Category Archives: Embrace

The Double-Edged Sword of Transparency in Leadership

21 Friday Feb 2025

Posted by in Accountability, Actions, Authentic, Balance, Clarity, Clear, Decisions, Educational Leadership, Effective, Embrace, Honest, Leader, Leadership, Sacrifice, Transparent, Trust, Truth, Wisdom

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“You can’t handle the truth!” The famous line of Colonel Jessup in the movie A Few Good Men.

Transparency is one of the most valued traits in leadership, but it is also a paradox. We hear it thrown out all over the place – in corporate boardrooms, political speeches, and team meetings. We say leaders should be open, honest, and forthcoming. However, while most people claim they want transparency, the reality is far more complicated. When fully revealed, the truth can be uncomfortable, unsettling, and sometimes even disruptive. When trust is established, transparency thrives, making leadership stronger, relationships healthier, and organizations more effective.

At its core, transparency means sharing the full picture, hence the word of seeing it all, the victories, failures, opportunities, and obstacles. However, when the truth is inconvenient, many second-guess whether they truly wanted it. People want leaders to be open about challenges until those challenges require hard sacrifices. People want to know why decisions are made until they hear the reasoning and realize it contradicts their assumptions.

Leaders, therefore, are tasked with a delicate balancing act. If leaders are too guarded, they risk losing trust. If they are too open, they may incite panic or resistance. The solution lies in what I term responsible transparency. It’s about sharing enough truth to foster trust while also providing the wisdom and guidance needed to move forward productively. Transparency isn’t about unloading unfiltered reality onto people; sometimes, it’s simply too much to handle. Instead, it’s about leading through it with clarity and integrity.

Trust is a really big deal when it comes to transparency. Last fall, a good friend and mentor gave me a book by Stephen M. R. Covey, The Speed of Trust, and I highly recommend it. The book highlights how trust accelerates relationships, decision-making, and overall effectiveness. When leaders cultivate trust, transparency follows naturally, creating an environment where honesty is valued, not feared.

If we truly value and seek transparency, we must also be prepared to embrace the truth when it arrives. It may challenge our perceptions, force us to confront harsh realities or demand personal growth. But in the end, genuine transparency, embraced with courage, strengthens everything and everyone around, fostering healthier, more authentic leadership.

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…

©2025 J Clay Norton

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

We Need Future Teachers Who Will Run Toward Education… A David and Goliath Analogy

19 Friday Apr 2024

Posted by in Advocate, Appreciation, Courage, Decisions, Education, Educational Leadership, Embrace, Encouragement, Importance, Influence, Inspiration, Leader, Leadership, Respect, Sacrifice, Servant, Teacher Appreciation, Teachers, Value

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The other night, in my Test & Measurements class, in order to leave for the night, each student must give their “take-a-way” of the night’s discussion. It’s a fun activity, and while I just want to hear what they gleaned from the night, it also takes on a lesson within itself. Now, these are undergraduate students who are within a semester or a year away of being an actual teacher for the first time. And yes, I am trying my best to “positively corrupt” them in the way education actually is, and it is going pretty well. Anyway… A student told us that the other day, someone asked her what she was going to do, and she replied that she was going into education and being a special education teacher. The lady replied, “Has someone told you to run?” I knew then I had my blog for this week…

For what it’s worth, I immediately thought about David and Goliath… what better way to have an analogy for education? I Samuel 17:48 reads, “When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.”

Yes, like Goliath, education can be and is viewed as a giant. But how many of us, as educators, are Davids running toward the battle that education is and meet it head-on?

As a career choice, education is a beacon of both challenge and fulfillment. Yes, there are complexities and demands of teaching, and some aspiring educators might hesitate, trying to figure out whether to run toward or away from the field. However, since we live in an ever-changing world, I believe there is a compelling case for people who want to become educators to run toward education with open arms and embrace it.

The impact of educators extends far beyond the classroom walls. As I stated in a previous blog,  “A Great Teacher” is what I want to be…, a few years ago, a scene from the The Emperor’s Club says what teachers are better than I could ever state myself…

“A great teacher has little external history to record. His life goes over into other lives. These men are pillars in the intimate structure of our schools. They are more essential than its stones or beams, and they will continue to be a kindling force and a revealing power in our lives.”

Educators hold the keys to shaping minds, fostering critical thinking, and lead the leaders of tomorrow. Our future is driven by innovation and progress. Educators serve as that “spark plug,” igniting curiosity and inspiring students to reach their fullest potential. Our role as educators and our ability to influence underscores the significance of how we can help shape the future.

Becoming an educator is marked by a commitment to lifelong learning and dealing with so much college does not teach you. Teachers navigate the waters of diversity, fight the current of educational bureaucracy, and simply just have to tread water when there is a lack of support. Yet through this journey, educators continue to refine their craft and cultivate resilience, empathy, and a deep sense of purpose.

The bottom line is that the decision to pursue a career in education is not merely a professional choice but a profound commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. So, the next time you see someone wanting to make a career in education, tell them that you are glad they are running toward it. They are the ones who will shape future generations’ minds. Education needs more Davids; encourage them to run towards and slay the giant.

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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Pressure Is Opportunity

13 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by in Embrace, Empower, Encouragement, Experience, Leader, Leadership, Opportunity, Pressure

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While watching ESPN College Game Day at the Cotton Bowl for the “Red River Rivalry” between Oklahoma and Texas this past Saturday morning, Brent Venables, Oklahoma’s head coach, was interviewed. During the interview, one statement he made stood out. When asked how he and his players felt about being the underdog and not picked to win, he stated, “Pressure is opportunity.” I looked at Breana and said, “There’s my blog for next week.”

We often hear phrases such as…
They can’t handle the pressure…
They were under a lot of pressure…
Subjected to pressure…
Peer pressure…
Under pressure…

All of these have a negative connotation. Pressure is often associated with stress and discomfort. When was the last time we heard about pressure being on the positive side?

Leadership will always have pressure situations, making it a natural component. How we view those pressure situations will determine our leadership mindset. Deadlines, critical decisions, crises, etc… these situational moments allow for resilience, adaptability, and maybe even ingenuity to be seen.

Leadership has only two options when confronted with pressure. Seize the moment and showcase capability, or don’t. However, it’s always an opportunity. It takes little time for true leadership to emerge.

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Think about it this way: pressure is movement. It either pushes or pulls.
In essence, it’s force. An often heard quote, “A diamond is a hunk of coal that made good under pressure.” Even though this is untrue, the metaphor is good. As a leader, we all have what our perceived limits are. Will we make good under pressure?

As a result, pressure always forces change. We are where we are, adapting to the given environment and continuing to succeed or deteriorating under pressure. Suppose leaders adopt the mentality that pressure encourages personal growth and achievement; then, experiences create memory moments that help forge future opportunities, teaching invaluable lessons and ultimately shaping their character and competence.

You want to be a quality leader? Reframe how you look at pressure. Unlock the potential that pressure offers. Empower yourself and embrace the opportunity.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2023 J Clay Norton

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

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I’ve got change in my pocket? More change than I realize…

28 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by in Actions, Change, Decisions, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Embrace, Encouragement, Leader, Leadership, Relationships, Servant, Teachers, Value

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The summer sun is still high in the sky, pouring down heat that makes thermometers sweat. Some of us have started the new school year with a new change that brings, well… change. Yet, regardless of the start time, many things remain the same.

For students, parents, and educators alike, this period marks a fresh beginning, a chance to set new goals, and an opportunity to make the most of the academic journey ahead, developing future success now.

The start of a new school year is set in motion by what was recently achieved or not the previous year, and that goes for everyone in the school business. What a teacher, administration, or students previously did or did not do carries an effect into the new year, but each has an opportunity to wipe clean the past year, per se, and start anew.

Every new year brings change; embracing the change is up to you. Your effective leaders are going to be the ones who can. Adapting is a key concept while remaining open-minded and having perspective is a mindset that fosters a positive attitude. Something that is much needed in schools today.

Change brings an opportunity to kindle a new curiosity for what will come our way. To see more clearly, to rediscover a passion for how things should be. That is what the new school year brings. All involved in education should have a new thirst for doing and being better than before. Improving our motivation for continued success, creating an even more sense of purpose and responsibility.

Leadership is not just about individual achievements; it’s also about fostering collaboration and teamwork. The more things that can be done for the good of all by serving sends the message that a oneness exists among faculty and staff. This alone helps others embrace change more than anything else.

Change can also bring about an opportunity to exhibit empathy and support. Mistakes might happen, but I have yet to meet an educator who was in education for the right reasons mess up on purpose. If leaders want everyone to feel valued and encouraged, they need to model kindness, show gratitude, and not lead with a “me” mentality.

The new school year has started and at different times for each of us. We have the capability to change more than we realize. If we can always be for others, then change can be the helping tool others might need. That is what education should be about.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2023 J Clay Norton

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

Want to share this leadership thought with others? Click on one of the social media sharing buttons below and help spread the good…