Leaders are committed

Part 8 in a 10 part series on Parents as Leaders

Peter Drucker, one of the greatest management minds of our time, wrote that with a few hundred years perspective, historians may view our time as one of “unprecedented change in the human condition.  For the first time–literally–substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices.  For the first time, they will have to manage themselves.  And society is totally unprepared for it.”

As leaders we need a commitment to help others learn to lead and manage themselves.  Your leadership is vital because, as Drucker stated, we are totally unprepared for the changes we are experiencing today.

The best way to get people to learn is to turn them into teachers.  As a teacher, I know I truly begin to master material as I ready myself to teach it to others.  As leaders, we have to teach others what we learn, and we have to systematically apply what we learn to be able to do it, and then teach some more.

As in the old saying “Do as I say, not as I do,” most of us know what to do, but we don’t heed our advice.  To know something and not do it, is really not knowing in the final analysis.  We can’t sit on the couch and quarterback.  We have to do.  Effective leadership requires that we walk our talk.  With a commitment to developing knowledge, skills and attitudes we create a habit of leadership, one of walking our talk, one of knowing, and of doing.

Commitment builds on the foundation of understanding our mission and values.  Effective leaders know where they are headed and why.  In order to assure success, leaders’ goals and objectives align with their mission and values.  Weekly activities are planned by focusing on mission and values, along with goals and objectives.  Our leadership compass of mission, values, goals, objectives and weekly plans should inform our daily activities.  Leading with commitment and clarity makes saying “no” to an activity that doesn’t match our leadership compass easy.  Or at least easier.

What does a leadership compass look like for a parent leader?  The combinations will be as varied as the number of people on this planet, but some common themes emerge: commitment to problem solving within a family and marriage; commitment to helping each family member uncover and pursue their interests and potential with the resources available; commitment to personal values of that may include respect for the individual, kindness, compassion, self-regulation, forgiveness, gratitude, appreciation of beauty and excellence, creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning,  courage, fairness and more.

Our challenge is to empower the whole person to do the whole job of self-leadership and management.  As we work with our children, this empowerment takes years to build with knowledge, skills and attitudes—work that we must commit to following through.

We can tell our children to make their beds.  But we must make our own in a cheerful manner.  We have to show our children how to make a bed, not once but seven times seven with an attitude of respect and dignity.  Our job is to raise adults, not children, and that is the reason we commit as parent leaders.

Next up in the series: Leaders lead

Part 1: The best test of leadership

Part 2: Leaders innovate

Part 3: Leaders grow

Part 4: Leaders listen

Part 5: Leaders respond

Part 6: Leaders have spirit

Part 7: Leaders have imagination

Read more from Maren Schmidt:

The best gift we can give our children

Children ain’t misbehavin’

Montessori teachers credo: to be a help to life

Ten little words that make all the difference

Written by Blue Ribbon News special contributor Maren Schmidt, Kids Talk ^TM deals with childhood development issues.  Schmidt founded a Montessori school and holds a Masters of Education from Loyola College in Maryland. She has more than 25 years experience working with children and holds teaching credentials from the Association Montessori Internationale. She is author of Building Cathedrals Not Walls: Essays for Parents and Teachers.  Contact her at maren_schmidt@me.com.  Copyright 2012.

 To submit your news and events or a guest column on your area of expertise, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.

  author, Kids Talk / Parenting by Maren Schmidt, Maren Schmidt, Montessori, parenting, parents as leaders