The process of learning a new language is not easy. Many of us can remember the struggle of learning even the basic vocabulary of a second language and/or watching students struggle as they learn English as their second language.
Learning the language of Leadership is not very different. While often we think that leadership is something that someone is either born with or not, that just is simply not true. It can be taught. It can be learned. And it all starts with the language.
Let’s first take a look at the basic language learning process.
When we start the process, we are enthusiastic and ready to dive in.
As we begin to pick up the core pieces of the system, we typically meet a fair level of confusion. It’s easy to lose heart and simply stop. But we have to keep going. Confusion is just part of the process.
When we start to more fully understand all of the parts and pieces of the system, confusion starts to diminish.
At this point, it is common to have a “Click” moment when the language comes together.
But this is just the beginning of the process. Now comes the harder part of internalizing the system. We have to incorporate structural exercises and immersive activities to internalize the patterns.
At this point we can start to use the language effectively. It is not uncommon, though, to experience an ongoing cycle of frustration and breakthrough. We might experience mental fatigue and want to give up on learning the language.
But if we can continue to practice, we will experience reinvigoration and renewed enthusiasm. By going beyond this point, we ensure we have the content and processes in place to reach fluency over time.
With the core mastered, it is a matter of remaining consistent in the content and processes until we have reached our desired level of competence and fluency.
Now let’s take that same process of learning a language and lay it over the language of Leadership for our WEB and Link Crew Leaders.
Enthusiastic and ready to dive in: When your Leaders came to training and orientation, both you and they were stoked! Let’s do this thing! Let’s be awesome! Let’s change lives!
Confusion…easy to lose heart and simply stop: Then things didn’t go exactly as planned…it never does. Maybe a freshman was resistant or a parent wouldn’t leave . . . .
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