Palmer Trinity School

22 W W W. PA L M E R T R I N I T Y. O R G LAST SUMMER I ATTENDED THE GCLI (GARDNER CARNEY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE) CONFERENCE, WHERE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY ENGAGE IN THE STUDY OF LEADERSHIP. roughout the conference, I gained a far better understanding of my own leadership style, a keen awareness that the boundaries between leaders and followers are porous, and a certainty that those who serve in either role are more effective when they are allowed to shift freely between the two. By participating in the conference, I realized how imperative it is to teach our students the skills of leadership and to create authentic venues for the students to develop those skills. My first lesson in leadership began as most powerful learning begins: with a look inward. I was required to ask a supervisor, two peers, and one student for an evaluation of me as a leader. I took a leap of faith and asked two colleagues whom I respect, but sense are not always pleased with my leadership style. Yet, I knew that if I wanted to gain the most from the conference, I needed to request feedback from those who would assess me without sparing my feelings. My risk paid off. e evaluators felt valued and encouraged me to ask other administrators to follow suit. I learned that the simple gesture of asking for feedback showed leadership and trust in myself and in my colleagues. It may have shown a healthy balance of confidence and humility. By reading the evaluations at the conference, I also learned much about the colleagues who wrote them. ey were genuine and thoughtful. Also, they noted aspects of my leadership that I hardly appreciated and they offered helpful, constructive criticism. I value their opinions and the brave step they took to communicate with me. is exercise gave me significant pause; it forced me to reflect on the ways I may have been leading as well as the ways in which I would navigate those relationships moving forward. e second most helpful exercise of the lab was participation in the Consultation Model. In this exercise, we explored a multifaceted administrative challenge that one member chose to share with the group. We were tasked with focusing on the process of finding a solution, not the solution itself. I quickly found that using the word 'process' and actually engaging in the process are two very different activities. I think most participants shared my sense of frustration. Initially, each of us thought BY A DRI A NN A T RU BY, ACA DEMIC DE A N LESSONS IN LE ADERSHIP

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