Sunday, September 14, 2014

Quote-A-Day: Day 258

The best understand small steps often lead to the destination more effectively than large ones.

As I was walking through the apple orchard today, I came close a number of times to twisting my ankle on the half-eaten apples and cores that littered the grass.

I realized that in order to make sure it was an injury-free trip, I would need to look down to watch where I was going as much as I was looking up to admire the trees and the view.  In addition, I realized that if I took smaller steps instead of bigger ones, I could better monitor where my foot would go.

Not especially "breaking news," I know, but it speaks to an important leadership lesson: When we work towards meeting goals, often the small steps we take can be just as powerful as the large ones.

Leading today isn't easy, and it isn't just hard for those who are leading others.  For those we serve, especially in education, the path is littered with half-eaten apples and cores, and if we aren't careful, we can twist an ankle (or two).

For that reason, it often pays to take slow, measured steps rather than giant leaps and bounds.  Sure those big steps can be fun to watch and can result in some really amazing results, but so can small steps, if we're willing to give them the chance, and the time.

Another benefit to small steps is that they provide an even greater opportunity to celebrate success.  While an express train might get you to your final destination faster, a local provides you with many opportunities to stop, explore, and celebrate what the world has to offer.

As I sit in my living room typing this post up, I'm looking at my two ankles and smiling, knowing that the small steps I took helped me make sure that the only thing I left the orchard with was a bag of apples.

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