Becoming A Leader - An Emerging Leader Fellow at American Montessori Society

Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It's precisely that simple, and it's also that difficult (Warren Bennis).

Taking the AMS Curriculum Coaching Academy (Cohort 1) this past year was a humbling exercise in reflection. The course, designed as a spiral curriculum, allowed me to revisit my strengths and areas for 

Teaching is a profession that demands you pull your insides out and, at times, push your outside in. This is especially true when working with children, who have the uncanny ability to see right through any cloaks of inauthenticity, whether worn intentionally or unintentionally. And yet, being authentic around children often comes more naturally than it does with adults. 

Reflecting on my experience as a Montessori guide versus a Montessori leader, I realize that the audience plays a major role in determining where I need to grow. I’m discovering that this shift in audience sometimes creates disconnects, presenting challenges. One group is effortless to guide, while the other feels like hard work.

Reflecting on the statements in the prompt I’ve realized the constant need for self-work. One of the unexpected benefits of the pandemic was the time it gave me to reflect on how I could grow to eventually take on a larger leadership role in a Montessori school. My trajectory was redirected in ways I hadn’t planned, but five years later, I am starting to realize my leadership goals with more success. However, it wasn’t my authenticity that helped me get there—it was a focus on becoming more specialized. In fact, my authentic self—six feet of boisterous, outgoing energy—was too much for those in positions of power to handle. I had to tone myself down. This isn’t a call for psychological intervention, but an understanding of the audience I needed to reach. The playful, exuberant me wasn’t winning over the power brokers the way it won over my captive audience of students. So, I had to dig deeper, often pulling back from the fullness of my personality. I had to try less hard. This approach, though unconventional, worked for me. I stepped back, found a need in my school, and offered to fill it. I simply asked if I could be a coach. And it worked.

 The clarity and confidence I gained from that work helped me apply for the position of ELF. I felt the prepared adult in me was ready for the next level. After completing that course, I felt scrubbed down and rebuilt in a spiraling process. I had done the work, and I was ready to “bust out,” as my students like to say.

One area I’ll continue to work on is becoming a better listener. I also recognize that sometimes less is more. Don’t worry—I have no intention of becoming a shrinking violet. However, I plan to approach things with a new confidence, rooted in compassion and knowledge, understanding that listening to those you lead before rushing to change the world might reveal that you’re already on the right track and it’s time to enjoy the ride.