Literary Leadership

I remember as a teenager that I dreamed of becoming a writer.  In school it was one of those areas where I thrived academically.  Math and analytical thinking were not my strong suit, where creative writing and language arts kept my attention and allowed me to confidently express myself. 

With a teenage bent for science fiction and storytelling I created several short stories and made plans to compile them into a novel.  I crafted characters and narratives that took me away from my day-to-day existence, and found joy in utilizing my novice approach to literature in filling spiral bound notebooks on a weekly basis.  Where some students found success on the playing field, I found victories in creative writing and poetry. 

As a junior in high school I encountered a teacher who inspired my passion and her support pushed me forward.  Looking back now, I know the power of encouragement when someone expresses his or her belief in you.  As a leader today, I am looking

for that raw talent and opportunities where I can inspire others to reach their potential.

In college I continued my writing and regularly scored high marks on my papers. Only once did I score a B, and even today that disappointment is still with me.  No doubt I was over confident in my ability and the professor used that grade to get my attention to try harder.  It worked.  I pressed to improve my craft and often penned more stories in and out of school and took solace in writing. 

It was at a dear friends wedding when I was 25 that I embraced my disappointment.  I had a personal goal of being a published author at this age. Looking back, I hadn’t done the focused work, made the connections, nor refined my craft to achieve this milestone.  What I had done was feel the sting of disappointment that would later be the catalyst to my continued writing. 

Within the past few years I used my passion for writing to inspire my team. In leadership it is incumbent on a leader to find an avenue where he or she can share a vision, align the team, and inspire the workforce in the process.  What I chose to do weekly with my writing was to take elements of pop culture, world events, leadership, and customer service to tell a story to motivate my team.  It was in this weekly exercise where my passion for writing found a real voice.  

What I had missed at 25 was the fact that my potential as a writer wasn’t fully realized.  My boyhood dreams of literary success hadn’t found a voice until I was able to align my passion for leadership with writing to inspire others.  It is humorous to me that is was also 25 years later that I actually wrote, published, and held a book of my own in my hands. 

By biggest joy as a writer came in finding out that what I had written was a help to others.  It is one thing to write a book, and another to write a book that inspires someone else as a result.   

As I submitted the manuscript for Charter School Leadership: Elements for School Success, (http://tinyurl.com/CharterBook) I thought about those teachers, professionals, and colleagues that pushed me to reach my writing potential.  It is a lesson that I take with me even today.  Find those people in your sphere of influence and encourage them to reach for their dreams and fulfill their potential.  Many times as leaders we are required to help others push past their fear so they can achieve their personal best. 

So as a leader, whether you are a writer or not, what are you doing to inspire your team and others around you?  What steps are you taking to not only challenge yourself, but those within your industry?   Your passion for the work at hand should also include spreading that enthusiasm to others while positively contributing to the betterment of your workplace and community.