Here's What I'm Thinking

So here’s what I'm thinking…. I just wrote a book called Building Together: Collaborative Leadership in Early Childhood Systems. And after all that writing (because it was a 3 year process) I actually still want to write more. I know, crazy right?! Friends and colleagues say, “How do you do it?” because I’m a single parent, I work full-time and I run a household by myself.

But here’s the thing - my son is a teenager so he never comes out of his room unless he needs food. And the dog, well she’s content to go run around and bark at everything. So I’ve got some time on my hands.

And I keep thinking about leadership and collaboration. And then I read the news and see all that’s going on. These certainly are interesting times. It seems that leadership, and by leadership I mean actual leadership, with integrity, decency, honesty, and vision, or even just some inspiration and a bit of humor, is desperately needed to help us keep moving forward. So grab a cup of coffee, kick back, and join me from time to time as I ponder away.

Leadership and collaborative work aren’t always easy. But today more than ever, we need inspired leaders to continue to champion a better way forward. There are some complex challenges out there to work on.

We need strong leaders, effective leaders, and some who just are willing to jump up and take action to work for change. Leadership is about both action and knowledge. Some leaders inspire motivation to leap into action and take on the task. Other leaders possess great content knowledge to inform the task at hand.

Although some may come to this work with natural leadership qualities, the skills and abilities needed to lead successfully can be learned and strengthened over time. I think leadership skills grow over time and become more refined. My own leadership experience has been a journey of continually seeking out ways to make an impact and to effect change. And it has been a windy, up and down, and all over the place kind of road.

There is no one right way, but with so much at stake, just stepping up matters. Over the years, I’ve learned that collaboration is essential to progress. Building and maintaining relationships is crucial. Working together toward a common vision is truly more beneficial.

And leadership can be transformational because leaders don’t settle for the status quo but forge ahead toward what could be. So start dreaming and start leading!

#leadership #collaboration