People don’t always tell us where their limits are. You step forward with good intentions, trying to help or clarify or lead, and somehow you still land on a sensitive spot. It’s a critical part of leadership. Doing the right thing can still create discomfort, even when it’s done with care. In fact, when done with tact, “Stepping on Toes” doesn’t have to hurt so much.
Whenever you see a successful person,
you are also seeing someone who has
stepped on a lot of toes.
— Robert Schuller
Watch "Step on Some Toes" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
I was way too old when I finally discovered the enjoyment of a good pedicure. Our lower legs bear the daily burden and deserve occasional massage and TLC.
Toes are a sensitive topic; however, no one ever wants their toes stepped on. My friend Jill recently spoke of invisible toes, which are even harder to avoid.
Good intentions become irrelevant as we still cause painful hurt that lingers, yet teaching and leading seldom succeed without stepping on quite a few toes.
Tact is the ability to step on a man’s toes
without messing up the shine on his shoes.
— Harry S. Truman
Invisible toes steadily undermine our goals for a healthy learning community.
Unexplored expectations are a source of wounds, with debilitating confusion. Unexpressed expectations also create pain, fostering passive aggressive tones.Unexplained expectations disguise the purpose and vision, limiting growth.
Leadership, particularly within education, is impossible without others often being offended—and the inability to courageously do so promotes mediocrity.
Make straight paths for your feet,
so that what is lame may not be
dislocated, but rather be healed.
― Hebrews 12:13
We may step on toes while responsibly confronting people's faults or failures in love and truth, seeking to elevate their self-awareness and spur improvement.
When they tell us that we hurt them, we don't just get to decide they're wrong, but we also cannot allow a fear of conflict to inhibit such wise accountability.
Anyone who wants to make a difference in this world must be willing to make hard decisions that some people find uncomfortable in order to move forward.
Step where needed. Do it tactfully. Do it carefully. But do what must be done.
Listen to "Step on Some Toes" on the Educators Among Us Podcast
