The Leading Edge: Change Your Perspective, Change Your Influence

As a young teacher, I thought teaching was all about content.  I believed that if I knew my stuff and explained it clearly, I would be a successful educator.  However, this approach eventually failed me.  There came a time when my students couldn’t learn from me.  

It was the one and only year in my over 20 years of teaching that I worked with children in an after-school program.  I had previously been successful working with college-aged students, and I went into this assignment with confidence in my teaching skills.  

What I didn’t count on was the dramatically different needs of the children in the classroom.  I was focused on teaching – explaining, describing, giving opportunities to apply the knowledge. However, my students were really only interested in having fun.  And my class was not “fun.”

After several months, I was told that my contract would not be renewed because the students were bored and leaving my classes.  That was a heavy blow to my ego! All the confidence I had walked in with was gone.

I hadn’t yet learned to consider my students’ perspective first when planning my lessons and class activities.  

John Maxwell says, “Connecting is all about others.”  In his book Everyone Communicates Few Connect, he describes four reasons why leaders fail to put others first:

• Immaturity
• Ego
• Failure to value everyone
• Insecurity

Looking back, I am certain I suffered from all four, but especially immaturity.  

John Maxwell also says, “Maturity is the ability to see and act on behalf of others.” I trusted in my knowledge and dismissed the perspective of my students.  As a result, I was not able “to see and act” on their behalf.  

When I finally learned this lesson, it changed how I approach my classes; I started intentionally considering the perspective of my students.  

As I did, I discovered that the more I took their needs and concerns into account, the more effective my teaching and the more successful my students became.

Today, “putting others first” has become my motto.  Whether I am interacting with students or clients, friends or family, this principle has transformed the relationships I have with those around me.  

How well do you know the needs of the people around you?  I challenge you to take a few minutes and jot down one or two things the most important people in your life are concerned about and find a way to help them with it.  I am certain it will make a positive impact on your relationship!

Bio

Tasha M. Troy is an intercultural communication expert and a certified trainer and coach with the John Maxwell Team. A professional communications trainer with 20 years of experience in language and communications education. She has worked with organizations such as The Samsung Human Resource Development Center in S. Korea and Georgetown University in Washington, DC to equip international professionals with the communications skills needed to thrive in the globalized marketplace.  She focuses on teaching principles that can help individuals connect with anyone, whether it is across cultures, across a boardroom, or across the dining room table.