Who’s In Charge?

Not me!

I was never *in charge* of my classroom.

First, anyone who believes they’re in charge of a room full of teenagers for any length of time is delusional. Beyond that, demanding compliance through coercion isn’t particularly effective. I didn’t want to spend my days playing whack-a-mole with kids who challenged my “authority.”

As a leader, my goal was to cast a vision, “I’m going on this cool, fun, useful journey of learning,” and invite students to join me. I constantly searched for more effective ways to inspire kids – especially those who were reluctant to jump in – and help them see the value of the work.

My students worked hard toward rigorous, clearly-defined standards. Our classroom operated with clear processes designed to produce and reward quality work. The only non-negotiable teacher-defined expectation: Treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Occasionally an observer, who thought we weren’t quiet enough or the rows weren’t straight, characterized my approach as “too lenient” or “lacking discipline.” GUILTY AS CHARGED. I had no interest in being “strict” or maintaining control.

Occasionally I also heard, “You’re abdicating your responsibility.” NOT GUILTY…the classroom and what happened there were absolutely my responsibility, especially when something went wrong. 

True leaders don’t blame others, they humbly accept responsibility, even when it might not be their fault. By looking in the mirror and honestly examining their own behavior, leaders create space for others to do likewise.

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So…why the long riff about classrooms?

A couple of reasons. First, there’s lots of confusion these days about power and leadership.

Want to know if someone’s really interested in leading? Look at how readily she accepts responsibility, especially in tough circumstances. Blaming and finger pointing are a sure indicator of someone who’s more concerned with maintaining power.

Also…as we prepare for FREEDOM TOUR 2024, someone told me recently I need to “take charge.” No thanks. I’m not in charge of this thing, and I don’t want to be.

I DO try to be a leader, to cast a big vision, and invite you to join us on the journey.

Who’s in charge? Jesus.

Jesus is in charge.