In my books and presentations, I often share the positive impact my third-grade teacher, Mrs. James, had as well as my high school soccer coach, Mr. King. I get asked if I ever thanked them. I never found Mrs. James, so the answer is no for her. Years ago, when I was speaking in Easley, South Carolina, they asked me to share my Coach King story from my book Hardwiring Excellence. As I finished my talk, Coach King walked on the stage. I am grateful to my friends in Easley for making this happen.
I often think of teachers and the lives they touch. Teachers have had a great impact on my life. One way to measure a person’s legacy is to look at how many lives they touch. Teachers not only impact all the children who travel through their classrooms year after year, but also all the lives those students go on to touch by applying what they learned in school. The ripples on the pond go on and on .
Teachers and leaders have a lot in common. In fact, teachers ARE leaders, and leaders ARE teachers. Both leave a legacy of lives they’ve shaped. Both are long-game professions. In some ways, teachers and leaders are at a disadvantage over professionals in other industries…