Category Archives: Perception

Why I Write A Leadership Blog…

20 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by in Educational Leadership, Empower, Leader, Leadership, Perception

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The other day, someone asked me why I wrote a leadership blog. I had a few hundred answers, but I knew they were sincere, so I gave them a sincere answer. It was not a short answer, but one that covered the bases of what they could relate to…

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Effective leadership is crucial for success. Contrary to the popular belief that anyone can lead, leaders play a significant role in guiding and fostering a culture that empowers others. For me, this is the determining factor of the great divide between leaders and non-leaders; can they guide and foster? There are weak leaders and leadership out there, and that’s why I write a leadership blog. Hopefully, someone will read the blog and change or help them recognize the difference.

Writing a blog gives a platform to provide unique and hopefully valuable thoughts to share experiences and inspire. While most of my blog writing is geared to general leadership, many know I am passionate about educational leadership as well. Every once in a while, I’ll chase rabbits, hoping I catch one or just rant. But, deep down, I write because I care. I care about what can be better. Ideologies are fast changing with new generations, and the need for leadership truth is as valuable as it has ever been.

Essentially, I would hope that motivation and inspiration are provided for aspiring and established leaders. The adage, “the more you read, the more you know,” is still true. For me, finding that new novelty of leadership or even looking at leadership from a different perspective sparks a flame.

In the end, writing a blog is beneficial for me. It’s something I enjoy doing. It provides mental therapy and the potential to transform leadership to a level of collective empowerment, not self-serving. Perception is not reality when it comes to leadership. Leadership is reality, and it is either good or bad. It’s not how we approach or define leadership that matters. It is how it is lived for others to see and hear. That makes the difference.

So, that was my sincere answer.

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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Leadership and Warning Labels – What is your message?

21 Friday Apr 2023

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Authentic, Conflict, Consistency, Decisions, Education, Educational Leadership, Influence, Insecurity, Integrity, Kindness, Leader, Leadership, Passive-Agressive, Perception, Perceptions, Sensitive

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When is the last time you read a warning label on a product? Some are quite funny, while others seem plain dumb with the question, “Who would do that anyway?” But nonetheless, they are printed right there on the product (fine print sometimes).

Here are just a few…
A cup of coffee – Caution, content may be hot.
Hairdryer – Do no use while sleeping
Wheelbarrow – Not intended for highway use
Baby Stroller – Remove child before folding
Nyquil – May cause drowsiness

You get the idea. I often wonder who made the particular blunder for that specific warning label?

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Segue to leadership…
It is often said that perception is not reality. But can everybody be wrong? A very good friend of mine says, “Everybody can’t be wrong about the same thing.” Perception becomes a way of understanding or interpreting things. At the same time, reality is the state of things as they actually exist rather than as they may be perceived or might be imagined. That said, what if we had a warning label about us for others to see printed right there on the package, that package being us?

Here might be a few…
Warning:
Do not think on your own – I micromanage
Do not disagree with me – I am moody
Do not cause conflict – I am insecure
Do not outshine me – I am passive-aggressive
Do not have a different opinion – I am highly flammable
Please handle with care – I get my feelings hurt easily
Be a yes person – If you are not, I will find fault
I’m sure you can add to the list…

How refreshing would it be if these warning labels were reversed?
Warning:
Think on your own – I delegate
It’s ok to disagree with me – Does not mean that you are wrong
Sometimes there will be conflict – I will not run from it, and I will support you
Outshine me – The better you are, the better we are
Have a different opinion – I encourage diverse thinking
Please handle with honesty – I will not get my feelings hurt easily
Do not be a yes person – I do not want minions around me

However, I believe the leadership we lead with does carry labels. You might say, “Well, that’s not how I lead,” or “I don’t care what someone else thinks.” But at the same time, we would quickly say that’s not the reputation we want. Well, is everyone wrong, then?

What are you doing to ensure that you have positive leadership labels instead of warning labels? In the end, we are all wearing some type of leadership label. The question is, what does your leadership label say about you?

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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Passion and the Why – Is it good or bad?

15 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by in Actions, Agenda, Attitude, Authentic, Character, Choice, Deciding, Decisions, Emotion, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership, Motivation, Passion, Perception, Value

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In last week’s blog, I wrote on “Decision Making – Emotional or Factual?” One of the three areas where I believe decisions are made is with passion. A few people commented on it enough that I thought I would just use “passion” for our topic this week.

Going along with the title, is your “passion” for what you believe in good or bad? How you answer this, I know, is based on one’s perception and relativeness. However, I also know that putting perception and relativeness aside, your passion is defined by your values and even more by your core values. One of my great mentors at Mississippi College stated, “Values are what you believe in, core values are where you draw the line in the sand.”

A few friends emailed or stopped by to discuss “passion” as they see it regarding making decisions. Here are a few specific comments…

“To take positions we have to take for our clients, I must not only believe in the “rightness” of that position, but I need to have some passion for advancing that position… There are sometimes I do not believe in the “rightness” of what they wanted me to advance. The facts didn’t ‘geehaw’ with my core beliefs.”

“My experience is that some measure of passion for your positions on issues and core beliefs is necessary; otherwise, you come across as passive and lack genuineness.”

“It’s when passion is inappropriately expressed does it become detrimental. However, when you can exhibit passion properly (non-inflammatory), can passion help your cause.”

These are “spot on” with my belief as well on passion. Our passion has to be for the right thing. The “right thing” is where it gets fuzzy… I would say that the “right thing” depends on your “why”… the outcome you want (tangibles and intangibles), goals, motivation, attitude, etc… Is it for good or bad? Do you want revenge or to promote unity? Is your passion for selfish reasons, or is it being for others? Mostly, what is your agenda? I believe these are underlying thoughts as to what “fuels” our passion.

Upon a little digging… “The root of the word “passion” is found in the Latin word “passio.” From the late 1500’s “passio” began to take on the meaning of emotion and, in some cases, controlled emotion. And now we know why passion can help or hurt… it all depends on the “why” and if it is controlled.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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Is There an Intolerance of Leadership in Certain Leaders?

09 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in Actions, Culture, Decisions, Intolerance, Leader, Leadership, Perception, Relationships, Tolerance, Understanding, Value

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We are in challenging days… Everywhere we look or listen, society is____________________ (you fill in the blank).

The more I “look around,” the more I see a steady increase in what leadership should not be. Lack of leadership is running rampant all over the place. What has happened in our society that has allowed for and brought about this change? The primary reason, I believe, is we have turned away from servant-leadership and are now chasing our own selfish desires.

And there and here lies the problem… Leaders who do not value a servant-based mentality become intolerant (please note that I am not writing about areas of morality here) to the views of others. A false idea of tolerance undermines quality leadership, and many people never recognize it is happening. Intolerant leaders seem to think they can impose their leadership on others, and you have no right to question it.

Leaders who lead with intolerance of others’ viewpoints create the notion that their leadership is absolute and anything that contradicts said “truth” is only relative – for you.

This notion is where I see a fundamental shift. Many, in leadership roles, while having to “answer” to someone above them, only feel they are answerable to no one but themselves – especially if they can convince they have the best interests of others in mind or, as they say, “at heart.” This is where I say, “Please do not tell me you have my best interests in mind and then decide the decision you make only benefits you or the ones you are actually concerned about.”

As I write this, I genuinely believe you will be able to pick this topic up and almost put it into any time slot of history, past, or future, and it will still be applicable. However, due to the constant flow of information from so many different outlets, our viewing and knowledge of ever-changing leadership are much more assessable. It should not and does not take one long to recognize the difference. While that is a benefit, it also allows the disguised “leadership lie of self” agenda to continue to be pushed.

Funny thing is, while I “think” I have an answer for almost anything, I really do not have an answer for this. I do not know how to help those in leadership positions understand that by serving others, they will also benefit themselves. I suppose the only answer I have is to suggest modeling the right leadership behavior and hope others will take notice and see that there is something different about being a servant-leader first. I fear that it will take something drastic in their leadership lives to understand this…

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2020 J Clay Norton

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