separate THE BIG stones from the small ones.
I am working part-time in the Institute of Educational Leadership in Jyväskylä University. Last weekend we brainstormed with 50 principal trainee, what kind on abilities leaders, principals and teachers should have in the future. Every group found out, that future headmasters should be firstly human and have a heart of gold.
"Before you can lead others you must lead yourself"
Leaders of the future know well themselves.They are aware about their feelings and thoughts, because feelings are power and energy.
Good leaders accept all their feelings and use it for good.
Our group talked a lot about Mindfullness -thinking and "downshifting". Mindfulness means that people are living "more" in present. They don't think or live in past or in future.Their most important moment is right now. Like ancient Romans think : " Carpe Diem" - mindfulness thinkers do the same. They find that their most important person is standing in front of them. So we should concentrate people we are dealing now. You notice easily, if another person is somewhere else during conversation.
Don't hurry, take it easy...
Another note was, that every group wanted slow down their working life. We can do this "slow life" for example breathing, walking or eating more slowly during work day. This kind of thinking will confirm your presence at work. And it will help us to find and see positive "forces" around us. Throught this method we encourage positive and creative attitude.It is simply and easy, we think.Our principal traineers are very motivated and clever thinkers. This "we" generation want leaders to be :
- principal as an mirror of the school
- servant and coach
- understand the meaning of silence
- break rutines
- good in dialogue
- understand the power of word and stories
- think out of the box
