What is the purpose of a box?

Response- to hold something; to organize; to store similar things.

Response- Normally to hold something, but… to create; to innovate; to look beyond its original purpose.

How do you see a box?

I want you to think about the most powerful book you have read, the most inspirational mentor you have had, the coach who believed in your potential… What do these have in common? A leader who saw beyond the normal.

The Box

When I refer to “the box,” I am not necessarily speaking of a cardboard box… the four walls that surround you, the car that you drive to work, the house you live in… all confined areas. These areas are our comfort zones; they are our normal. In these areas, we limit the connections we can have with others, the amount of potential we have, the challenges we face and tackle, and the opportunities for professional growth.

Leadership

As a classroom teacher, I always thought of my kiddos being an individual with individual needs. Educators are no different. Leaders- I am challenging you to reach out and support educators who are already working outside of the box, who are hesitant of going beyond the box, or who are satisfied within the box.

The Outsiders

We need you to…

• Trust us: from the decisions we make to letting us lead
• Support us: from the crazy ideas to the challenges we may face
• Mentor us: from reflecting on choices to sparking our curiosities

What we DO NOT need is a BOSS! We need a TRAVEL PARTNER!

We are beyond poking the box… we are breaking down walls!

The Hesitant

We need you to…

• Push us: from leadership opportunities to making sure we have access to our needs
• Build Confidence: from helping us up when we fail to calming our fears
• Believe in us: from having hope that we will make smart choices to actions showing that you believe

What we DO NOT need is a BOSS! We need a MOTIVATOR!

We are poking the box, but need to be breaking down the walls!

The Satisfied

We need you to…

• Challenge us: from giving us roles to empowering us with mentors
• Be transparent: from honest conversations to modeling the extraordinary
• Be a giver: from exposing us to professional development to creating time with our peers.

What we DO NOT need is a BOSS! We need a COACH!

We are stuck inside the box, but need to be poking the box!

Change is difficult. Change is often challenged. Change is not welcome.

However, change is imperative to give our future the success they deserve.

Leaders— I must leave you with this thought…

“It’s not time,” “Take it easy,” “Wait and see,” “It’s someone else’s turn” – none of these stalls are appropriate for a leader in search of change. There’s a small price for being too early, but a huge penalty for being too late. The longer you wait to launch an innovation, the less your effort is worth.”

― Seth Godin, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

What are you doing to empower your educators to escape “The Box?”