Leaders Want Ideas

When I was 21 and doing a student placement year as part of my degree, I had an experience of leadership that told me: “Leaders want ideas”.

I had to write a project about my placement as part of my degree. I researched and wrote a detailed document all about the company.
 
My first great boss (and mentor) had a look, had me refine it, and told me he thought it was good.
 
He then gave it to the CEO…who set up a meeting with me.
 
I remember going to the meeting in his office feeling nervous.
 
Sitting down, I noticed how white the walls were…all the time the voice in my head was saying “I’m only a student…why does he want to meet with me?”
 
He told me that he read my document and thought it was well put together.
 
He then said, “You could have written the long-range plan for the company.”
 
I think I had the presence of mind to not let my jaw drop and remain professional and as I think back, I don’t remember much else from the meeting.
 
What stays with me was what he did next.
 
He photocopied my document and gave it to all the managers in the company.
 
Twenty-five years and one career-change later, I continually remind myself: “Leaders want ideas”.
 
When you find yourself saying things like…
’What new initiative are SMT doing now?’ ’Why do things keep changing – don’t SMT know how busy we are?’ or
_’What’s the point of that email when the real issue is abc?’
 
…I invite you to actively reframe it: “SMT in my school want ideas”.

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Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash