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“Like a rock thrown in a river, the words of a leader send a ripple effect throughout the organization .” – Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn

Leadership is a big job, and it matters how you get started! A leader will influence others to accomplish the mission. Leaders will need a comprehensive menu that defines the success of the team. A clear vision will provide accountability while also allowing team members to be creative in their approach to accomplish the goals. Here are some tools for getting started.

Keep your lid on.

When the InstaPot is sealed and allows the food to cook perfectly. Leaders keep their lid on by staying focused on the purpose and mission of the organization. Leaders are faced with many decisions and need to maintain a steady hand and calm temperament. High emotions may lead to poor decision making. To that point, leaders work to avoid making permanent solutions for temporary problems.

Implementing a problem-solving system that allows for objectivity and analysis will keep the organization sealed from chasing initiatives, projects, and ideas that do not fulfill the mission. Keeping the lid on by ensuring that all stakeholders know what the mission, vision, value, and goals are of the organization is key.

Make sure your inner pot is inserted.

Your inner leadership pot is your personal values. Values will aid in your development. Also, it is our own values that will help us to make the decision, especially the really tough choices. My personal values are often activated when needing to make the best decision regarding a student’s consequence for suspendable behaviors. I lean on my ultimate purpose, which is to help students grow and learn. Ensuring that I work with the student to help them understand that their poor decision is not who they are, it’s merely what they have done.

I value restorative practices, and to that point, my inner pot whenever possible strays away from suspension and leans into corrective action plans that help students double down in the areas in which improvement is needed. Values guide decision making and direct you toward your purpose. It is essential to have values and a good heart. Who wants to follow a leader who only looks out for themselves? Most of us want to work with leaders that do the right thing for the right reason. True leaders do the right thing when no one is looking and stick to the inner pot, which is to stand steadfast on their values.

Use a steamer basket.

Sometimes, depending on your secretary or supervisors to strain or steam topics before your grappling with them is helpful. Give yourself thinking time, be strategic and purposeful in your leadership. You shouldn’t hold yourself to one plan. Leave your options open.

Listen to people and keep your mind open to new ideas. As a leader, use discretion as to who and what is allowed your inner circle. Leadership requires you to listen to those around you, but be careful about permitting unnecessary information in meetings and discussions that will cloud your ability to act on the best behalf of the organization you lead.

Know your max.

The InstaPot has a max line in the inner pot. If you fill it past the max range, it will take the food longer to cook, and it may not cook all the way through. As a leader, you need to know your max line.

When is enough, enough?

You need to know when to say yes and no. When you recognize your max range, you are poised to set boundaries. The team that you work with needs to know what things are tight and what is loose. Have you explained to your organization, what is negotiable, and what is not negotiable?

Don’t forget the water.

Leadership is complex in nature.

It is focused on being proactive and positive while understanding that team development is what will establish a solid foundation for sustaining a learning organization. Acknowledging the efforts of the team is also a vital function of the leader. The leader must commit to celebrating the success of individuals and groups that do their part to create whole system reform.

When done effectively, the celebration will be specific to what team members need to hold accountable for. Like every InstaPot needs water, leaders and their teams need encouragement. Encouragement turns the energy on. Ongoing support is the water every person needs to cook their dreams. What is the most important leadership quality? Hands-down it is the ability to motivate others to be their best selves and to get work done. Think about it, all else could go right with your InstaPot recipe, but without water, your meal is going to be awful.

Cultivate a culture of purpose.

In short, cultivate a culture in which people enjoy cooking up the organization’s mission together and encouraging one another. Leaders make mistakes because it is part of the learning process, but keep striving toward your goals. There will be people who want to help you; let them help. It’s okay to reach out to others to help you get the job done.

By any means necessary, stay encouraged because you can’t get done unless you get started.

A Recipe for Your InstaPot