Category Archives: Transparent

What You See Is What You Get…

07 Friday Sep 2018

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Authentic, Character, Leader, Leadership, Relationships, Servant, Teachers, Transparent, Understanding

≈ 1 Comment

The key to effective teaching is subject matter knowledge. But more important than that is your ability to convey your understanding, while at the same time being able to bridge the gap of teacher-student relationships. Teachers who do not foster relationships with their students in and out of the classroom forfeit their sincerity, authenticity, and transparency.

So… As a teacher, do your students see what they get from you?

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I believe in answering that statement; a teacher needs to have two characteristics.

One, be a servant-teacher…

How many teachers do you know that make the classroom all about them? I find these type of teachers having poor student interaction and have difficulty with their classroom management. The goal of a teacher should be to “get” their students to enjoy coming to your classroom for the right reasons. If that can be the case, then maybe, just maybe, they might give the subject matter a better chance, even if they dislike the class.

Being a servant-teacher requires intentionality with being who you say you are. It means having an understanding of the lives of your students. It means that you grow your students from the inside out. If you can change their heart, hopefully you can change their mind. Servant-teacher means you put them first. Empower them with ownership.

Two, be an example to follow…

The power of teaching has a direct proportion to the character of the teacher. The great concept about everyone we interact with is knowing if we like or dislike the example they portray. It does not take a student long to figure out what you see is what you get with teachers. Our students are much smarter then we give them credit for sometimes.

Christian author and speaker Josh McDowell said it like this, “You can con a con and kid a kid, but you cannot con a kid.”

Think on it like this… The example you provide might just be the only example a student sees as to how they should be. There are enough terrible examples in society for their picking. Give them an option for positive models for the betterment of themselves.

Teaching is a privilege, and not everyone can or wants to do it. Nothing we do as an educator gives more pleasure than to see a student succeed. Be the servant-teacher, and the example students need to see.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2018 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page

Intentional Leadership for Others… ACTS

19 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Actions, Attitude, Authentic, Clarity, Communication, Deciding, Humility, Leader, Leadership, Power, Purpose, Servant, Transparent

≈ 4 Comments

“Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly a way of communicating.” – Simon Sinek

When you convey your leadership to others, what comes to mind about it? One of the most important ideas to remember is our leadership should be about others. It is never about you. With that being the case, the question of how should we deliver our leadership is important. Is it intentional? Does it carry a positive servant attitude? Does it…?

As a Christian, I learned an acrostic to increase and have a more purposeful prayer life. It is ACTS. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. A prayer life that models this style enables you to make sure everything has the correct place and is meaningful.
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Now, what if we applied that same acrostic to making our leadership intentional? What would each letter signify? It could go something like this:

Intentional Leadership for Others… ACTS

ACKNOWLEDGE – When we provide leadership, do you focus on yourself or others? Steven Canfield, Lead Teacher for Life Action Ministries, said: “We should never look past others.” When I heard him say this, I had to camp out on it for awhile. Why is this important? If we are providing leadership, it should be for the benefit of those around us. When we acknowledge everyone in the room, the receptiveness of the group increases.

CONSIDERATION – Acknowledgement leads to consideration. It is one thing to acknowledge someone, but not to consider the value they could or can bring creates a downer. Considering others allows the quality of your leadership to enhance. Which allows the empowerment of others. If you want the attention of someone, acknowledge and consider them. Their thoughts and willingness could be a great addition to your leadership.

TRANSPARENT – Everyone needs help in some area. Thinking that you have it all together with your leadership leads to arrogance. What weaknesses we have should not be a secret. That is why transparency is crucial to leadership. People do not want to be around fakeness. Your leadership value strengthens when others see the example your leadership brings with transparency. True leadership is when you can express your weaknesses or acknowledge the weaknesses of others and help them. Weak leaders can do neither of these. Let others see the true you.

STEP – Go where you need to go next. Sometimes that might be a step forward or a step back. Know your audience. Trying to force your leadership usually backfires. Let your leadership be a living conversation that can go and change direction as needed. Be willing to adapt. Part of great leadership is doing what is best for others. Know where to step. Just make sure you do not step on others. (Thanks to Allen Marett for helping me figure out a word for “S”)

This acrostic might seem silly or simple, but how many times do we know if we are reaching our audience? If you do not ask yourself this question, then admit it is all about you. The next time you have the opportunity to provide leadership, try ACTS; acknowledge others, consider their thoughts and who they are, be transparent and know where and how to step next. Each one is intentional and builds on the other. When we do that, a connection is in the making.

Here is the idea of leadership… You can know right, do right, and still not be right.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2018 J Clay Norton

Follow me on Twitter at TheBookChamber

Subscribe via email to my blog at the top of the page.