This summer will mark seven years since I launched my first blog post as part of what was then a new blog, Learning Leadership. At that time I was a relatively new Principal, curious about the connections between learning and leadership. As an educator, a husband, and a dad, I've made plenty of mistakes along my journey. And, I've remained committed to a process of reflection, growth, and improvement in (and eventually out) of a global pandemic. Serving as Principal in a pandemic has drawn my attention to the importance of and delicate balance between leadership and management in an organization.
Writing is something I've always enjoyed. As a kid, I was captivated by words and ideas, and how when woven together in just the right way, they create meaning. Throughout my youth, I explored reading various genres and writing in various formats. Then, as a teacher and eventually, a school administrator, my writing consisted mostly of "work writing", in the form of report card narratives and observation reports. So five years into being a Principal seemed like the perfect opportunity to rediscover my voice, so I started a blog.
Around this same time, Twitter caught my attention. It was a unique platform, ranging somewhere between a learning tool to a community space for me. My openness to learn and my thoughts and ideas were welcomed. Through blogging, I'd found that I was able to unpack and process my thoughts, embracing vulnerability along the way. My blogs, open and honest ventures, often connected to a larger theme I was learning about or trying to figure out. Maybe best of all, I wasn't alone, in fact, there were lots of other people across the globe, I found, who used the space in very much the same way. No agenda other than to learn, together.
Those days, there were times when I was writing for others, but mostly, I wrote for myself. I found that through the writing process, while consuming (and sometimes all-consuming), Helping myself left me better equipped to help others, day-to-day.
Not sure why, but I rarely, if ever go back and reread or re-post old blog posts I've written. And I also rarely reflect on the title of my blog, Learning Leadership. But I do often vividly remember what I've learned. Thinking back to what I thought I knew, about myself, my role, and my place in the world, I can thoroughly appreciate how much I've grown through the years, as a person.
Moving forward, the blog theme may change a bit, because, after all, I'm changing.
Like the baseball field that is left to overgrow, a visit to my blog will reveal a need for some maintenance, some attention, some TLC. There's a lot that's happened and is happening in the world since I've published my last few posts. And while I've written with various degrees of consistency over the years, while I can also admit, "I've been busy doing the work", and "too busy to write about it", I must also confess, that's a bit lazy and a cop-out. We're never be too busy to learn and give.
Writing is something I need to do. I need to publish more regularly.
And while I commit to do it for myself, if choose to hit, "Publish", and one person reads what I've written, and is moved to think, learn, or lead differently, then it was worth it. Maybe I could use a little help with that.
So I'm going to start writing again. Sometimes I'll save it as a draft, read it the next day, and click delete. And other times, I'll publish it.
So for what it's worth, I'm back. And if you're willing to read and to engage with me, I'm here for it. Maybe I'll share something that resonates, matches something you're learning about, or moves you to action. If that happens, let me know, so we can struggle, grow, progress, and maybe even thrive together.
I'm still and always will be learning leadership.
Looking forward to learning, together...again.