The Backstage Leader: Observe and Question to Lead

 Greetings fellow teacher friends! Welcome to another week of reflection and energizing our teacher spirits! I want to start off by apologizing for the absence of last week's post. It was scheduled to go out, however it ended up in "drafts" and part of it was missing. I figured, let's not test the "secret gnomes" that live inside our computers and start fresh this week with a deeper dive into my inSpiration Sunday. 

As teacher leaders, we know that leadership does not look the same for everyone. Let's think about the different types of leaders we see. Some leaders instinctively are the first to make a suggestion for an idea. Other leaders are the first to leap into a task that needs to be completed, but doesn't necessarily need to talk a lot or give suggestions to others. Still other leaders find observing and asking questions the key to their success. This way, they are able to challenge others to think "outside the box" or highlight something that they feel was missing, or a key element was not focused on enough.

Which category do you fall into teacher friends? You may even find that you fall into more than one depending on the situation and that's ok! But for this exercise, please pick one category... For me, I find myself to be the first one because I enjoy sharing ideas and it’s easier for me to share right away so I don’t forget! I'm not afraid to be the voice that "gets things going" with the goal in mind to help others feel confident to share their thoughts as well. I always feel that, well, someone has to speak first, so let's get the party started! Recently during a group meeting of well respected, honored educators, I learned something about the other leadership styles in the room and the value that they bring. As a leader, I know it’s important to be flexible and notice the moments when I feel I should step up for something, but it’s not always easy for me to realize when I should observe and ask questions.  Another great leader in the room that day explained to us what her style was, and how she is more of a "backstage" person. This allows her to think of and ask good questions. Quietly observing the work of others, she often takes pictures of those around her in meetings so she can hear different conversations, and help find missing "puzzle pieces" so the group can work effectively on their goal. It's also great because the group has memories to cherish from their work together! As we know, (being teachers,) it's easy to get off track. What is great about this role is, observing allows us to keep in mind the main goal of the group and stay focused. 

That is my challenge for us this week teacher friends! How often do you take time to observe others leading and think of questions to ask? These questions might very well be what the team or group needs to be successful and achieve the goal that they are working for. In the recent meeting I referred to earlier, I was able to help construct a theme for an event we were working on, and everyone felt it was a strong theme. The great leader who is a master at observing and questioning was able to listen to others contributions, view what they wrote down, and further explain it thoughtfully. It was because of this we all gravitated toward what she contributed as a theme as it merged with my idea I started with. Sitting there frozen in that moment I said to myself; she took charge of the whole project without really saying more than two sentences... 

I realized that this is something I need to try more often to harness my skills as a leader and further develop my abilities to lead others. Think back to your answer from before; what skills do you need to work on to develop as a leader? Could observing and thinking of questions about your project, event, or situation help the team and help your skills to improve? Would it be more beneficial than stating all the ideas out loud? What questions do you want to ask to help think more deeply? How can observing guide you as a leader? Observing and asking questions could very well be the key to coming to a solution quickly, without saying a lot! 

Let’s take some time this week to observe and ask questions to reflect and grow as leaders. If you're not involved in project at the moment, that's ok! There are plenty of other places to watch the work of great educators and think of questions. We don’t often have the time to observe our peers in their classrooms, but even just a few minutes would be time well spent! Perhaps we can listen as they explain something at a PLC meeting, or take on an “observation” role during a planning meeting for a group we are working with for an event or project if we are involved in one. Take that time this week teacher leaders and notice how it helps you form meaningful questions that support the group as a whole, and allows you to continue to be the outstanding teacher leader you are striving to be!

Final thoughts: Keep reflecting on your leadership style, it will consistently help you to grow. Keep finding time, even small moments when you can observe and ask questions. Keep inspiring others to find their leadership style and harness their talents. When we keep lifting each other up, we keep doing great things together!