Student Leadership – in the direction it needs to GO!

I read this quote in the internet by Mahatma Gandhi “Be the change that you wish to see in the world” which made me think about today’s work with my student councils on the 12th Student Council Investiture next Monday.

This morning the student councilors, having accomplished a goal which may seemed a bit overwhelming as a task to take on during a single day in their capacity especially the new SC EXCO, but today at least, I saw their determination and effort in trying to be the change they want to see as AI student councilors. In other words, if there were distrust and low morale, today they showed to me by extending trust through teamwork and cooperation. If the student councilors suffered from lack of energy, their focused in all of their runs and re-runs reflect heightened energy which came out from within them.

Whatever it is, I felt in the environment, a renew sense of trust and heightened morale. I too was influenced by them and this was reflected in my attitude and interactions with the student councilors today.

One thing that I learnt from today was that although I won't be able to effect a significant change in a single day, but I am sure to say that with the trust and energy showed by the student councilors, I will definitely discover a way to start taking in the direction that the student leadership unit needs to go!

Encouraging the Heart of Our Student Leadership!

The recently conducted focused school climate survey study reported our student councilors see themselves existed to serve the student body and the school. If leadership is rooted in service, then service is rooted in encouragement. There is then a need for our school leaders and us teachers to help unlock the strengths and passion of our student leaders through encouragement. Our student leaders need to be reminded that they are worthy and capable, instead of being “blasted” by teachers at every opportunity! There are so many in the school that needs our student leaders! The school and teachers need their help to reach their purpose. Hence, I believe that these student leaders need to be encouraged by words of inspiration and conversation of hope. As long as we want good student leaders, we have to take care of them. They need to be told they have potential. They also need support when they falter, and assurance that they can make the next step.

I see a major part of my role as middle manager in charge of student leadership development involves encouraging and inspiring my student leaders so that they are transformed into achieving higher levels of motivation and character. In addition, through my belief in them, my encouragement to bring the best in them and my reminder that they are capable, I hope that our student leaders are able to uncover their unique leadership potential so as to achieve great accomplishment. For if there is not hope, inspiration and constant encouragement, those accomplishments present or future of our student leaders may never have taken place.

A version of Mastery – From good to great!

Two weeks ago I was part of an interview panel with my school leader and came upon this magic key which I now believe will take people from good to great. The magic key to greatest is doing something counterintuitive and pursuing the “challenging part” of my work.

Most people don’t want to do that. They want to focus on the easy (and soft) part of their work. But I realized that it helps more to focus on the hard part. To find out what is hard and do more of it. Not less.

Most of us avoid what is hard. Unless there is true commitment to being great – then it changes. Then we seek what is hard!

Most of us do the opposite. We want to know our strengths so that we then relax in them. Hide out in them. Just look at those of us who have the same roles and responsibilities in the school doing the same tasks for many years. That is why the saying is true that what we are good at is exactly what is keeping us from being great.

Many have written about the subject of mastery, and in his book ‘Drive’ author Daniel H. Pink asserts that mastery is a pain and demands effort, grit and deliberate practice.

My experience this year in my new leadership role, I myself have worked up sort of a version of how to master something – How to get great at doing something.

But first, consider these questions: If you have two students and one enjoys reading books and one does not, which one will be a fluent reader? Or you have two boys and one enjoys playing the piano, really enjoy sitting down to play the piano! The other plays the piano just to earn the certificate. Who will, in later life, be better at playing the piano? I believe we all know the answers to these questions.

Hence, I see the path of mastery is through enjoyment.

And so, how do we learn to enjoy something we hate to do?

Well, first of all, decide whether you really want to take it on. You can’t master everything. You have to choose. Given the nature of our teaching profession, what skills do we want to master? Would it serve our purpose as teachers to master this?

If the answer is yes, then proceed on! It is then time to go through the stages of mastery, which involves fear, hate, starting to like and finally love.

Fear is when I am afraid and scared to try it. Let’s say I am given a new role which is way outside my comfort zone. First, I am afraid as learning anything new is potentially damaging to our self-esteem. It scares us as now we are no longer in control. Of course, there are some would rather give up than change as this represents real change. So, stage one is fear.

Stage two is hate. I hate this! I have tried this new role and I hate the many responsibilities that come with the role. Hating doing something is step two on the path of mastery!

Stage three is neutral. I having been putting up with this for some time now, I am okay with this. I can take it or leave it.

Stage four is starting to like it. I am starting to like my new role with its responsibilities!

Stage five is love. I love taking on my new role. When I am taking on this role, I am absolutely unaware of the passage of time.

Five stages, each one feeling much better than the one before. So, how would we need to do to progress through these stages? Well, I found that it is by doing the “hard part”. The more I work on it, the more I like it. The more I like it, the more I do it – either or is true, and it does not matter which is first.

But any of the stages can be interrupted by our mindset. Consider if in stage one, and I am feeling fear and might just say to myself that I am too scared to even try taking on the new role. Or if I am stage two where I hate taking on the many responsibilities and just exit. Or at stage three, having put up with this role for some time now, I am now indifferent to it!

Hence, to truly master something, it is important not only to know what stage we are progressing but also not to freeze at any stage by negative mindset. Mastery is a mindset which is best achieved with continuous effort, grit and deliberate practice moving from good to great.

Secret of Success

What is the real secret of success? Well, I would think is the real secret of success is being enthusiastic. Yes, more than enthusiastic – excitement. When people get really excited, they make success of their lives.

There are also people who just wait for excitement to happen. They take a waiting approaching. For something. For someone. They sit staring at all that is around them, waiting for some factor outside of themselves to call to them and get them excited. Someday help will come remind and guide me professionally. Some good fortune will turn the school around. Some lucky event will enable my student leaders excel. My department might give me something interesting to work on.

I personally don’t think real excitement works that way. Real excitement is an inner “thing”. It starts inside me, not from outside. People released from confinement get excited about seeing the outside world. People who find a new job get excited just driving to work on the first day. Just driving to work excites them! Hence, their excitement is created by how they see things. And how they see things depends on the lens they are wearing.

Just last month in July, when the annual haze previously just a mild annoyance, climbed to record levels causing panic across our country. As the haze worsened, anti-pollutant masks and air purifiers were in short supply. Fellow Singaporeans, in groups or as individuals, many of them younger people, got excited and extended their help by giving out their own supplies of masks to family, friends and strangers. Groups such as Project Awareness, SG Haze Rescue, the Halogen Foundation and several others also began to distribute masks to senior citizens and less privileged individuals.

But there were others, like shops taking advantage of the opportunity to charge overly high prices for masks which suddenly is now the most desired. Another group of people who buys in excess which created shortages of masks. There were also people who exploited the situation to start rumours over the Internet and SMS which added on the panic.

The first situation created in my mind of the people an inspired life that served them. Whether a wind is good or bad blowing has more to do with how we react than the weather itself. Two choices were at play when the haze worsen and there were also two responses, one was with unkindness and ungraciousness, feeling ill-intent and acted with poor judgement. And the other who got excited about it and choose to act for the common good, showing kindness and graciousness. And using the excitement to turn all our lives around.