In exactly one week, another door in my educational career will open. I will be the new director of our division. It is a great opportunity, and a challenge I am looking forward to meeting.
Many have congratulated me and asked how I’m feeling. Really, I’m very excited. And. Really, I’m a bit anxious. Excited because I enjoy what our division is doing, working with grants to help educators and students across our state in meeting their professional, mental health, and academic needs. Anxious because I’m in the place of not knowing what I don’t know; I’ve learned a lot, but this position takes it to the next level.
Luckily, I won’t be alone. Although we are having to rebuild the team due to a number of people who have left over the past couple of months, the new hires are more than holding their own. They have smoothly joined the culture of our team, and bring their own unique skills and new ideas.
The new leadership team is also very strong, knowledgeable, and tenacious as a whole. They will be my rocks of support, and are not shy about speaking their minds. A good team needs to be able to debate and disagree while working towards an end goal of discovering viable solutions to challenges, large and small.
With all of the above in place, a supportive senior director, and knowing the two previous directors are but a text away, I feel as ready as one might be moving into a new position. I know I don’t and won’t have all of the answers, am ever willing to learn new things, and will get many things wrong. That’s okay, as long as I don’t get bogged down in the quest for perfection. Although I hate to admit it, I’m only human as well.
I’m thankful for the opportunity and feel quite blessed to step into the role, and to have such a great team ready to keep our division moving forward!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 