Are You an Inventor or Just a "Ventor"?

A valuable lesson I've learned over the years is that just because I am the leader of a school, a department, or even a school system, I don't always have all the answers to every question or situation. Leadership is developed through experience which in and of itself develops resilience, knowledge, and hopefully wisdom. (I say "hopefully" only because it depends on what we do after an experience whether it becomes wisdom or not. There is a definition of insanity that applies here if you'd like to explore that one.) Problem solving is a key attribute in leadership and developing that skill is one that benefits both the leader and those that he or she is leading. As a leader of leaders, one of the best strategies I have found in building problem solving skills is to provide the person with the issue at hand to be directly involved in the pursuit of an effective solution. There is one school of thought that holds to the idea of "Don't come to me with a problem unless you have two or three potential solutions", which sounds great in theory, but if the person had the best solution in hand why would they be coming to you for help? I recently had one of our principals reach out to me about an issue he is dealing with in his school. One of the last things he did in his email request to meet was state that he would bring some possible solutions with him for when we sit down to talk. For me that only expedites the process and provides us with more time to explore and dissect his potential solutions, while also providing me with more context of what type of outcome he is pursuing. What I bring to the table is a vast array of experiences that help guide our conversations and allow us to shoot holes in proposals that may have hidden land mines just waiting to happen. Here, past experience serves as the teacher of wisdom. Although each situation has its own nuances, similarities between past experiences and a current issue at hand offer a golden opportunity to talk through those possibilities before landing on the path forward. Remember, "the more things change, the more they stay the same!"

Today's Flat Tire Thought asks the question, are you an inventor or just a "ventor"? Well, I made up the word "ventor" and I also gave the word its very own definition. A "ventor" is a person who comes to a person they envision as being able to take care of whatever it is that is creating a hardship for said person. Now, don't get me wrong, I value and appreciate my colleagues coming to me to work through their thoughts and matters of concern, yet a "ventor" is someone that doesn't really have a possible solution, they just want to get their frustration off their chest and in the process gain some magical wisdom from the person "in charge". Well, if that was the proper way to develop problem solvers the old proverb about catching a fish for someone or teaching them to fish would not hold true and I believe we all can agree it is much better to teach others how to fish for solutions to their problems rather than setting the hook yourself all day long! 

I stand firm by my assertion above that just because I am the leader, that doesn't mean I have all the right answers. So, if I as a leader don't have all the answers the question begs to be asked, is there a better source to reach out to when there is a problem to be answered? In my own walk, there are friends, colleagues, and mentors that I reach out to when I have my own head scratchers to solve, and when that happens I always try to follow my own advice and go with some potential solutions in hand. That being said, do you have somewhere to turn when even your dearest friend or confidant can't seem to walk you through to a plausible solution to your problem? I turn to our God, He is closer than a brother and His knowledge and wisdom go beyond compare (Proverbs 18:24 & Proverbs 3:19).

I am so guilty of coming to God through prayer asking Him for answers to the issues I am facing in my life each day. Not that God doesn't want us to do just that, "Ask and it will be given to you' seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8. The God we serve is omnipotent and omniscient, yet in His infinite wisdom, he desires to see you and I grow in our own wisdom and knowledge so we can in turn invest the same in those we live, love, and work with each day. How much would you or I grow if all we had to do was come to God and "vent" our own frustrations or issues to Him and then just sit back while God lays out the perfect solution. If that were the case, who would need AI anyway, right? God is not artificial intelligence, the God of all creation knows all, yet rather than give us the answers to our dilemmas at the very moment we vent out our frustrations, God wants us to grow and become the leader in our world of influence we are designed and destined to be. 

Knowing that God desires for us to come to Him when we have problems that are weighing us down, and understanding that God wants us to grow and gain knowledge and wisdom through our experiences, what is the healthy balance between dependency on God and reliance on God. For me, I believe God expects us to depend on Him just as we depend on water to survive, God is our Living Water. (John 7:38). Yet, just as we should go to our leaders here on earth to help us work through potential solutions to our problems, hence "inventors" of solutions, God is there to direct our steps and illuminate our path (Psalm 119:105). It is our duty to call on God in all situations and circumstances, the Apostle Paul encourages us to "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."   I Thessalonians 5:16-18, and in James 1:5 we are instructed, "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you". 

My daily prayer is that I am always more of an "inventor" rather than being a "ventor" and I also pray that I will always be a positive thought partner for those I work alongside each day. Yet, I know that there is only one true problem solver and He is always available for both you and I as we traverse life's journey each day! Keep on seeking His will, and keep on knocking on His door! Amen. 

Coach Carter