Good leaders listen to others actively and with a clear and open mind. They respect what other people have to say and acknowledge what is being said. Listening helps to build relationships between people.

A demonstration of listening that made a lasting impression on me was shortly after the schools closed due to Covid. None of the principals were sure how to handle remote learning so all students had equal access to the tech they needed. The superintendent called a virtual meeting of all the principals to get together to discuss their concerns. Even though the superintendent was not able to answer all their questions, she listened to every principal's concerns and took those thoughts back to the leadership team to begin working on solutions.

Good leaders are able to identify the work that needs to be done to complete a task and work through each step. If they need assistance, they seek out people who can help or search online for trainings and tutorials.

A demonstration of self-motivation that made a lasting impression on me was observed again, at the beginning of the pandemic. The situation that our office, our principals, our teachers and our students were placed in was unprecedented. There was no guidebook to follow. In our district, the technology coordinator jumped into action and started working with all the school leaders to ensure they had the capabilities they needed to get the job done. This self-motivation trickled down the line to each district leader, school leader and teacher to create a means in which we could offer remote learning to all students.

Problem-solvers are leaders who take responsibility for their actions without procrastinating. They identify a problem, use good communication skills, and delegate wisely, to positively work towards a solution.

While offering after-school enrichment classes, occasionally I would come across a situation where one of the teachers needed to call in sick or cancel at the last minute. Left without a teacher for students that were expecting class that afternoon, I needed to assess the situation quickly. The teacher had the class supplies with her, but she was unable to get them to the school. Working quickly, I first contacted the school leadership to let them know the situation and that I was working on a solution. Gathering supplies from my backup, I put together another container to be sent to the school. After calling one of my teachers that usually did not work on that day of the week, I was able to convince her to help out. Since there was not enough time for her to come get the supplies, we worked out a system where I would deliver the supplies to the school on the way to my own class, and she would go straight to the school.

Innovation allows for people to think outside the box. A leader that asks for feedback and opens the discussion to new and creative ideas will show others how to develop new ideas and engage their willfulness and determination in ensuring a vision for the future.

Years ago, upon looking for a second career, I realized the options available for my son in after-school care was between homework and playing sports outside. Not being very athletic, he was left with nothing fun to do after completing his homework. I decided to open a company offering after-school classes at local elementary schools. Although there were no similar options being offer, I set out to offer sewing classes to students as young as 5 years old. Even though no one thought a student so young could use a fast sewing machine, I pressed on. Over the years, we expanded our number of teachers and collectively worked to increase the classes we offered. Eventually we were also offering woodworking, jewelry making, cooking, and knitting classes to elementary students.

All good leaders need to be passionate in what they do. Not just in their job, but in their life outside the office also. They are highly committed to their goals and work tirelessly to not only achieve their goals but also to help others achieve theirs.

A friend worked for a major company that had a very inspirational leader. The passion of the leader passed down to all the workers in the building. I remember every time we got together, at some point in the evening, the conversation always turned to this company where the friend would share endless stories of all the great things the company was doing. The enthusiasm on his face and in his voice was contagious and soon everyone was sharing stories about their experiences with the retail company. It was easy to see the friend truly loved his job and respected both the company leader and the values they stand for.

Caring for others is vital in being a good leader. They value people they work with and try to create the perfect balance between home and work life. They are fair and encouraging to coworkers and help them thrive. High value is placed on honesty and empathy for others.

An amazing leader showed his ability to care for others every day. He was always first to ask how the weekend was and always wanted to hear about it. He took the time to talk to each employee and always greeted them with a happy smile, even when he was having troubles of his own - a spouse going through cancer treatment. At the end of the day, no matter how busy he was, he always stopped to say "thank you" to me before I left. It is amazing how two little words can make such a huge difference at the end of a very busy day. I always arrived home with a smile.

Merriam-Webster defines collaboration as "to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor." All people begin a job by working jointly with others. As they move up through the ranks, these skills increase and leaders are born. Listening to others, self-discipline, and communication help people work cooperatively together.

Once again, the pandemic is an example of an extraordinary event showing leadership. In our private school district of 72 schools, the spring brings with it an annual fundraising event. Every school holds an auction to raise money for the following year. By March last year, all the schools were closing down. With the cities on lock-down, all auctions were cancelled in person. Under the leadership of our marketing director and superintendent, we were able to help every one of our schools move their auctions online. It took a strong leader overseeing each one of these schools to inspire and assist their stakeholders to work together on short notice to set up an inspiring online event.

Knowing there is someone that is going to have your back. Knowing that no question is too small or too silly to ask. Knowing that when the going gets tough, she is going to be right there beside you the whole time. These are traits of a great leader.

A demonstration of being reliable that made a lasting impression on me was the person in charge of the soup kitchen I volunteer at. Rain or shine, she was always there. Arriving early every morning to start the process - procuring the food, gathering the team to cook, setting the tables for the clientele, serving the food and cleaning everything up afterwards. She was always there. Every single homeless person who came into that building knew they could rely on her leadership for a warm meal 7 days a week.

Good leaders are life-long learners. Especially in the field of technology and education, things can change rapidly. Staying in touch with all the latest developments and pedagogical strategies to ensure that all students fulfill their greatest potential is vital.

A demonstration of life-long learning that made a lasting impression on me is found every day within the world of education. In our district office, we have a department that works specifically helping teachers become department leaders or regional leaders. We also work with teachers that want to continue their education to become a principal and we mentor principals on best practices with staff, students and community.

Good leaders are skilled at multi-tasking, and as we know, all teachers are great at this. It takes a great leader to be able to keep track of all 25 students in a classroom, while keeping them engaged and on task, while offering special assistance to learners who need modifications, while trouble-shooting the Smartboard that is not working today, of all days; and while wondering if she needs to repeat the lesson again tomorrow for a deeper understanding in all students. This demonstration of multi-tasking continues to make a lasting impression on me every time I walk into another teacher's classroom. If one has not seen a multi-tasking teacher in action, one needs only to jump onto a virtual classroom these days to witness her in action. I am amazed and inspired every time I see a video or read a post on the education social media sites.