Whose Shoes?

When I first stepped into the official leadership role. I had the role on a pedestal and could not imagine myself in it. In this case it was the role of Assistant Principal and I remember thinking 'This is what other people do, not me.' I had exactly the same feeling when I first became a principal. The following questions rolled in my mind from the first submitted application through to today:

Can I do this?

Should I do this?

Why am I doing this?

Along with my orientation pack and set of keys, when I started in my first leadership role the supposed wise words of 'You've got some big shoes to fill' were said to me.

'You've got some big shoes to fill'. 

How am I possibly going to do this?

The words of supposed encouragement filled me with anxiety and dread. The self-limiting belief monster was having a field day in my head and I remember thinking 'People are going to find out that I am a twit and completely undeserving of this job!'.

I now know that the self-limiting belief monster and the ego are closely related. 

Thinking you can't do something and going through the 'how am I going to fill these shoes?' is just the ego's way of being heard and trying to stay relevant. You were hired to do the job, you obviously did okay in the interview and no one is going to put you in a place to see you fail. People are weird but they aren't that weird.

The expression 'You've got big shoes to fill' has a second part '... But they are my shoes to walk in'.

The 'big shoes' are someone's perception of a moment and a time. The person that came before you was probably told the exact same thing and they did okay. 

Just remember, these big shoes are shoes you will grow in, shoes you will walk in and shoes that you will make your own. 

There will be a time when the shoes are too small. This is when you have perhaps outgrown the role, are ready for the next challenge or your work in that place is done. That is okay. It's better to outgrow a pair of shoes than wear them out. 

Whatever role you are stepping into, know that you can do it. They might be some big shoes for you to step into but they are your shoes to walk in.

Anne-Marie