When the world says it’s hopeless—a leader dives in! When roadblocks and obstacles are at every turn—a leader steps up. Principal Linda Cliatt-Wayman is such a leader.

In her talk at The Global Leadership Summit: Special Edition on February 24, 2022, Principal Linda shared insight that helped us listen for the pivot, discern clues to form strong leadership teams, and discover ways to navigate emotions when situations are volatile. She helped leaders find the conviction to ignite their team with the hope it needs to thrive.

Enjoy these official notes from Principal Linda Cliatt-Wayman’s session on Unconventional Leadership.

Context: Strawberry Mansion High School

• • Excessive number of arrests
  • Crimes against staff and students
  • Crimes using guns, knives, and other weapons
  • It was a merger of three different high schools
  • Principal Linda Cliatt-Wayman was chosen to be its 4th principal in four years

Unconventional Leadership

• • It’s unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, and even bizarre.
  • Being an unconventional leader has allowed me to achieve what others said was impossible.
  • Principal Linda was tasked with finding a leader for the high school.
  • She conducted a nationwide search and did not get one applicant.
  • One principal out of 52 were thought to be able to run the school. She declined.
  • Linda realized she was meant to be the leader and resigned as assistant superintendent to become the principal.

Establishing Rules and Consequences

• • Students were walking around believing they could do whatever they wanted to do.
  • They asked students why they saw all the violence and thought it was funny.
    • • It exists in their everyday life on the streets.
      • The children were in a deep cycle of hopelessness.
  • They had to restore hope in children that had lost all hope. Over five years:
    • • They gained their respect and loved them every day.
      • The school was removed from the persistently dangerous list.

Linda’s voice is needed.

• • Linda goes on a retreat, and asks herself, why did I have to leave my children?
  • The voice came back and gave her the answer she needed, “I need your voice. My children are suffering, and I need your voice.”
  • There are children suffering and we have to do something about that.
    • • We need to give them hope.
      • We have to show them love. If we do that, we will find success.
      • Hope and love are wrapped up in unconventional leadership.

7 Principles of Unconventional Leadership

• 2. A step down may be an opportunity to step up.
  4. Understand the importance of securing unanticipated experts for support.
  6. Trust your instincts and don’t allow fear to cloud your judgement or course of action.
  8. Disregard the obvious.
  10. Honor timing. There is always a time and a season.
  12. Listen very closely to the voice of God and then heed his direction.
  14. Every single day remember it is a privilege to be chosen to lead and serve. With that understanding, use love as your motivator and Jesus as your source.

John F. Kennedy Speech at Rice University

He tried to convince the nation to support the space program. “We choose to go to the moon, not because it will be easy, but because it will be hard. That is the challenge we are willing to accept and not postpone.”

The Challenge

• • Choose unconventional leadership.
  • Be willing to accept the challenge.

If you accept that challenge, your businesses will thrive, you will find peace in your work, and you will design a post-pandemic world the way that God designed it to be. We will all live together in peace.