At Wright State, I was already comfortable in my "place" - students who came to my classes knew I was a little different (ok - a lot different) and got ready for the ride. I knew what I could accept and what I couldn't. I knew when to get support from "higher ups" and when I could make decisions on my own. I knew what emails to ignore and what emails to print. I knew that my closest colleagues got away with emailing throughout long faculty meetings. I knew. I was integrated in that culture and understood it very well. I made my share of mistakes, faced my share of "nasty looks" and learned my way around.
Now it's up for a new beginning. It is exciting and scary. I am sure I will make mistakes again and mistakes can be painful. On the other hand, I know I'll make friends and find my spot just as I did before. Teaching an Adaptive Leadership class again seems to be the perfect way to start!
Hello Des Moines. Hello Drake. I hope I don't make too many mistakes. But then, I'm sure my students - and I - will survive my mistakes and we will all thrive as I learn with them.