Monday Moanin Thoughts #24 Great Leaders Grow Part 5

Happy Monday, for many of us spring break is almost here. Today I will continue with my take aways from the Great Leaders Grow book written by Ken Blanchard with Mark Miller.  Last weeks blog dealt with the first two ideas from the chapter focusing on walking toward wisdom, honest feedback and self evaluation. This week I will discuss my impressions on the  author’s final two elements, seeking counsel from others and time. When I began reading this section on walking toward wisdom, I believed that seeking counsel and honest feedback would serve the same purpose. The authors distinguish between counsel and feedback by defining feedback as being about the past and counsel is about the future.  Blanchard and Miller  further write:

“Counsel is often derived from the experiences of the person you’re talking with. You get to benefit from their experiences and possibly even their wisdom.”

As I reflect on my years as a Principal, I realize that during difficult situations it was essential to proactively seek the advice and wisdom of others. But the greatest mistake that I made regarding seeking counsel was thinking that help was only needed during times of great difficulty. I realize now that  meeting regularly with a mentor is essential to staying on a path of professional growth.

The final element of walking toward wisdom is time. Acquiring wisdom takes time and it is ongoing. The authors encourage all of us to begin proactively seeking wisdom. Blanchard and Miller write:

“Wisdom is accumulated over months, years, and decades. You’ve got to stay with it. The pursuit of wisdom, like the other areas of growth is never ending.”

As we prepare for a well earned spring break, lets make a commitment to focus on seeking counsel and the time it takes to invest in walking toward wisdom. Lets get to work , focus on the future, and continue to GROW!

Quote of the week:

Live in a fashion consistent with your values. People learn more from what a leader does than what a leader says. Blanchard