Category Archives: Servant

“Looney Tunes” Thanksgiving Leadership…

11 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by in Actions, Leader, Leadership, Looney Tunes, Servant, Thanksgiving, Trust

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To begin with, let me say that I am a huge Looney Tunes fan. Saturday morning, growing up, a bowl of cereal sitting in front of the TV. One solid hour of pure, free, clean comedy. The funny thing is that now as an adult, you realize how much of an adult overtone the cartoons had. Every once in a while, I’ll see one again, and I find them as funny, if not funnier than when I was a kid. I enjoyed the main characters, Buggs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Wile E. Coyote, and the Tasmanian Devil. In some way or another, I can identify with each of their personalities.

So, for today’s blog, a Looney Tunes Thanksgiving leadership theme…

For those who can remember, these episodes were called Merrie Melodies. One of the episodes was Holiday for Drumsticks, starring Daffy Duck.  If you have time for a 6:42 laugh, click to watch, Holiday for Drumsticks – Daffy Duck

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Here’s the plot synopsis (taken from fandom.com)…

A hillbilly husband brings home a turkey. After shooting back at their feuding neighbor, the wife prepares some food to fatten up the turkey for Thanksgiving. The turkey is thrown into the animal pen. Daffy Duck, who happens to be one of the farm animals, is jealous of all of the food that the turkey is receiving. Once he sees a feast for the turkey, Daffy rushes to the turkey and tells him to stop eating. Daffy explains that the hillbillies want to fatten up the turkey then eat him, so Daffy says that the turkey should reduce his weight so the hillbillies won’t eat the skinny turkey.

In a montage, the turkey exercises day by day, while Daffy eats up the entire feast that was supposed to be for the turkey. On Thanksgiving Day, the turkey is now extremely slim, while Daffy is fat. Pa finds the turkey and states that it’s too bony for him to eat. However, the tables turn when Daffy brags that he is a healthy duck himself and that the hillbillies can’t eat duck for Thanksgiving. Pa finds Daffy a suitable alternative and attempts to axe and shoot him. Daffy frantically tries to lose his weight, but he nearly gets shot in all attempts. Daffy begs the turkey to save him, and the turkey hides him in various areas, before admitting that Daffy can’t be saved aside from moving to a country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. The turkey tells Daffy to take an airplane to Rio de Janeiro, which is a trick to get Daffy into the oven. However, the hillbillies are unable to cook Daffy, as Daffy keeps blowing the matches out.

So, where’s the leadership, you might be asking? How many times have we tried to help others, and it backfired? How often have we, like Daffy Duck, found ourselves having to constantly blow out the match? But… did Daffy Duck know what he was doing? The turkey even tried to trick Daffy in the end. Go figure…

Sometimes it’s a no-win situation. We have all been there before. I’m all about helping others; we should be. It should be in our nature as servant-leaders. I figure if we just do right by people, trust our instincts, and, as my grandfather said, “Make the most of whatever comes, and the least of whatever goes,” then our leadership will turn out alright. Even when it backfires…

Now, go enjoy your Thanksgiving Season with turkey or duck… Next week will be our annual Thanksgiving Thoughts.

Let’s go fight the good fight of leadership. Someone has to…

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 J Clay Norton

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

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Intentionality of Leadership: Acknowledging Others…

04 Friday Nov 2022

Posted by in Actions, Education, Intentional, Leader, Leadership, Relationships, Servant

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The intentionality of leadership… Where has it gone? Better yet, why is it important? I guess we can answer the first question with it’s here, but we are “oh, so busy, I don’t have time to be intentional.” An answer to the second question might answer the first… why is it important? Well, I have found that intentional leaders usually help create an environment of confidence, helping others to develop and succeed. Their purpose, if we want to say that, is to put others first with support. So, if intentional leadership is here but not practiced, it would seem that time is more focused on themselves than others. Yep, that will keep you, “oh, so busy.” 

I’ve written a few blogs in the past on intentional leadership, but the topic came back to mind the other day when a friend and I were talking. So, here’s a different spin on it… 

Tricia Manning of Be Intentional says, “When you lead with intention, you foster an environment that teaches your employees that their work matters. You help them feel the importance of their contribution, build their self-confidence, and connect their work to their own core values. But this doesn’t just happen.”

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Leaders who are out and about have a better pulse on the culture than those who stay behind a closed door of an office… But it’s more than that… Just because you are out and about, being seen is not enough. It’s speaking to and allowing others to speak to you as well. Ok, bad grammar time –  Ain’t nothing is worse than a leader who walks by and sees you but doesn’t speak. You don’t have to stop and carry on a monologue; just say hello. You don’t even have to ask how they are doing. Just acknowledge, but do it without the “head nod;” take the time to speak.

While this might seem simple and little, another “foundism” I have is that the simple, little things of leadership matter. This defines us more than what we do on a larger stage. When we only serve others when convenient, our intentionality becomes inward-centered. 

As I write this, I realize that we are as much defined by what we don’t do as we are by what we do. As leaders, we provide enormous influence without having to say it. If we ever, really want people to work “with you” instead of “for you,” our leadership intentionality needs to acknowledge others. We could really use this in our classrooms as teachers with our students in education, by the way… 

Let’s go fight the good fight of leadership. Someone has to…

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 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…

A 26-Day Teacher Challenge…

22 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by in Actions, Education, Educational Leadership, Effective, Encouragement, Engagement, Influence, Inspiration, Intentional, Kindness, Leader, Relationships, Servant, Students, Teachers, Value

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As I write this, we have 27 days of school left. By now most students (and some teachers) are in what I call “The Hook Slide.” They have already rounded third base and can see and smell home plate. State tests, AP tests, dual-credit tests, end-of-year finals… ugh!

These 27 days are as important for the teachers as for the students. Maximizing time and effort is at the forefront of classroom instruction; I agree. I would also say that maximizing your relationships with your students is just as important. Many students need a cheerleader near the end of school. There are many who are not involved in anything at or out of school, and they can somewhat get “lost in the crowd.” I believe these students need to be recognized and acknowledged, for it might be the only time they are. School just might be the only outlet some students have.

So, with only 26 days left (starting today, Friday), what will you do as an educator to help ALL students? It is easy to gravitate to the students we “like” and those who “do well.” But we must make an intentional effort toward the others as well. We might not never know what it will mean or do for a particular student. So, a 26-day challenge…

Identify a few students every day (they don’t even have to be the ones you teach) and say a positive comment to them. We cannot know which students are involved in stuff and those who are not, but if we focus on ALL, we will catch everyone. It’s not hard. I bet some will be shocked they were spoken to and acknowledged.

A small gesture to help someone feel better about themselves. A value worth your time. A smile on their faces, maybe? What we do and do not do matters. For 26 days, be a difference-maker and see what the difference will be for others.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 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…

National School Counseling Week…

11 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by in Actions, Amazing, Appreciation, Attention, Authentic, Counseling, Effective, Encouragement, Intentional, Kindness, Promotion, Purpose, Servant, Sincerity, Value

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This week, February 7-11, is National School Counseling Week. According to the American School Counselors Association, the emphasis is to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. Well, I just happen to know a school counselor who fits that emphasis quite well.

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Let me introduce you to a school counselor I know. She is a school counselor with 21 years of experience. What she does day in and day out amazes me. Of all the things she does, the one that amazes me the most is that she takes an intentional interest in every student in the school building. Along with that, there are individual and small groups, peer leadership, helping with after-school clubs, scheduling, new student meetings, parent meetings, student plans, encouragement, etc… you get the idea…

I don’t really remember school counselors growing up. I do not remember one in elementary or middle school. If we had one, I did not know. We had one in high school, but all I thought he did was make out our student schedules. His name was Mr. Leonard. He and I talked about baseball cards a lot, and my senior year, he was our assistant baseball coach.

Anyway, as I think about what this school counselor does and her role as a school counselor, I can see her passion for promoting it. She works after hours at home and during the summers. So many things are behind the scenes. She is a staunch advocate for what the definition of a school counselor should be. Most importantly, she is for all students and their success.

I’m not sure about all the counselors out there, but I do know a good many. Those who are successful have a servant’s heart and a genuine concern for students’ social and emotional needs. And I think to myself, isn’t that what educators and all of education should also do?

Over time, I have seen many counselors who impact not only at the school but also in the community. In many ways, they are the unsung heroes of schools. Since this is National High School Counselors Week, tell your counselors thank you. I’m pretty sure they will appreciate it.

And by the way, for those who do not know the school counselor I talking about, it’s Heather, and I’m married to her, and she’s the counselor at Sumner Hill Junior High School in the Clinton Public School District. For those who know us, many say she is a great counselor because she lives a daily practicum of counseling me… and they are probably right. But, nonetheless… she’s a great school counselor.

Happy National High School Counselors Week to the school counselors who make a difference. The value you bring makes changes in many lives.

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

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2022 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…