What is Good Leadership

By -


All my life I've heard people talking about their bosses. Right now,  I can't think of one  person who has ever actually spoken well of them.

So when I was promoted, I had mixed feelings. First off, added responsibility is no picnic, secondly, everything I had ever read about leading a team boiled down to being a well of motivation and a magical intuitive source of empathetic delegation- skills that are quite challenging to master.. Besides, I always just saw myself teaching kids, teaching was, is, always will be my passion. I didn't really aspire towards anything higher.

It wasn't until my bosses made me see another angle that I started to get excited about the notion of leading the English Department at a school that caters to about 2500 kids.




Whenever I am asked why I teach, my answer is always sweet and simple and somewhat cliche if you will, but true nonetheless, 'To make a difference.' That's it. We all know the power of a good teacher, that one teacher who becomes your beacon of light, shows you the way, especially if you have no one at home.

'So,' they said matter of factly, 'now you can reach even more kids.'

This statement was not incorrect. It amazed me how much trust and hope they had in me. It was endearing.

'Also,' they assured me, ' you have it in you- you can do this- you can do it so well.'

I remembering gawking a little.

How ironic. To be loved, to be respected, to have people believe in me, look up to me, to be able to make a difference that  I never thought I could, but the ones closest to me- for them- I could do nothing. And I think to myself, 'How monumentally sad. Not for me- but for them.'

But I have set upon my path, it's been a month already. It's both exciting and worrying. There is so much work, I am always swamped, my blogs have had to take a back seat. But I do love it. Keeps my mind off other things too.

Even my niece (who loves impersonating me- wearing my ID, scarf and purse and pretending to be a teacher) asked me last night if I would be going in for work the next day- today that is- on a Saturday. I said no, and that we'd have breakfast together, and later we'd go out and buy a new printer... she loves activities that I print out for her, but my current printer has died.

The sun shines through my window, there is a cup of tea by my side, and a day ahead that I fully plan on making the most out of. Adversity is not something anyone asks for, and yet, behind the ugly word, is so much greatness. Can't let it bog you down, need to unleash the potential, need to serve others, that's what good leadership truly is....
'

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What the Young Tree Whispered in my Ear

By -
Image
I rested my head against the car window, adjusting my angle to avoid the sharp noon sun rays. They filtered through the thinning foliage of the young tree that caressed the car door. I looked up lazily. She was not a big thing, young - but not too young. She had not seen many winters I suppose, but enough at least, to give me respite against the glare of the sun, the kind of glare that looks specially sharper in the midst of winter. Until then, I had not noticed the tiny red flowers that were scattered scantily all over her branches. They danced in the soft breeze, carelessly, along with their green counterparts. The beauty of the scene mesmerized me, until nothing in my peripheral vision existed any longer. Suddenly, it was just her and me.
Read more

The Thirsty Sparrow and what it Taught Me

By -
Image
There is an image in my head. It's been quite a few days, but it has not faded. It was a fleeting thing. The type of thing nobody would give a second thought to. I also remember thinking it's funny how even mundane things can be a source of inspiration, but more on that later. There was a little sparrow, dipping its beak with rapid precision, smack right in the middle of the traffic junction, in a little puddle of murky water. It was oblivious to the moving seas of cars swishing past. The puddle was in the 'neutral zone' of the junction- right in the center where no cars could overlap. In all fairness, it is Karachi and the traffic can get out of hand at any given second, yet this bird knew only its thirst and probably noticed that this particular crevice was somehow, immune to any danger. As I looked on for a minute at its incessant task, I realized that this was such a fitting analogy of the life I currently live.
Read more

The Scales of Life

By -
Image
 ... are tipped slightly against us. No one in their right frame of mind would or could doubt that. It is this very notion that makes life interesting - worth living. What good is the prize if its right there for the taking? What sweetness would be got from low hanging fruit?  When we raise children, an age old tested method to get them to do something is to make them work for something they want. It develops grit and enables a child to gain a deep seated appreciation for hard work. (Something being lost as time goes by, but that is another blog for another day.) I remember dangling novels in front of my daughter for doing her chores. Sure some might call this bribery but I beg to differ.  However, one must always resort to making people work to get at something (call it bribery if you will) in moderation. You can't dangle candy in front a baby and then quickly take it away. Wouldn't sit right with anyone. You want to keep it at a distance, laying in the far corner noncha...
Read more