My Fleep:
New Age
New Age
The Truth About Great Teachers and Leaders.
"If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house
of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of
your own mind." Kahlil Gibran
All of us are sometimes in the role of a teacher or leader.
We also are in the role of student or learner at different
times. Usually the better the student a person is, the
better teacher and leader he or she can become. As
teachers, we frequently will emphasize those lessons we
want or need to know. Many times as teachers we will learn
more than our students.
When we are in the role of teacher, we have an opportunity
to give something back to others. We have the opportunity
to pass on the lessons which were taught to us by our
teachers. It is an opportunity to positively or negatively
influence others. A teacher's influence can be powerful and
long lasting. Henry Adams believed that,"A teacher affects
eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
This is why we have a responsibility to be good examples of
what we are teaching and to respect the worth and dignity
of our students. The way we perceive our students or
employees, and the expectations we have for them, often has
a greater effect than the lessons we are teaching. Our
vision of their potential can have a transformational
effect on the students as this mental picture is
transferred to their minds. Do we see them as worthwhile
human beings with the potential to learn and succeed? If
so, their chances of success are greater.
Studies have been conducted in the schools that demonstrate
that a teacher's expectations influence his or her pupil's
performance. There are examples in which teachers were told
that one group of students were the smart ones and another
group were the dumb ones, when both groups were actually of
similar intelligence. The students performed according to
the preconceptions and expectations of their teachers. The
students who were considered the smart ones performed
significantly better than the group who had been labeled as
unintelligent. The teachers had verbally and nonverbally
communicated their expectations to the students who
performed accordingly. Students will usually rise to the
level of the teacher's expectations. All that I am saying
about the teacher student relationship is meant to include
the supervisor employee relationship.
When we are in the role of a leader teacher, whether as a
parent, minister, employer, mentor, or friend, who we are
is even more important than what we say. We always radiate
who we are, and the more we develop ourselves, the greater
will be our influence. This is why continuous personal,
professional, and spiritual growth is so important. Our
level of inner development determines the impact we have on
others. We must live what we are teaching in order to speak
with the deep conviction which will influence others. There
needs to be congruency between who we are and what we say
and do. If I am a supervisor who is consistently late for
work and I emphasize to my employees the importance of
being on time, what effect can I expect from my words? My
exhortations would lack power.
In our role as students and employees, we can strive for
quality education or training, and be receptive to the
lessons being provided by our teachers and leaders. In our
role as teachers and leaders, we can nurture the seeds of
greatness within our students and employees, and bring out
the best that is in them. Helping the learner to unfold his
or her potential is education and leadership in the truest
sense and teaching at its best.
Copyright 2007 Raymond Gerson.
----------------------------------------------------
Raymond Gerson has over 40 years of experience coaching and
teaching career and self-development. He also teaches
college success strategy courses. He is the author of five
books including, Create the Life You Want. Two of his
e-books, How to Create the Job You Want and Effective Job
Search Strategies are available on his web site as free
gifts. Go to:
http://www.raymondgerson.com
"If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house
of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of
your own mind." Kahlil Gibran
All of us are sometimes in the role of a teacher or leader.
We also are in the role of student or learner at different
times. Usually the better the student a person is, the
better teacher and leader he or she can become. As
teachers, we frequently will emphasize those lessons we
want or need to know. Many times as teachers we will learn
more than our students.
When we are in the role of teacher, we have an opportunity
to give something back to others. We have the opportunity
to pass on the lessons which were taught to us by our
teachers. It is an opportunity to positively or negatively
influence others. A teacher's influence can be powerful and
long lasting. Henry Adams believed that,"A teacher affects
eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
This is why we have a responsibility to be good examples of
what we are teaching and to respect the worth and dignity
of our students. The way we perceive our students or
employees, and the expectations we have for them, often has
a greater effect than the lessons we are teaching. Our
vision of their potential can have a transformational
effect on the students as this mental picture is
transferred to their minds. Do we see them as worthwhile
human beings with the potential to learn and succeed? If
so, their chances of success are greater.
Studies have been conducted in the schools that demonstrate
that a teacher's expectations influence his or her pupil's
performance. There are examples in which teachers were told
that one group of students were the smart ones and another
group were the dumb ones, when both groups were actually of
similar intelligence. The students performed according to
the preconceptions and expectations of their teachers. The
students who were considered the smart ones performed
significantly better than the group who had been labeled as
unintelligent. The teachers had verbally and nonverbally
communicated their expectations to the students who
performed accordingly. Students will usually rise to the
level of the teacher's expectations. All that I am saying
about the teacher student relationship is meant to include
the supervisor employee relationship.
When we are in the role of a leader teacher, whether as a
parent, minister, employer, mentor, or friend, who we are
is even more important than what we say. We always radiate
who we are, and the more we develop ourselves, the greater
will be our influence. This is why continuous personal,
professional, and spiritual growth is so important. Our
level of inner development determines the impact we have on
others. We must live what we are teaching in order to speak
with the deep conviction which will influence others. There
needs to be congruency between who we are and what we say
and do. If I am a supervisor who is consistently late for
work and I emphasize to my employees the importance of
being on time, what effect can I expect from my words? My
exhortations would lack power.
In our role as students and employees, we can strive for
quality education or training, and be receptive to the
lessons being provided by our teachers and leaders. In our
role as teachers and leaders, we can nurture the seeds of
greatness within our students and employees, and bring out
the best that is in them. Helping the learner to unfold his
or her potential is education and leadership in the truest
sense and teaching at its best.
Copyright 2007 Raymond Gerson.
----------------------------------------------------
Raymond Gerson has over 40 years of experience coaching and
teaching career and self-development. He also teaches
college success strategy courses. He is the author of five
books including, Create the Life You Want. Two of his
e-books, How to Create the Job You Want and Effective Job
Search Strategies are available on his web site as free
gifts. Go to:
http://www.raymondgerson.com