208 Teachers Corner
“Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness.” The line that started it all With very little confidence that anyone would be interested, I submitted a proposal to speak at the COBIS Annual Conference. I assumed it would be politely declined. Instead, not only was it accepted, but the organisers later had to move the session into a larger room because so many people wanted to attend. That moment changed everything. It gave me the courage to send the draft of my work to a publisher. C Communication Clear, honest dialogue that builds trust rather than confusion. H Honesty Truth delivered with care, even when it is difficult to hear. A Accountability Owning decisions and their impact on the people around you. S Self-Esteem Leading from a place of security, not fear or ego. E Ego Management Putting the wellbeing of others ahead of personal pride.
The original framework stood for Communication, Honesty, Accountability, Shame, Ego Management. When Crown House reviewed the manuscript, they suggested reframing the “shame” section in a more positive way. After some reflection, I replaced it with Self- Esteem, though I kept a thread of shame woven through the chapter, because in leadership, it matters. Shame shapes more than we like to admit, and I felt it was important not to erase it entirely.
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