During morning walkabout today, a child stops me:

• Child:  Mrs. Van, are walkin’bout now?
• Me:  Yes!  Please tell me what’s going on in your work today.
• Child:  Well…I’m leading with strength first!  🙂

What a powerful start to my day!  This simple interaction reminded me of an even more simple truth in learning and in life.  Here’s a little story to better illustrate my point (for all you sports fans): 

Vince Lombardi once hosted a four-day football clinic for coaches and devoted two full days to just one play, the Power Sweep.  If you know football history, Coach Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers won five league championships, including the first two Super Bowl Games because of that one play (see, St. Michael, I DO listen to your football lessons!).  Everyone, including Green Bay’s competitors, knew the Power Sweep was coming, and yet, they still couldn’t stop it.  Coach and his team developed a strength that became an unstoppable force of positive momentum, and they led with this strength every time.

Ask yourself these questions:  What are your strengths?  What do you do best?  Where can you be the strongest?  Teachers must be masters of not only their own strengths but 22+ others as well.  Focusing energy and practice, mastering fundamentals, and developing individual strengths creates a classroom culture of personal excellence.  The more time we spend developing and leading with our strengths, the more each person becomes successful in them.  We tell learners all the time we don’t need an average campus or an average “you;” we need the best you…and when you lead with your strength, you share your best always.  May we never forget the power of one simple, clear truth:  lead with your strength!  🙂

Note:  Speaking of strength, Hanz and Franz are reminding us of the POWER of Miller this week on Thursday.  Lead with your strength as we work together and have great fun sweating for change!