“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” — Maya Angelou
Everyone knows that leadership requires vision, strong communication skills, acumen, and strategic thinking, but separating a good leader from an extraordinary one is a trait that is far less cerebral in nature. The adage “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade” has been tossed around so often, it’s almost cliché. But the allegory is reflective of an important personality trait shared by leaders who have reached and sustained some of the greatest levels of success.
I recently reread a leadership article published in the Harvard Business Review: Crucibles of Leadership (Bennis and Thomas, 2002), describing the lemonade out of lemons analogy as “crucibles.” Or rather, the trials and tests that cause a leader to “examine their values, question their most basic assumptions, and hone their judgment.” When viewed through a lens such as this, adversity can be transformational, triggering some leaders to emerge from their trials stronger with a more definitive purpose than ever before.
As public-school leaders committed to equity in education, we must expand our adaptive capacity. Certainly, we have no shortage of opportunities to practice the skills required to look at our adversities and challenges head-on and view them as catalysts for positive change. The article recognizes that these “crucibles” can take many forms including the severity of violence, illness, other traumatic circumstances, and even including moments of self-doubt, although not all crucible experiences are traumatic.
During the hardest of trials, as leaders, we must have the discipline and mindset to look inward and do more than cope with our circumstances. As we grow in our leadership roles, we must stay ready to learn from our difficult experiences without losing hope. We must set our minds on creative ways to make lemonade out of lemons.
One lasting takeaway for me from the article was a clear and compelling acknowledgement: “Everyone is tested by life, but only a few extract strength from their most trying circumstances. They’re the ones we call leaders.”