Full Voice. Leading from Within

"Daring leaders work to make sure people can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging."—Brené Brown, Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.

I was recently asked to talk about my "why" of being a librarian. It made me realize that discovering my purpose has been something that I have spent a large amount of time reflecting on. For me, it's an exercise in grounding, especially in those moments when I ask myself the question of "am I on the right path?" It is at these times that I attempt to answer the "why."

Part of the answer for me seems to be a calling to support (guide, lift up, aid) those people who feel voiceless in implementing their ideas, are afraid to find their passion, or are unsure of how to feel at peace with who they truly are as a person. Creating opportunity for these individuals is something that has long been important to my personal and professional growth.

In my first years as a librarian, I thought of leaders as those people who were out there doing things that I wasn't capable of. It took me a long time to realize that they were actually just like me and that in order to lead, I needed to believe that was true. I see this as leading from within—believing that I am good enough and brave enough to voice my opinions and passions and to show up.

Brené Brown discusses in her new book Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts, how who we are is how we lead, that self-awareness and self-love matter. She goes on to say that, "daring leaders who live into their values are never silent about hard things" (2018, p. 185).

In my school, I have approached leadership with this type of thinking. After analyzing the issues that I was observing with my students in relation to mental health, I wanted to come up with solutions and to have the library function in a central role. At that time, I decided to write a LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) federal grant. My idea was to provide education and programming for students and teachers that would bring awareness to the stigma surrounding mental health by empowering teens to use their voices in creative ways. The grant involved collaborations with town entities such as the public library and youth and family services. Because of the grant, I learned about other opportunities (e.g., Mental Health First Aid https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/) to offer to teachers for training. Our district now offers this to all teachers. I feel that this is a solid example of how I have led with my values and didn't stay silent about tough topics.

As I became involved at my state level, I began to see how I could bring the idea of "leading from within" to fruition by staying true to who I am as a person, calling on the help of others when necessary, and finding aspects of leading that pushed me to grow and learn. For me this translated into taking on the role of president of the Massachusetts School Library Association. As someone who had never led at this level before, it was natural that I inquired into many of the processes, procedures, and policies that were in place. Doing so allowed me to not only gain valuable institutional knowledge but to also create a vision for growth. Introspection enabled me to see where we might be able to try new strategies. Even though we may not have implemented all of the ideas that emerged from the discussions, it was valuable to allow others to voice their concerns, thoughts, and opinions.

In her book, Brown leaves us with this insight:

As you think about your own path to daring leadership, remember Joseph Campbell's wisdom: 'The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.' Own the fear, find the cave, and write a new ending for yourself, for the people you're meant to serve and support, and for your culture. Choose courage over comfort. Choose whole hearts over armor. And choose the great adventure of being brave and afraid. At the exact same time (p. 272).

I hope to see you on the path.

Work Cited

Brown, Brené. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House, 2018.

Further Reading

Cellucci, Anita. The Empathetic Librarian. https://humblewarriorsite.wordpress.com/

Cellucci, Anita. "How My School Library Embraces Social Emotional Learning." School Library Journal. February 2, 2017. https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=how-my-school-library-embraces-social-emotional-learning

Fraga, Juli. "How Bibliotherapy Can Help Students Open Up about Their Mental Health." Mind/Shift. June 13, 2018. https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50642/how-bibliotherapy-can-help-students-open-up-about-their-mental-health