By Molly McGee Hewitt, PhD, CAE
Student transportation leadership is not for the faint of heart.
Every day, you are responsible for people, equipment, budgets, schedules, compliance requirements, and, most importantly, the safe transportation of students. You manage employees, support families, solve problems, navigate policies, and make decisions that affect your school community. It’s a complex job and one that often requires more than technical expertise.
What continues to impress me about NAPT members is that you don’t just lead with knowledge and experience. You lead with heart.
You are a seasoned professional with passion for the profession and a heart that promotes your mission and your vision for the organization. Heart is about empathy, understanding, caring, grace and compassion.
Every phone call, memo, email, schedule, evaluation and report is written and prepared with care. You recognize that not only do we serve your communities with heart, but we also extend this heart to our employees and coworkers. You continually endeavor to listen to your employees and to understand their challenges. You show compassion to parents and students who are experiencing difficulties and do your best to resolve issues with care and fairness. You also create opportunities to interact with your district administrators and colleagues to support the district’s mission.
Leading with heart is a management superpower.
Not all managers or supervisors understand this. They feel that leadership is about title, power, responsibility, authority and control. While all of those may be a part of your job – your true job is about leadership and that is where those who lead with heart excel.
If you asked your team to describe your leadership today, what would they say? Would their perspective align with how you see yourself? What would your superintendent, colleagues, or employees identify as your greatest leadership strengths? Where might they challenge you to grow?
The most effective leaders never stop working on themselves.
Working on me first is often easier said than done. Just when would you like me to do this? You may be asking! Working on you first is a daily activity. It is as easy as reading a column or blog, attending a webinar, reading a book, attending your state conference or an NAPT event. Working on me is using daily opportunities to improve ourselves and to make sure our values and our efforts are aligned with our actions. Working on yourself is also leading by example for your employees! You are modeling self-growth and discovery!
Some people believe that leading with the heart is impossible in the workplace. They think compliance requirements and district rules and policies do not allow for heart. I believe they are wrong. Leading with heart means you listen with compassion and an open mind before you act. Leading with heart means you create relationships that are collegial and cordial. Leading with heart means you carefully think about your actions and their long- and short-term impacts. Leading with heart means you balance district and department needs with human needs.
There is a secret that many leaders miss in their careers, here it is…
YOU get to become the kind of leader you want to be.
My hope is that we continue to lead with professionalism, purpose, and heart.
Because when we do, everyone around us benefits.
Lead with heart.