“Don’t wait for inspiration”
– John C. Maxwell
A pint of example is equal to a gallon of advice.
A pint of example is equal to a gallon of advice. This concept is essentially explaining how it is infinitely more helpful to lead by example than it is to give basic directions. A good way to think of it is playing a new board game for the first time. I know for me personally; I find it easier to play a “practice round” where I can learn the ins and outs of the board game in a real scenario similar to a real round. This exact same point swings back to our original concept, except in our case it relates to leadership. I think it is important to know this concept as a leader because for numerous people (myself included), it is incredibly easier to learn by watching someone do something than it is to learn when someone just tells you vaguely what to do. When planning adventure trips this year, it is important for grade tens to remember this because we need to give examples to grade nines. Last year the grade tens would show us their past go-gear lists, and how to make them so we could understand the most clearly. I found this extremely helpful so I’m going to try and use this concept this year with the current grade nines.
It is easier to teach what is right than to DO what is right.
Sometimes as leaders, we take the easy route. Who wouldn’t? However, the think to remember is that in all scenarios, it is easier to teach what is right than to DO what is right. This means that when you are teaching anyone how to do something, remember to show them how to do what is right. This includes but is not limited to, leading by example. Leading by example is a great way to show learners what is right and what is wrong. Another effective way of teaching this is to teach the kind of leadership that you as a leader use. This will give learners a representation of what it will look like in the real world, and they will begin to imitate it. This point is important to me because I personally find it easier to mimic someone’s behaviour when it comes to leadership. I found that when we were planning for the adventure trips and leadership projects last year that I started to lead how I saw the grade tens leading. I saw the things they did that were effective, and the things they did that did not seem to work for them. I took those observations into mind and was able to create my own leadership style based off of those. This will be useful when planning for adventure trips this year because it is the biggest opportunity the grade nines have where they get to really develop how their leadership style is. It gives them a chance to grow as leaders.
The Tour Guide Leader.
The tour guide leader takes people to their destination, rather than the travel guide leaders who send people to their destination. This is a metaphor that represents how a helpful leader will not only show people what to do but will be with them throughout that process. This way leaders can give advice and knowledge to learners as the event is happening. This is important to me because I know the feeling of essentially being pushed into something where it is such a new environment, without any previous knowledge of what its like. During the planning for leadership projects last year, the grade tens did not really give us enough information about what we would need to do or know while we were indeed on those trips. This caused a lot of confusion for myself and my fellow grade nines because for the most part we had no idea of what we were supposed to be doing. Regarding adventure trips, it is essential that my peers and I, as grade tens, be tour guide leaders for the grade nines (to the best of our ability and knowledge), because it is very important that they do know what to do during any TALONS events. Whether it is leading a group of people, or knowing how to pitch a tent, no learner should be on the trips without properly knowing what to do. It could lead to things like serious injuries, or people getting lost.
Learn more about John C. Maxwell here!