Stop Leading to Survive – Start Leading with Purpose

25 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Anchored, Character, Circumstances, Clarity, Classroom Leadership, Compassion, Conviction, Education, Educational Leadership, Emotion, Emotional Temperature, Empathy, Empower, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership, Mixed Signals, Purpose, Teachers, Transformational, Trust

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Have you noticed lately how society wants to make leadership complex and move at a speed that is too fast? All you have to do is just look around. Also, you may notice that many leaders are not leading from a deep sense of purpose; they’re leading from a place of longing. Longing for meaning, for validation, and for results, often defaulting to a “whatever works” philosophy. However, when they start chasing effectiveness without direction, they sacrifice the very essence of leadership – clarity, conviction, and character.

Leadership is meant to be anchored in purpose – with a strong, stable, and consistent foundation. Without it, even the most charismatic or skilled leaders drift, and depending on the strength and speed of the current, they can be taken anywhere. When purpose is missing, decisions become reactive rather than proactive, and strategies become short-sighted rather than transformative. A leader may gain temporary success, but the tell-tale signs of losing something far more valuable will be seen, which are trust, direction, and emotional resilience.

The tragedy is that the longing for meaning, validation, and results, when left unmet, often leads to purposeless leadership. It becomes a cycle; the more leaders seek to find purpose in external wins, the more disconnected they become from internal values. Without emotional alignment, leadership becomes mechanical and goes through the motions. The spark is gone, passion is replaced by pressure, and vision gives way to vagueness.

True leadership flows from inner conviction, not circumstantial or situational convenience. It requires doing the hard work of defining your “why” before driving the “what.” Purpose brings focus and fuels positive emotions of hope, empathy, and courage, all of which are essential for inspiration and creating a lasting impact.

Time-trusted leadership does not settle for what merely works – that’s survival. Instead, it pursues what matters – that’s significance. The world doesn’t need more successful leaders. It needs and requires more purposeful ones! Those who lead with clarity, conviction, and character.

It doesn’t matter where or at what level your leadership takes place, when leaders are clear about their purpose, they can offer others a reason to follow. At the heart of all great leadership is not just action but meaning, purposeful meaning.

As you step into your role today, remember that you are not just an educator and leader but a shaper of the future. Your actions and decisions profoundly impact the lives of those you guide. Go, be the great educator and leader that our future needs.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

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Gratitude in Leadership – A Perspective on Leading with Thankfulness in Education

15 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Anchored, Appreciation, Christian Worldview, Circumstances, Culture, Education, Educational Leadership, Empower, God, Grace, Gratitude, Leader, Leadership, Respect, Teachers, Thankful, Thanksgiving, Transformational

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In educational leadership, the power of gratitude can be profound, often transformative. We can see how this works repeatedly when teachers pour themselves into students and even when administrators pour themselves into teachers. We can all give testimony that there are times when “things” do not go our way, and it hurts, often even infuriating us. However, from a Christian leadership perspective, gratitude is more than just a mindset; it is rooted in humility and grace. When leaders acknowledge blessings in their work, they are able to approach each day with renewed purpose, compassion, and resilience. Remember, it’s a mindset!

For those in leadership, particularly in education, it’s easy to focus on challenges: limited resources, the weight of decision-making, large classroom sizes, salary inadequacies, discipline issues, managing competing needs, and juggling time for family. I am sure you can add to the list… However, a heart of gratitude can reframe these challenges as opportunities for growth. Anchoring in thankfulness can inspire by showing that gratitude isn’t dependent on circumstances, as detrimental as they might seem, it’s a reflection of a deep-seated trust in God’s provision. And what a provision we have that we, as educational leaders, are entrusted to teach the future of society.

Thankful leaders also create a ripple effect throughout the school environment by keeping the culture thriving and promising. When leaders intentionally express appreciation for teachers, staff, and students, they reinforce the value of each person’s contributions. This simple act of actual, personable recognition empowers, fosters teamwork, and strengthens relationships. But please understand that recognition needs to be more than an automatically generated email telling how much you value and appreciate their efforts (we can get ChatGPT to do that…). People naturally want edification, and such encouragement goes a long way in a school setting when done with a personal touch. A culture of gratitude doesn’t just boost spirits; it creates a shared sense of purpose. When we give people a reason to belong, they will want to belong.

At its core, leading with thankfulness embodies the humility and love at the heart of Christianity. During this Thanksgiving season, it’s easy to either feel grateful or overlook gratitude; it all comes down to perspective. Thanksgiving offers an opportunity to inspire gratitude in others and to foster an environment where faith and respect guide our actions.

When educational leaders and all people, for that matter, root themselves in gratitude, they create a positive, supportive atmosphere where both teachers and students can thrive. In this way, gratitude becomes more than just a virtue; it becomes a powerful force for transformation.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

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Do You Have “Drop Anchor” Leadership?

01 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Anchored, Decisions, Effective, Expectations, Leader, Leadership

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For the boater’s out there… Why do you ever drop anchor? I suppose you can come up with many reasons…

I do not own a boat but have been in a few over time. The times I have been on a boat, and heard the classic “anchors away” or “drop anchor,” I knew something was about to happen. A few thoughts I have never wondered were: is the anchor large enough to take hold, or is the chain or rope long enough to reach the bottom. If either one of these two is not what they are supposed to be, then dropping an anchor does not carry the value of its words.

Ship-anchor-featured-image

Now the only two reasons why I can think an anchor would need to be dropped is either to keep the boat in one place because you want to stop, or a storm is coming and you need to hold fast. Regardless of which reason, dropping an anchor has its effects on many around. Let’s look at a few implications (assuming the above premise is correct)…

Leaders whose leadership is anchored…

Creates a safe environment for others

When an anchor is dropped, everyone goes on about their business. Nothing is amiss and everyone feels safe. People need to know that they can be themselves. Confident in performing their work and the freedom to know they can speak their mind. Their perspectives and point of view have value. Now that does not always mean that it will be accepted, but at least they are acknowledged.

Make decisions

To “drop anchor” you must decide. Anchored leaders make decisions. I can see it now, “Do you think we should drop here?” If this question keeps being asked, before you know it, you will be way off course. I am not promoting that there should not be some due diligence, but once there is, make a decision.

Know the lay of the land

A great leader does not “drop anchor” anywhere. They know their anchor weight and chain length. Their expectations are precisely what they need to be to succeed. Better yet, they communicate their expectations. Leaders are the ones who say, “Drop anchor.” To communicate effectively, a leader must know what is going on and where they are.

Anchored leadership is about sustaining success safely for all involved. Too many times we find leaders whose anchor is large enough but not enough chain or not large enough and too much chain. Either way, their “anchored leadership” never becomes “grounded,” and their leadership either drifts or is tossed.

Let your leadership be anchored. Everyone around will be better for it.

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