Letting go as leadership

Wisdom from the Field #22

During the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the team competition.

She felt she couldn’t perform her best after a bad landing on a vault. "I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job, and I didn't want to risk the team a medal because of my screwups," Biles said. "Because they've worked way too hard for that."

Biles also knew she would receive criticism for her decision, yet she prioritized the team over her other’s expectations of her.

Humble Leadership

At some point in the future, you will no longer be a leader in your current organization. Whether this role is positional and informal, someone else will eventually step into your shoes and continue guiding your school or district.

People learn to lead much like they learn anything else: by doing the work - leading.

Considering this reality…

• What are you doing today to help teachers become leaders?

• How can we let go of some authority in our roles to create space for others to lead?

• Are we confident enough to be humble?

This is an adapted excerpt from my new book, available now through Corwin here.