Even in death, Ben Franklin still manages to pass along wonderful insights and lessons. I was the lucky recipient of his latest lesson. My oldest son, Blake, was given an assignment in his 3rd grade class. He had to read a biography and then create a poster that would answer a series of questions about that person. Blake picked Ben Franklin because he knew that Ben was a prominent figure in nearby Philadelphia. Blake picked a book from the library and proceeded to read it so he could get started on his project.
I looked over the requirements of the project and thought, “Wow! This is a really cool project. There is so much that we can do to make this the best project EVER!” I must admit, I love these elementary school projects and if I had to do them, they would totally rock…Anyway, after Blake read his book he thought we should go to the Franklin Institute where we could learn even more about Ben and see firsthand some of the items he possessed. So, we spent the day at the Franklin Institute where Blake took some time to take notes in his notebook and take pictures of some of Ben’s personal effects. During this excursion, I started to formulate what I thought the project should look like and what Blake should include on his poster. I told Blake he should write about how Ben Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence or was the first Governor of Pennsylvania. Blake wasn’t interested in those facts. As he was taking a picture of Ben’s tea set, I tried to push him to take a picture of the bifocals Ben invented. Clearly, Blake wasn’t doing what I suggested he do.
After all the data was gathered and all the pictures were developed, it was time to create and assemble the poster. I sat down with Blake and lined out what I thought we should do. He interrupted me as politely as he could and said, “Mommo, this is my project.” To say I was a little offended would be an understatement. I mean, I was just trying to help! I wondered if the project would be as good if I wasn’t involved. So, I left Blake on his own to complete his project. I provided help when he absolutely needed it or asked for it. There were times he asked my opinion and I provided it but Blake was basically on his own. When he was finally done, Blake excitedly called us over so we could see the finished project. I was speechless. It really was quite good. Looking at the poster, I was absolutely certain that Blake’s project was much better than any poster I could have created. As he beamed with pride and a sense of accomplishment rushed over him, he asked that I take a picture of him and his project so I could show the “world” on facebook. He was proud of himself and he should have been. I think Ben Franklin would have been proud of Blake’s project but I am pretty certain that no one was as proud as me at that moment.
So, what did I learn from a 3rd grader and Ben Franklin?
LIFE’S LITTLE LEADERSHIP LESSONS
1. Leaders give others the opportunity to develop and grow. It would not have benefitted Blake in any way if I gave him all of my ideas because what would he have learned? He would have learned to rely on others for ideas and not believed in his own abilities. It was amazing for me to watch him light up when he came up with different ideas. It was even more amazing for me to watch his initial ideas develop and blossom into something amazing from that initial, single thought. This gave Blake confidence and allowed him to try different things (some which did not work) until he got it the way he wanted. A true learning experience for him and for me. Give people the time and space to grow. Remember, it is not always about you!
2. Leaders dare to do things differently. Most people follow the rules and that generally works well for society. It does not set people apart from others or change the world, however. Those who dare to think differently and do things differently are the ones who typically leave an impression on others. Blake didn’t change the world by doing research at the Franklin Institute. What he did do was have the courage and confidence to challenge himself to do something outside of what he believed to be the rules (the instructions to the project). He simply looked at the directions a little differently and followed his gut.
3. Leaders take a moment to recognize their successes. Blake was very proud of what he accomplished because he did it on his own. He did not have to rely on me or anyone else to get it done. He was proud of the work he did and felt a great way to celebrate that success was to post his picture with the project on my facebook page. Acknowledging one's success helps build self-confidence so it should be done as often as possible. Leaders should also recognize that there is nothing wrong with patting themselves on the back.
APPLYING LIFE’S LITTLE LEADERSHIP LESSONS IN YOUR LIFE
- How might you be stifling or preventing those around you from realizing their full potential? Why do you do this? What can you do differently?
- Commit to yourself that you will look at one thing differently this week. Approach it differently by challenging your typical ways of thinking and don’t allow yourself to do what is comfortable or what you would typically do.
- Reflect on a recent success. How did you handle your success? Why were you successful? How do you feel about your success? What can you continue to do to be successful in the future?
Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
~Ben Franklin~
Lo - wow, you must continue to observe and share. I am inspired by your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteSteve