LeaderVision
“Uplifted souls are essential to this work we do in planting and cultivating seeds in children.”
It’s time to get up and make final preparations for the faculty meeting. I’m lying here after having several days to absorb the latest bad news and trying to figure out how to play the role I need to play at the beginning of a new semester. Leading is always difficult, but leading in the midst of turmoil-laden times, when, with each week, yet another stone is added to the pile of a load that is already too heavy to bear, is especially taxing. How do I determine which truths to dilute, which to withhold, and which to divulge? That is likely a question that every thoughtful leader ponders at various points in any given year. To strike a balance between transparency and protection is challenging, and while there certainly are leaders who live by the mantra of full disclosure no matter the bitterness of the medicine, I choose to be more cautious. The late great Emily Dickinson advised us to “tell all the truth but tell it slant” – controversial but wise advice, at times, for leaders. While I would never lie to my faculty and staff, I must practice the art of restraint and use the gift of discernment in determining that which will feed and that which will kill souls. And uplifted souls are essential to this work we do in planting and cultivating seeds in children.
My husband and I watched the first two episodes of the new Marvel series WandaVision this weekend. In it, the two characters who brought romance to the Avengers movie series, are living in what is appearing to be an alternate reality. They try desperately to fit in and act normal, despite knowing they’re both superheroes who do not belong (future blog post brewing, so stay tuned). At this point in the series, things are gradually revealing themselves to be out of whack, yet Wanda and Vision are trying to maintain as normal a facade as possible. Leaders know a thing or two about aiming for calm and normalcy in turbulent and challenging times. As much as possible, we work to maintain order and motivation amongst our faculty and staff, even if that means bearing the emotional brunt of the forces that seem to be working against us.
So, in approximately eleven minutes, I will tuck my cape under my dress and assemble the right words for this thing. When I am done, I intend to leave everyone at least as happy and whole as they were when they came, so that we are all ready to pour ourselves into this thing we love once classes begin.
by Catayah Clark
