Steve Adubato and Mary Gamba: Lessons in Leadership

It is always a pleasure to listen to Steve Adubato's Lessons in Leadership. As an aspiring educational leader, I am always looking for ways to challenge myself to continue to evolve into the best leader I can be. My favorite episodes of this podcast have been when my father, Greg Lalevee, has been a guest. It reminds me of some of the life lessons I learned growing up. My dad has "modeled the model" of what leadership is and isn't. And maybe that's why I am so passionate about becoming a leader myself. When we witness good leadership, we rise to the challenge of becoming good leaders ourselves.

Greg has discussed many critical points about leadership while on this podcast. He says leaders invest in their team, and you can do this by "getting to know your team" and "having a significant amount of empathy." It is important to know what is going on in your team members' lives and be mindful if they are struggling. As a current school counselor, I strive to have a significant amount of empathy toward my students every day.

He also discussed another critical role in managing and being a leader: "asking for help when you need it." It can be hard to lean on others when you are in a leadership role, but we can't do it all ourselves. As I have learned from Dr. George - the room is always smarter than one person.

On this podcast series, Greg talks about his favorite leadership book: Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. His most significant takeaway from this book is that leaders don't give excuses or point fingers. He believes the best way to show leadership in this lesson is to practice it himself. When he makes a mistake, he says so. His humility is what makes him a great leader. Katie Martin has echoed this in her book Evolving Education. Making mistakes and failing forward is the best way to learn, and good leaders practice what they preach.