The Strength within Me
I often find the question, “What do you define as your strengths?, an interesting question when being interviewed, and I will admit, I often answer truthfully and honestly that my strengths involve my commitment and dedication to whatever I set my mind to and whatever I value as a person, educator, and leader. Upon viewing my results for the StrengthsFinder report, I was not shaken by what I learned; more so, I felt and feel reaffirmed in that what I value as strengths in others is exactly what I embody as strengths myself.
I find the fact that my colleagues whom I have developed close relationships with in the short amount of time we have physically spent together during our coursework for the Summer Principal’s Academy recognize that the strengths of Winning Others Over (WOO), Communication, Restorative, Achiever, and Belief describe the person they see me to be on a daily basis. I find that my WOO strength to be surprising as my top theme, but after reflection I see that I may be a closet WOOer. I am not as outspoken as my fellow WOOers in the class, but I do see how the characteristics of wanting to make others feel comfortable and wanting to build relationships with people I find interesting epitomize how I approach new people and old friends. Interestingly with all that we have experienced as far as testing ourselves to see the true leaders we are, this StregthsFinder test reinforces all of the other coursework. For example, as far as being a transactional/transformational leader in our Decision-Making course with Dr. Richards, I realize that the Achiever and Restorative strengths in me lend myself to my transactional daily style of wanting to have agendas and solve problems that come into view, yet the Belief and Communication Strengths lead me to spread my vision and mission so that all stakeholders understand where I am coming from. Through Ellie Drago-Severson’s course we learned about the Instrumental, Socializing, and Self-Authoring Knower, and although many of my colleagues would categorize themselves as Self-Authoring Knowers because they feel that there is a hierarchy to learning styles, I have always known that I was a Socializing Knower. My top themes of being a WOOer, Communicative, and Achieving person all represent the validation and people focused learning I embody in everything I do. In Dr. Robin Stern’s Emotional Competency course I learned that I needed to focus on understanding my worth and how I have a positive effect on others impacting what they do without realizing that I do have power over others. This to me would categorize the most surprising realization of self in that the reason I have scored myself so low during my ECI questionnaire deals with my heritage as a Mexican-American woman raised with the beliefs that I am to be humble and never boastful of what I can do and who I am; therefore, the realization that the strength of Belief grounds me in core values that are unchanging ring true to who I view myself culturally. And most recently through Professor Maltbia’s NBI results, I find a strong connection in that I scored highest in the L2 Preserver/ Organizer realm where these results coincide with the Achiever/Belief Strength. These test results coincide in that they both represent that I have strength in traditions and “practice that are followed and respected” and that I “prefer to plan, organize and arrange things”. Even as I type this report, I amazed at all that I have learned about myself intellectually, emotionally, socially, and independently.
Currently in our Ethics/Law coursework, we have been engaged in reading a book titled Defining Moments by Joseph L. Badaracco, and I see the results of the Stregthsfinder assessment to be my defining moment as an emerging leader. The epiphany which has consumed my mind for the last week stems from the realization that I now understand what Dr. Richards has been asking of us as leaders. We must embody the self-awareness and reflective practices we are being taught so that we understand how to deal with ourselves emotionally and how to deal with others socially and intellectually. As leaders of schools, it is to the detriment of our success that we understand our limitations as well as our visionary dreams so that we understand how and when to use the resources surrounding our schools.
Understanding these principle strengths, I envision an administrative staff who will play to my strengths and my weaknesses as we work together to build a cohesive team of leaders who will serve the community of students we serve. I envision a staff that must be understanding yet challenging to each other in developing the whole child and developing each other as well. I envision developing hiring committees who embody different strengths in aiding me in developing the faculty and staff of the school I will spearhead so that we can work together to find the most suitable teachers and staff to work with the students we represent leaving no stone unturned. I envision guiding leaders in delegation and asking others for guidance where I may not be able to complete tasks or a task may not play to one of my strengths; I need to understand that asking others for aid fosters the leader in them as well as meets the need for managing and leading a school.
All in all, finding and discovering my strengths leads me to understand why I am a leader in education. My business involves the business of people. My strengths show that the choice I made for myself in education was a choice I made for people. And in regards to resource allocation, I have found where my strengths needed to be utilized… in the forefront…as the leader…as the strong leader I am.
1 comment:
Hi denise.. u got a very nice post.like it.
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