by Nicole McDermott, Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator
Most of us think of the Head of School or members of the Board as school leaders. We might consider staff with certain administrative titles to be school leaders. How many would consider all of the teachers, too? Brené Brown says a leader is “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential.”
This definition resonates with me when I think about school environments and the dedicated people who make them come alive for students. Finding potential in people? Yes! Courage to develop it? Yes! Taking responsibility? Yes!
When we think about leadership through this lens, we see that we are ALL leaders devoted to guiding and inspiring our children and families. With this in mind, it can change the way we carry ourselves and it can empower us to continue making a difference.
Daring leadership is the next level – and, again, so aligned with what happens in a school every day. Showing up with courage, leaning into curiosity, and opening ourselves up to vulnerability. This IS what we do as educators – daring leadership helps us do it consciously and with increased self-awareness to be as brave and effective as we can be each day for the children we serve and teach. It also models the same skills for our students. Brené Brown says, “Who we are is how we lead.” Yes!!
Daring leadership thrives when we cultivate a school culture focused on brave work, curiosity, empathy, hard conversations, and wholeheartedness. It thrives when everyone is a leader, and all of those leaders can show up, truly, and be seen and belong.
Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead curriculum is supported by years of research and qualitative data. It’s aligned with other research too such as Kenneth Leithwood, Alma Harris, and David Hopkins in their 2019 journal article, “Seven Strong Claims about Successful School Leadership Revisited,” where they conclude that “school leadership can have an especially positive influence on school and student outcomes when it is distributed.” (School Leadership & Management, Vol. 28, 2008)
If you are reading this, you’re most likely an educator and you most likely find the potential in people every single day. Thank you, Leader!
Would you like to learn more? Join Nicole for a virtual workshop series in May!
