Qualities of a leader

So, I've just returned from a trip with four students who competed as a team during the Cartoon Challenge at the Kalamazoo Animation Festival, and they won. I've been thinking about what exactly worked for them and how they came together so effortlessly as a team to accomplish their goal of creating a 30 second PSA on global warming. I think I have figured it out. Their team leader stepped back and allowed his team's strengths to shine. While their leader was completely capable of doing all of the things his team could do, he did not let his ambitions over power those of his teams. By doing so, the team's energy became contagious, and they amazed even themselves. The leader filled in the necessary gaps of areas that weren't covered by the rest of the team. This allowed them to complete the task in record time, and in turn, deliver the winning piece.

Amazing work. I'm very proud to have witnessed their success.

Book cover design

So I have been working furiously on the cover design for the book I'm writing and I think I finally came up with something that I like. Here it is..what do you think?

Pure Common Sense

I've been reading Lee Iacocca's latest book, Where Have all the Leaders Gone? I picked it up since I'm on the path to one day becoming an administrator, and I want to make sure I understand the ins and outs of leadership from the view point of those who did the job really well. He says some pretty interesting things. The underlying theme so far, however, is to have common sense.

He states that magagement is about two things: picking good people and setting the right priorities. and then goes on to say that you succeed or fail based on your team. A group of people who know what they're doing is the starting point, but those people have to be able to work together, because after all, people who work together will win.

Common Sense right?

Makes perfect sense to me. A good leader, in my opinion, will take that team of various personalities and talents and inspire them to work towards the common goal. A new leader should enter the picture, discover their teams strenghts, and put them to good use! Why focus on the negative? Why revel in what isn't working? That just starts the downward spiral and no one seems to be able to rise once that has started.

I've seen this happen several times over the last few years. It's truly a sad situation. We're losing alot of really great people that made our programs what they are today. These people shouldn't be scrutinized and punished by their leaders (and I use that term lightly, because they really aren't effective leaders). What these leaders fail to realize is that their positions were created by the hard work and dedication of the exact same people they're stepping on.

This is what has inspired me to further my education. A real leader is someone their team can turn to, not someone who causes their team to turn away.

I finally have a blog...

So ..who doesn't have a blog these days? Well I didn't. So I thought it was about time. I'm not quite sure who, if anyone is interested in what I have to say outside of the classroom, but I read many of my former students' blogs to keep up with what's happening to them, so I thought maybe someone might be interested.

One of the nicest things about teaching is that you are always learning something. For me, it makes me realize how little I know, but at the same time I feel inspired to share what I have learned with those students who really care.

So that is the purpose of this blog. Inspiration. I hope I don't sound pretentious. I just want to be able to share thoughts with like minded individuals.