You’ve taken the course, read the book, applied the technique. You’re convinced that this tool, this skill or methodology is the bomb, and that other leaders should follow suit. You find the perfect example of its brilliance to share with colleagues and then… nothing.
Early in my teaching career I was trying to build energy around an idea I had for moving the rural school I was working at forward. I shared my frustration with a colleague who was also relatively new to her job but not to the field. She said to me, “Honey, you’ve got to find your village.” In a school of 120 students in a part of the state I had just relocated to, it was hard to think in terms of villages. But she was right: wherever you are in your career path, finding others who are like-minded or similarly motivated is critical.
Finding one’s village today is much easier than it was in 1982. Tools abound to help us connect with others with similar interests or aspirations. Apps like MeetUp allow us to plug our interests and location into a search bar and peruse local groups that we might join. Online communities ranging from listservs to more updated venues like Slack are designed to bring together groups of people with common interests in order to work toward a common goal.
A village of two can work as well as one of 20 when there is a specific goal in mind. I remember vividly the first time I sat among principals of schools for the blind—astonished and proud to be with people who “got” what I did. I left that meeting renewed by our common experiences.
Working alone is important for deep thinking, writing, and completing administrative tasks. It allows one to reflect on problems and ponder one’s progress. But many tasks are best suited for a group of some kind, especially one that is motivated and comes with lots of experience and a willingness to share. Find your village, dear leader. You will build skills impossible to attain on your own… and you will sleep better each night knowing you belong to a tribe that has your back and will propel you forward.