LeaderSHIFT: The Power of Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning in School Leadership
As a school leader, I've come to realize that the key to success in this ever-evolving field is the ability to adapt and grow. And one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal is the practice of learning, unlearning, and relearning.
Let me share a personal story with you. When I first started out as a school leader, I thought I had all the answers. I had a good leadership coach and was attending all of the leadership conferences, summits, and symposiums that could teach me even more. I was very confident in my training and experience. The one thing I was not prepared for was the adult challenges, the academic gaps that kept getting wider as I enrolled more students in my school, and the shift in the quality of teacher candidates that were applying to serve at my school. As I navigated the challenges of leadership, I quickly realized that what worked in the past may not always work in the present or future.
That's when I embraced the concept of continual learning. I made a conscious effort to unlearn outdated practices and beliefs that were holding me back. In complete transparency, some of the practices and beliefs I had to unlearn came from my district leaders and many of the conferences and leadership summits I was attending over the years. In order to shift my leadership, l opened myself up to new ideas, perspectives, and strategies.
