[Syliran Archives] Leaderology Pt 3

by **Vizayas** on June 13th, 2015, 4:40 pm

Night of Winter 53rd, 514

Vizayas listened to the scribe's quiet breathing as he strolled by into the philosophical archives. With his third visit, he was starting to become a regular in this place of knowledge. Moving on down the isle, Vizayas knew exactly where the book would be, where he had shelved it the night before. 'Leaderology' was there waiting for him, so he slid it out and brought it over to the table to read.

As he sat, he listened for the seminar that was supposed to be going on at the same time. The faint familiar words of the instructor's voice fluttered into existence. "Nice...see you, Ser Quentin...Ser Dauxbrie, Ser Lane, Ser..." Vizayas could tell that the man was welcoming the class, the poignant shuffling of feet just on the outer edge of his hearing.

Having made it right on time to sneakily eavesdrop on the seminar filled Vizayas with a certain sense of giddy, ill-gotten accomplishment. They hadn't yet started, so he decided he would make some progress on the book. Prying open the cover, he turned it to the first page, then the next. He was already halfway through the book by the time he foud where he had left off. His eyes scrolled through the information before him.

Look the part. Someone who is handsome and dresses formally will sometimes be more likely to draw the eye than someone who is ragged and filthy. Always carry a sense of style, and make others envy your position - envy is good, others will follow orders more clearly in their pursuit of understanding and becoming you.

So, dress well and draw the eye...he could do that. Just had to put an extra layer of polish on some armor and wear it. It kind of made sense, seeing as he would blend in otherwise. He was somewhat good at being overlooked, so perhaps it was time that changed? The secondary part of this passage was somewhat strange, though. Envy? Wasn't envy somewhat a bad thing, something that caused a lot of problems in the world? He supposed that envy could be harnessed for good, just as any other tool. He doubted that he had the kind of strength that would make others envy him, maybe a page, even more rarely a squire. It was worth a try, but he wasn't quite sure if he would succeed in this aspect given his status as an inexperienced mage squire.

Having finished his musings, he could hear that the seminar was just now starting to get into the meat of the content.

"...compare with the real world...draw real life comparisons with their training...Practicality motivates a student quite well. Explain to them that when...Zith strikes the sword...want your grip to be...like steel so it doesn't fly off...then you're defenseless...Zith rips your guts out...more descriptive the better."

Well, that ended up being quite a story. It also seemed to be somewhat true in terms of teaching. He himself always wanted to know the reasoning behind the way certain things are done. It made sense to tell a student why, so they would know and not dispute your decision or lose motivation in their training. It all made perfect sense

Vizayas took to reading the book again.

by **Vizayas** on June 13th, 2015, 7:17 pm

Never do something you wouldn't like your team to do. If you don't take risks, your team is less likely to take risks. If you do something, and then tell your team not to do that thing, they will question your authority. If you don't think you are being emulated by others and you're in a position of power over them, check again. What you've read so far culminates into being a role model for those you represent.

So, lead by example, again. He should make sure he doesn't screw up in the eyes of others, so his mistakes aren't emulated. Also, this seemed to fall into line with privilege. After some careful thinking, he had the idea to be careful to not hoard all the glory. The book implied that people were emulating him even now, who? A strange concept. As he read, more questions popped up into his mind. A role model? He was the 'shape' everyone else was supposed to want to take, and he was supposed to know that and use it to his advantage? Thinking back on everything, this statement did sort of piece everything together. Acting nice, calm, collected. Showing strength, doing well, and so on. It all made sense.

Leaning back in his chair, he stared up at the stone ceiling, the dirty stone paling in comparisons to the whispering words that found their way to his ears.

"Take them on journeys...into the real world, but don't coddle them...Important to allow your students...free will. Make sure...study independently from you at times...need to live and experience in an environment where they...full control and can employ your teachings...fullest effect. Give them space...roam free, and learn on their own. Be careful. Some might get hurt...or die."

So, expanding on real world experience, he had to encourage these scenarios. The teacher needs to watch them, to intervene should problems arise. They need to feel empowered, and to be forced to make impactful decisions, sometimes in a situation of life or death. However, he had to be careful and keep a watchful eye on them so that if they make the wrong choice, he can be there to rescue them. It all made perfect sense. Recalling his memories, it was in part the way his mother taught him. He was given some tasks, and when she left she always seemed to be there when he needed her.

Thinking back on what he had learned and making a comparison, teaching and leadership seemed to go hand in hand. It was surprising, to him, that there were so many similarities. A wise leader can be a great teacher by giving people examples to follow, simply by actions alone. A great leader that is also a skilled teacher can educate a multitude at once, even from afar or through a cascade of gossip. It was interesting how hand in hand these two disciplines went, but he knew that to employ them both fully, he had to first be good at what was asked of him. He cannot not teach if he knows nothing to teach about, nor can he lead if he knows nothing about those he leads.

by **Vizayas** on June 14th, 2015, 5:34 am

Vizayas realized his internal monologue was perhaps saying 'so' too much, leading him to refrain from thinking such things for at least the duration of his stay at the library. It was silly, but it was a habit that he saw was beginning to form. He had to be creative, and his mental exercise would hopefully prove fruitful.

So, damn. He began to read some more.

Learn your trade and organization inside and out if you intend to lead. Work as an equal to those beneath you while you grasp the basic concepts they struggle with and are thus able to help with. A leader is often just as much a teacher as they are a figurehead. This will give you an edge in understanding and solving the problems that your group will face, or allow individuals within your group to respond effectively to difficult situations.

Ah, this book was asking a lot from him. He had to act like a paragon of knighthood, while at the same time working out the basics with everyone had problems with - but this went hand in hand with teaching, just like he was beginning to theorize! Being a leader, a teacher... there are so many lines you can draw between the two. It asked that he knew the field he was leading in as well as possible. 'A leader is like a figurehead' seemed obvious enough when compared to what he had read from this book so far. As a leader, he would often be representing the order of knights to others. This would be important, as he wouldn't want non-Knights to look upon the order as something it's not.

As per usual, faint sounds echoed through the halls, barely on the edge of his divine hearing. Thank Rhaus... he thought, for this gift. It was truly miraculous and beneficial, and the world seemed so much more alive, never truly silent. If there were a dull moment in his life, he would still hear his own heart beat plain as day.

"...Watch your students carefully...weak spots in their knowledge must be ironed out...be more clear on what's wrong...what's right. Elaborate, explain...heart out and imbue them with the information...combine this with every technique...keep a watchful eye on progress...observe your student as you would your own child...but again, don't coddle them..."

The words faded away, leaving Vizayas to his thoughts again. The new information was thought-provoking, indeed. Watch his students, and find the weak spots in their knowledge? And he was supposed to combine this with the other techniques? Teaching was quite demanding, but so was leadership. Vizayas gave a shrug and leaned back into his chair, tiredness starting to overcome him. His eyes hung heavy as he continued to think.

Watch them like your own child...but again, don't coddle them... curious words. They were in-line with the explanation on student independence, so was he supposed to spy on his students, guide them where necessary and impart upon them meaningful words rather than rhetoric and idle chat? It seemed to make sense.

He was getting tired again, so he decided he would make another crack at this book tomorrow. The seminar kept going, but his mind didn't have the energy with how hard he'd been working these past few days. He needed the sleep. Vizayas pulled himself off the chair, grabbing the book up in his arms and sliding it back into the shelf, a slight smirk upon his face emerging at the sound of it. Then, he proceeded to check himself out of the archives.

by **Nivel** on August 4th, 2015, 6:17 pm

Vizayas :

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