“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better”- Bill Bradly.
When I read that quote I instantly think of teachers and coaches. Teaching has the same mandate: to unlock people’s potential. After all, why do we learn? Why do we want to learn? IT is usually for some purpose- to be better versions of ourselves as we increase and grow our understanding of the World around us. Those of us in the profession of inspiring others to learn are guided by this idea. It’s also true that If you’re not excited about what you’re teaching and you’re students are not inspired and open by what they’re learning, you will be unable to connect and help unlock your students’ potential.
The first thing that strikes me about this is it is an unselfish act to help others find the thing they’re most interested in. You may not get any reward for that, yet to the learner, it can be the most significant moment of their life.
My older daughter is in college now and she recently shared a story with me about one of her professors. I found it most disturbing and as a person who primarily works with adults I found myself irritated that I must work through the obstacles that get set earlier on in a learner’s journey.
She was telling me about a professor of hers who uses the tactic of shaming students into doing better. All that he has accomplished, according to my daughter, is the contempt of his class and a lack of regard for the topic and for him. The story she recounted involved an assignment in which the professor made a significant point about not doing an assignment a certain way and the first 2 students who presented the assignment, failed to do the assignment according to his directions.
The professor openly mocked the students in a display of sarcasm, which the one student seemed to be oblivious to. Two things stood out to me: first, if 2 students did the assignment opposite of what the professor said, then clearly there was a miscommunication on the part of the professor and that’s on him. Second, those students may decide that they will not share in a classroom openly for fear of being mocked. When I see these same individuals in a workplace training a few years later, they are often unwilling to share out loud, and appear less engaged. Yet when participants can move past their own embarrassment, amazing things can happen.
Teaching is an act of humility and selflessness. It requires one to be totally in service to the learner and willing to acknowledge when one has failed to make a connection. As a teacher and coach, that is my responsibility not the learner’s.
For leaders the same thing is true. Much like the quote above states- one must be willing to unlock another’s potential for the other’s gain, not their own. That is the secret to effective leadership. It requires one to be generous, open, and willing to allow another grow into bigger heights if their potential proves to be that great. It requires us to stand in service to others, not for our gain, but for theirs. It does often prove to be a mutual win and in the end, leaders who can do that, do gain as well. If we had more leaders like this, the world would be a very different place. So the next time you find yourself in a situation to inspire learning for another, notice what gets in your way and see if you can set it aside and be absolutely in service to the other person. Transcend your own ego. Be a leader who inspires and you may even inspire yourself.