Want to be successful? Be a sponge.
I have worked with some brilliant leaders and educators and I have noticed the same things about all of them.
They listen.
No matter their position, they are successful because they see every opportunity as an opportunity to learn. Even when they are in a higher position than myself, they see an interaction with myself and others as an opportunity for them to always stay on top of their game. The other things that I notice is that although they know they do not have all of the answer, they sure have a lot of questions.
Leaders continue to ask questions.
When I think of thought leaders in my school district, I think of people like Jesse McLean and Travis McNaughton, and the amazing ability they have as well as their insights regarding education. They are leaders that make a huge difference in their communities and the one word that I think of when I think of either one of them is “sponge”. They soak in everything they can, but eventually they release they learn and share it with others. They also do not learn only from people that are “above” them in the organizational hierarchy, but they learn from every person they interact with. They focus not only on the knowledge of that person, but they soak in the characteristics of that person and learn about them as people, which is imperative in the change process.
“Every change requires effort, and the decision to make that effort is a social process…human interaction is the key force in overcoming resistance and