“I’m a teacher at heart. As such, it is impossible for me to imagine not sharing what we’ve learned.”
Jim Collins, “Good to Great”
It’s time for a major shift in leadership. A shift in how we see ourselves. Because of your position on a team or in an organization, you’ve been blessed with access to information and developed expertise in an area that few others have. The shift is to not view yourself as expert, but as teacher with an important message and information to share and to view those you are leading as students. An expert stands on a pedestal and decides what information to share and what to withhold. A teacher stands among her pupils and the only limit on what she shares is time. An expert asks the question, “How do I get my audience to me?” A teacher asks “How can I bring my message to them?” Whether you are naturally a teacher at heart like Jim Collins or not, begin to shift today from expert to teacher and put yourself in a position to share what you’ve learned. As you make this shift, a shift will happen in those you lead. They will begin to see themselves as students. This opens up a level of influence you haven’t experienced before.
- What situation today can you fill the role of teacher?
- What parts of your ego do you need to let go of to shift into the role of teacher?