The Heart of the Matter

What makes a leader? Is it an acquired set of skills? Or, perhaps, a long list of accolades? Some may believe it comes from the hours put in to a project or a career. While all of these contribute to a great employee or project coordinator, I would argue these qualities are not what make a great leader.

To identify what makes a great leader, one must look at the heart of the matter. This is the answer: a great leader has heart. This became clear to me during a recent discussion I had with Arkansas’s ACTE Past President, Ross White.

Ross’ background in education, career development, and DECA equips him well for involvement with ACTE. He has the degrees needed to excel in the field. He has all the right professional memberships, and reads all the recommended journals. Clearly, his resume is impressive, but that is not what makes Ross a leader.

What makes Ross a great leader, and a valued mentor during my ACTE fellowship year, is his heart. When our discussion turned to why he selected education, with career education as a focus, it became clear what motivates his drive to be an ACTE leader. His heart for CTE comes from those who have influenced his past: a former teacher, and a mother whom he admired in the classroom.

When discussing the frustrations and disappointments associated with CTE and education in general, it is clear that Ross’s heart is in his job. He is motivated to rise above the red tape, politics, lack of understanding of CTE, and the competition from core classes. A love for what he does as a DECA advisor keeps his focus clear.

The heart of the matter is that Ross cares enough to fulfill the requirements of a leader, and then to go above and beyond the call of duty. Mentoring others and putting in work to ensure a dedicated reputation is what will change the vocational view of CTE. So what’s the heart of the matter for you? May we all care enough to do more, and encourage others to do more as well. Perhaps that’s what makes those of us involved with ACTE so special. We have heart!

 

Michelle Camp
Region IV
Maumelle High School
Maumelle, AR