Vision

Currently, I'm sitting in Iowa Methodist Hospital waiting for my father-in-law to be discharged. He was flown down from Humboldt two days ago with an aortic aneurysm. The good news is that he's going to be just fine and will continue to live a full life back home. More good news, I'm catching up on some reading while he's watching Rachel Ray on the television. I came across this on-line book called "What Matters Now" by Seth Godin. I know that many people in the educational technology world read what Seth has to offer. I would like to share the one page portion called "Vision", written by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. I think it's well written and speaks to me. Hopefully, it will speak to you as well.

"Vision is the lifeblood of any organization. It is what keeps it moving forward. It provides meaning to the day-to-day challenges and setbacks that make up the rumble and tumble of real life. In a down economy—particularly one that has taken most of us by surprise—things get very tactical. We are just trying to survive. What worked yesterday does not necessarily work today. What works today may not necessarily work tomorrow. Decisions become pragmatic. But after a while this wears on people.They don’t know why their efforts matter. They cannot connect their actions to a larger story. Their work becomes a matter of just going through the motions, living from weekend to weekend, paycheck to paycheck. This is where great leadership makes all the difference. Leadership is more than influence. It is about reminding people of what it is we are trying to build—and why it matters. It is about painting a picture of a better future. It comes down to pointing the way and saying, “C’mon. We can do this!” When times are tough, vision is the first casualty. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover."

It is my hope that I never lose the vision of our school, our Board, our staff and mostly the vision we have for our students. New Year's Resolution? Sounds like a good one. Enjoy 2010.