Category Archives: Decisions

It’s a Wonderful Life – Leadership Found in Good ole George Bailey…

06 Friday Dec 2024

Posted by in A Christmas Story, Actions, Charlie Brown, Christmas, Christmas Vacation, Circumstances, Clarity, Compassion, Crisis, Deciding, Decisions, Heart, Inspiration, It's a Wonderful Life, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership, Legacy, Purpose, Relationships, Respect, Sacrifice, Servant, Transactional, Transformational

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Well, it’s that time of year again… when we watch the same movies we have seen dozens of times over and over. I have my favorites (Charlie Brown, Christmas Vacation, and The Christmas Story) some that are so-so ok, and then there are those that are no way.

For me, It’s a Wonderful Life falls into a different category. I really like it, but do not watch it often (really cannot tell you why or why not). I do realize that many think it is a holiday classic, and that’s ok; I’m not opposed to turning the channel if it is on. However, I do realize and appreciate that there is a profound amount of leadership, sacrifice, and what can truly define success in the movie.

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Good ole George Bailey… he’s the one many will say, “Go live your life, forget the people.” While others recognize the fact that he spends his life setting aside his dreams of travel, adventure, and ambition to serve the small town of Bedford Falls.

You can be worn out watching George by the movie’s end; even George feels worn out. He sees himself as a failure, convinced he’s achieved nothing he desired, talking to anyone who will listen while at the same time talking to himself. Yet, for the pure of heart, at the end of the movie, we are given a glimpse of the truth… George has everything that truly matters.

This glimpse holds valuable lessons for all, especially those in leadership…

Impact Over Accomplishment

George is a big-time dreamer, wanting to build skyscrapers and see the world. All of this is over shadowed by the transformative impact he has on the lives of others. The older I get, the more I realize that leadership is not measured by trophies, plaques, certificates, or accolades but by how others thrive because of your influence in their lives. Every sacrifice George makes keeps Bedford Falls alive. He ensures families they have homes and hope. I realize here that the true leadership shown by George builds communities, not personal legacies.

The Power of Relationships

There is a scene in the movie where George is at his lowest point. However, he learns his worth is from the outpouring of love and support from those he served; yes, we see servant leadership at its finest. We see in George’s character that leadership is relational, not transactional. Through George’s trust, loyalty, and goodwill, he cultivated his greatest wealth. This is what is needed in times of crisis, the value of relationships.

Redefining Success

Success of achievements vs meaning… This is a hard one, and you are the only one who can answer. We can read books, listen to podcasts, and ask for advice, but in the end… only you can answer what you want out of the decisions you make. If you have seen the movie, you know how it ends. George Bailey did not build skyscrapers, but he built up the lives of others. His success was not in what he gained (he only had $2 left in the cash register) but in what he gave, which was himself. If you understand this, you know that fulfillment can be found when you prioritize purpose over prestige.

Good ole George Bailey… he wanted to chase personal dreams, but not at the expense of others. His greatest triumph could be ours… realizing that a life poured out for others is a wonderful life. This Christmas season, let’s give it a try.

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…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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Leading with Intensity or Intentionality… Which One?

25 Friday Oct 2024

Posted by in Accountability, Actions, Align, Christian Worldview, Clarity, Culture, Decisions, Educational Leadership, Empower, Hope, Intensity, Intentional, Intentions, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership, Learning, Mixed Signals, Opportunity, Relationships, Servant, Sincerity, Trust, Understanding, Unity, Useful, Value, Vision, Wisdom

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We see it almost every game in the world of sports… One word, intensity. On the other hand, we see the opposite, a stoicism of intentionality. As a former basketball coach, I get it… the need to motivate, fuss, correct, celebrate, etc. However, I became a better coach when I tapered off those moments of intensity. One of my coaching mentors, Stan Jones, told me once, “If you fuss and holler all the time, when you actually need to, the players will not know the difference.” I would give that same advice to young coaches now. I would also give it to all those at any leadership level.

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In leadership, the allure of leading with intensity is often strong. We live in a fast-paced world where results are expected quickly, and leaders usually feel pressured to drive people hard, pushing toward ambitious goals and maintaining relentless focus on outcomes. However, while it can achieve short-term gains, leading with intensity often leads to burnout, poor decision-making, and a gradual erosion of a positive culture over time. Every leader should be aware of these negative characteristics.

Leading with intentionality offers a more sustainable and effective approach. Think of it as a natural resource. When leaders are intentional, they focus on achieving goals and how those goals are pursued. Intentional leaders lead with clarity of purpose, ensuring that every decision aligns with the broader mission and values that determine who they are and who the organization is. Rather than pushing with an intensity of negativity and possible belittlement, intentional leaders take a step back to ensure engagement, support, and empowering others to become the standard. Intentional leadership prioritizes the why behind our actions rather than just the how or what, inspiring a sense of purpose and motivation. This fosters a culture of trust and collaboration, seeking results and holistic growth, encouraging personal development, and an opportunity for people to flourish.

While intensity might fuel a leader in moments of crisis or during short bursts of effort, I do not believe it should be a defining style. Leaders who consistently lead with intensity often need to catch up on the nuances that lead to lasting success. Intentionality, however, brings balance, purpose, and foresight, ensuring that both the leader and their team can sustain high performance over time. It would almost allow others to believe you are clairvoyant… 🙂 

From a Christian Worldview perspective, leading intentionally means listening, adapting, and seeking God’s wisdom in decision-making. This doesn’t necessarily mean waiting for divine intervention but rather using the principles and values found in the Bible to guide your leadership. Leadership rooted in intentionality reflects the servant-leader model of Christ, one that brings glory to God and leaves a lasting impact on the hearts of those we serve.

In the end, it’s not about how loudly or forcefully you lead; it’s about how wisely you guide others toward a shared vision. I have seen and been around many leaders of both styles and there is a drastic difference.  

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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(T)Issues of Leadership… It’s just one letter away! 

27 Friday Sep 2024

Posted by in Choice, Circumstances, Conflict, Consistency, Crisis, Culture, Deciding, Decisions, Disaster, Distractions, Education, Educational Leadership, Emotion, Emotional Temperature, Importance, Influence, Insecurity, Inspiration, Integrity, Intentional, Intentions, Issues, Knowledge, Leader, Leadership, Reality, Transparent, Trust, Understanding, Unity, Useful, Value

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I love analogies. I believe they are a better part of describing situations and are key in leadership thinking and reflection. So, today’s topic…

Let’s start with a simple yet profound observation: the word “issues” is just one letter away from “tissues.” This clever play on words serves as a powerful analogy for how personal issues can influence leadership.

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This simple play on words is a powerful reminder of how personal struggles can influence leadership. No leader has it all together, and those who think they do need to quit believing it; others know the truth. By default, I would venture into saying that many leaders carry some form of unresolved issues, good or bad. These issues might be deep-seeded from past experiences and might even be people in your unwanted circle. Still, when leaders carry unresolved issues, they burden themselves first and then affect the emotional and operational well-being of everyone around them. It’s like having the box of tissues ready handy for emotional spills (these can be good or bad also) – except, in this case, it’s needing those tissues to clean up the mess caused by unchecked issues that a leader has caused.

Leaders with unresolved issues often project their insecurities or frustrations onto others. What’s worse is that they make it seem as if you are the one at fault. I hate it when this happens. It’s like knowing a tornado is coming, and you need to run, take cover, at a right angle from that path. Whether it’s stress, poor communication, or unchecked ego (hello!), these personal challenges create a ripple effect. Everyone around becomes confused (for sure), demoralized (yes, it can happen), or even disengaged (probably so) because of the leader’s inconsistency or emotional volatility.

When leaders bring their personal issues into the working environment, they can inadvertently stifle innovation, breed negativity, and weaken the overall culture. This is where it gets serious…

But the sun is always shining behind the clouds… great leadership is about recognizing those issues and addressing them head-on. No leader is perfect, but the best ones are self-aware. They understand that their personal issues can affect their ability to make clear decisions, offer effective guidance, and create a positive culture.

Instead of burdening the team with their issues, emotionally intelligent leaders create an environment where challenges are tackled together—turning potential “tissue moments” into opportunities for growth and connection. Leadership is not about being flawless but about continually striving for improvement and ensuring personal issues don’t bleed into professional spaces. Sometimes, it is worth hearing to get out of your own way… and let’s leave the tissues for blowing our nose instead…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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One size fits all? Not in education, especially when force-feeding a student how they should learn…

20 Friday Sep 2024

Posted by in Adaptability, Classroom Leadership, confidence, Consistency, Decisions, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Empower, Encouragement, Intentional, Leader, Leadership, Learning, Students, Teachers, Understanding

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Have you ever seen the clothing tag, one size fits all? Well, there are some “all” that it doesn’t fit. I see it a lot in caps with the adjustable back strap. Do they know the size of people’s heads when they sew that tag? Since they are more than likely being mass-produced, I would say no.

Segue to education with me now…

Do we educate with a one-size-fits-all approach? I would argue that we do. But is this truly effective? Your exceptional teachers know how to tailor their teaching to each student, while many others simply follow a standard curriculum which offers a cookie-cutter approach. This approach, however, fails to account for each student’s unique learning styles and needs.

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Every student has their own unique way of absorbing, processing, reflecting, and applying information. Effective educational leadership acknowledges and embraces these differences. My good friend, Dr. Nason Lollar, and I have some really good educational conversations (and we have most of the answers…). Anyway, the other day, we were discussing how “best practices” exist for educators, so I asked rhetorically, “Why don’t we actually use them?” His response, “Exactly!” And the answer we came up with was… The key is creating an environment where students can learn the way they do best, increasing their confidence and potential.

So, I have three thoughts.

Let’s embrace learning styles…

If students have diverse learning styles, why do we not embrace those? Some are visual learners, others auditory, kinesthetic, or a mixed bag of different styles. As educational leaders, we must ensure that the curriculum and the way we teach are flexible enough to cater to these differences and provide a variety of teaching methods that speak to each student’s strengths. I can remember teachers telling me, “You must have this kind of notebook, you must write in a pen, you must have…, etc.” If the end goal is to have students learn and apply that learning, then let’s let them learn the best way they know how.

Why is personalized learning important?

Personalized learning is more than just an educational buzzword. I believe it is more of a philosophy that encourages educators to recognize and respect each student’s individuality. I can hear some teacher out there saying, “That would be so many different lesson plans.” No, it doesn’t have to be that way. The teacher teaches by offering multiple avenues to understanding the material. Some students prefer working independently, while others do their best in collaborative group settings. And by the way, what the world calls collaboration, education calls cheating. Allowing students to choose how they learn and express their knowledge can lead to better engagement and deeper understanding.

Encourages autonomy and responsibility…

When students are allowed to learn in ways that suit them best, they grasp the material more effectively, develop an innate connection to the material, and hopefully take more responsibility for their education. This promotes lifelong learning and self-awareness—skills that go far beyond the classroom, and we really cannot start this concept too early.

By doing so, we empower students to take charge of their learning journey and succeed on their own terms. In education, a one-size-fits-all approach to learning simply doesn’t work. No one enjoys being force-fed.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2024 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.

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