Leadership can seem like walking into the wind, rather than moving forward with the wind, but we should embrace the complexities and extreme elements that come with leading others. Leadership is not a one size fits all concept, it’s about seeking answers when things don’t work out or how you might envision it. In other words, ‘there is no rule book’ As a leader you may not get it right today, but you should seek to find the answers tomorrow, this might mean asking for support and guidance from those around you. Leadership is irritative getting it wrong is ok. We learn from making mistakes. This may seem an over used adage, however without trying, we never know what the outcome will be. As a leader I will say I’ve made many mistakes, I’ve also been told I may be making a mistake, however this hasn’t stopped me doing what I felt was right at the time. I’ve always had one thing in mind, and that has been improving outcomes for children. My vision has been simple, supporting children to achieve their best and working with educators to make this happen. Leadership is not about being the best, it’s about learning from imperfections and being comfortable about getting it wrong. When we use equality as a tool for learning and collaborating with others, we become better leaders. If we limit ourselves to the confides of our own circle, we only learn about the circle. Learning in isolation can be an enemy of growth, so reach out and embrace otherness, after all we are trying to achieve the same outcomes for children. Celebrate the unique values and visions we have. We are in the same ocean; we are in the same boat.
I’ve been very lucky in my leadership road by being given opportunities to lead others or maybe I’ve been in the right place at the right time. What ever it is, I feel blessed and privileged to be where I am right now. Leadership is about learning and understanding the context of a service. Something may work somewhere; however, it might not work everywhere and that’s ok, that’s the rhythm of life. When we talk about imperfection, the first thing that comes to my mind is different, as leaders, we are different. Our approach may be different, our outlook could be different, but I believe the difference is a gift. Gifts are precious and leadership is a precious gift. For those of us that have the opportunity to lead, embrace ambiguity and complexity. The view may be misty, but if it were clear, then there would be no questions to ask. Walk into the unknown and celebrate the imperfections of leadership.