators, guide them on the path to long, fulfilling careers, and highlight the gratifying, essential role of educators in shaping the leaders of today and tomorrow.
This special experience invited me to help teachers build self-efficacy and ownership, and impart the truth: educators need one other to truly make a difference.
That is why developing a strong mentor program and cultivating strong mentor/mentee relationships offers one of the highest returns on investment in the world of education. In this book, I share actionable ideas for developing an impactful mentor program and nurturing those relationships to set educators on a meaningful trajectory.
How will you leverage your experiences to serve as a mentor for your colleagues, staff, and students, fostering their personal and professional growth in a way that leaves a lasting impact on their journey?
3. Leading and learning together is a privilege.
When you salute the person and not the title, there is greater potential to find more leaders living among us.
Great leaders instill confidence in others. People yearn to be inspired. Breathe life into their gifts and ideas and learn together. Opportunities to grow ideas and collaborate with others in your educational organization are all around you.
The energy you exude as a leader can significantly impact the people you lead. Acknowledging what you can’t accomplish on your own given the vast scope of your work, invites others to step in, support you, and make collective contributions to the mission and vision of your organization.
True growth transcends individual limitations when you leverage the collective experiences and expertise of the people around you. When you limit your work to your own perspective, you build unnecessary barriers and miss out on invaluable insights that can propel your team toward success.
Never miss an opportunity to lead and learn together. You have the potential to rekindle and ignite the spirit and joy within others, and show them the leader inside.
How will you commit to creating spheres of influence that ensure teachers and leaders are leading and learning together?
Moving Forward
There are so many moments we never see coming. I don’t know that I will ever expect to open my inbox and find messages from people engaging with The Leader Inside, but maybe that’s the beauty of this journey. The moments that stop us in our tracks, the unexpected surprises, the reminders of how far we’ve come, they’re all part of our story.
We don’t always see the impact we’re making in the moment, but every interaction, every relationship, every challenge shapes the leader we’re becoming. And just like someone once saw something in me before I saw it in myself, you have the power to do the same for others.
So, where are you now, and where do you want to be? You might be surprised by what’s waiting for you just around the corner.
Empower. Collaborate. Connect. 