Always Take the Steps!
If I can give one piece of advice to future CTE leaders, it would be to Always Take the Steps! There is a passage in the Bible I use for encouragement, Zechariah 4:10 says, “Despise not, these small beginnings.”
My small beginnings began as a Deputy Sheriff. While working 12 hour swing shifts, I found time to return to college to earn my Master’s Degree, all because of a great piece of advice I received from someone, who I considered, my leadership mentor. He said, “You have to be willing to give up who you are now, for who you will become.” To become the leader we are destined to be, we must always remember where we started; how our journey began.
The fact of the matter is, leaders come from ordinary places, and deal with ordinary issues, but what sets them apart is their willingness to step into conflict and deal with it head on. We must all be aware of our shortcomings and work on them daily. At age 32, I became the youngest Law Enforcement Academy Director in the State of Missouri. I definitely had my struggles with being accepted by senior officers, many of whom had been in law enforcement before I was born. It was a test of my character, humility and leadership, and I am proud to say, 9 years later, I am the longest tenured Director in the State.
My goal now is to move higher into my college’s administration. You see, our careers move in steps. We start at the bottom and when we finally reach the point we feel confident in our abilities, we take another step and move to the next level of our career. The lesson I want to get across is to think of your career like a staircase. The base is where we all begin and for a select few, who learn to handle the pitfalls, pressure and adversity on each step, they will reach the top of the staircase, which leads to the next level of leadership. We must beware of those who refuse to take the steps necessary and go straight for the elevator. Those who want to go from the basement to the penthouse in one step can’t always handle the pressures, conflict, criticism and problems because they didn’t earn the battle scars or valuable lessons along the way.
I want people to realize the steps are much healthier and are there for you to take it slow and get your bumps and bruises along the way. Because, just as soon as you feel comfortable and get your balance on one step, it is time to take the next step, and the next, and before you know it, you earned the respect, learned to deal with conflict and pressure and are well on your way to the top, via the staircase. So, I implore you…skip the elevator and Always Take the Steps!
Rich Flotron – 2016 Region III Fellow