Blog #5 - Leadership Connectors: Competence

In Chapter 4 of Leadership Connectors, we learn about the importance of being a competent leader. This doesn’t mean that we know everything. Competence is revealed in how we go about learning new things and what resources we use. The feeling of competence is critical in developing our self-efficacy. We build our competence by experiencing success and learning from mistakes along the way. Our journey into adulthood is a quest to find better ways of doing things. Positive self-talk helps us try new things even if we think it will be a challenge.

One thing to remember is to not make excuses for not knowing something. Instead, we must remember to frame the current obstacle and turn it into a learning opportunity. I feel like some leaders use the “I don’t know” response as a cop-out because they do not want to be seen as a failure. The authors mentioned that, “It is important to understand that our mistakes and failures bring us to the next step in competence” (p. 81). I feel like I have learned more from my mistakes that my successes. This reminds me of my 8^th grade history class. My teacher, who we quickly grew to admire and respect, posted quotes on his wall. Every now and then, my attention would drift and fixate on one quote is particular. It read, “He who makes no mistakes, makes nothing.” That quote still resonates with me today. I am a perfectionist by nature, but through self-talk, reflection, and planning, I am able to work through experiences that are not so successful. Oftentimes, the growth that emerges from a failure or mistake is invaluable in our personal and professional journey.

After looking through the list of skills that administrators are expected to possess, I felt pretty confident in my journey into school leadership. These skills include:

·       Communication

·       Reflection

·       Kindness and Respect

·       Knowledge of Learning Theory and Methodology

·       Organization and Prioritization

·       Systemic thinking

·       Shared vision

·       Humility

I recognize that as humans we are constantly adjusting and refining our skills. Understanding that administrators learn many skills “on the job,” I still need to consider developing my competence in the areas of systemic thinking, shared vision, and communication. Great leaders realize their areas of incompetence and turn them into learning opportunities. As a teacher, I am committed to learning as much as possible in order to teach effectively. I have learned valuable lessons these past 6 years and there is much more to learn. This chapter recommends that we never stop teaching. I love teaching so much that I plan on staying connected to the classroom even after moving into administration.  

One final thought as I completed this chapter was the notion that success breeds success. Competence involves having strong self-efficacy, knowing what to do to accomplish our goals, and having mentors to teach and encourage us along the way. When we know we are capable of doing things, it creates a cycle of success and helps us feel good about ourselves. Finally, we must make an effort to avoid negative people and surround ourselves with positive people in order to reach our highest potential.