Every morning, the school run is a chaotic, messy, loud, beautiful ritual. It’s a mix of tired-eyed beginnings, spilled cereal, and the mad rush to find that one missing shoe. But once we’re all packed into the car, something shifts. The world outside fades, and for those twenty minutes, it’s just me, the kids, and the magical madness of the road ahead.
Now, in my dream world, I’d be driving a Land Rover Defender 110—rugged, indestructible, ready for adventure. But let’s be real, my actual dream car for the school run is my Caddy. It’s practical, it’s got space for all the chaos, and most importantly, it’s safe, it feels like a little home on wheels.
Inside, it’s less of a car and more of a moving concert hall-slash-playground. Right now, the soundtrack of our lives is Pink Pony Club on repeat. Lizzy’s current anthem. The kind of song that drills into your brain so deeply that I hear it even when the car is off. The volume is always a battle—I turn it down slightly, only for small, determined hands to crank it all teh way back up.
Then there’s the ‘GO wiggly’ game. A tradition. The soft toys get their turn to “drive,” which basically means some stuffed animal takes the wheel for a few seconds while we gently (but dramatically) swerve. It’s important business. Daniel provides running commentary on who’s driving best today, while Lizzy, seatbelted in like a queen, makes sure everyone knows she has final say on playlist decisions.
But then we get to school. The music stops. The morning silliness fades as bags are slung over little shoulders, we check our lists and make sure we got everything and they prepare to step into their world without me. I walk Lizzy to her classroom and, as always, say, I love you. She doesn’t respond.
So I say it again, a little louder.
LIZZY, I love you.
She looks at me, not annoyed, not embarrassed, just completely certain, and says, I know.
And I think—that might actually be better than her saying it back. Because as her dad, that’s all I really want. For her to know.
It was a beautiful autumn morning and Professor Elizabeth was standing at the front of her classroom, preparing to give her lecture on literary story telling. As she scanned the faces of her students, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. She loved teaching and there was nothing quite like the thrill of introducing her students to new ideas and helping them to develop their critical thinking story telling skills.
“Good morning, everyone,” Professor Elizabeth began. “Today, we’re going to be discussing the theme of love in literature. I want you to think about why certain characters love one another and what that love represents. To help you get started, I’m going to ask you to write a 500-word essay on the topic of Jack loves Jill.“
There was a murmur of excitement and confusion among the students as they grabbed their pens and notebooks, ready to take notes. Professor Elizabeth could see the wheels turning in their heads as they tried to come up with ideas for their essays.
“Now, I know this may seem like a daunting task at first,” Professor Elizabeth continued. “But I have complete confidence in all of you. I want you to really think about why Jack loves Jill. Is it because of her physical appearance? Is it because of her personality? Is it because of the way she makes him feel? Or is it something deeper, something that goes beyond the surface level? These are the kinds of questions I want you to explore in your essays.”
Professor Elizabeth paused for a moment to let her words sink in before continuing. “I know that some of you may be struggling to come up with ideas for your essays. So, to help you get started, I’m going to give you a few prompts to consider. First, consider the ways in which Jack and Jill’s relationship has evolved over time. Have they always been in love, or did their love grow over time? Second, think about the challenges that Jack and Jill have faced in their relationship and how they’ve overcome them. And finally, consider the role that outside influences, such as friends or family, have played in Jack and Jill’s relationship.”
As Professor Elizabeth spoke, her students scribbled furiously in their notebooks, taking down every word she said. She could see the excitement and determination in their eyes, and it filled her with a sense of pride. She loved watching her students grow and learn, and she knew that this assignment would be a great opportunity for them to do just that.
“I want you to take some time to think about your essays and come up with a solid outline before you start writing,” Professor Elizabeth concluded. “And remember, don’t be afraid to be creative and think outside the box. The most interesting essays are often the ones that take a unique perspective on the topic at hand. I can’t wait to read your finished essays and see what you all come up with. I want them on my desk first thing tomorrow morning…”
With that, Professor Elizabeth dismissed her class, and the students filed out of the room, buzzing with excitement and ideas for their essays. As she gathered her things and prepared to head home for the day, Professor Elizabeth couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She knew that this assignment was going to be a challenging and rewarding one for her students, and she couldn’t wait to see what they came up with.
The next morning student after student, came in handing paper after paper until Steven came walking slowly to the Professors desk. With most of the class seated, Steven slowly approached her desk…
“Sorry to bother you Prof” Steven said in a gentle yet confident voice, “I know you said 500 words and this may be a little more”, and simply handed her a photograph, “but here is why Jack loves Jill…”
You have a story. Your story is made up of your authentic personality and the life experiences that shape you into who you are today. It’s who you’ve been, what you’ve done, and how those experiences have affected your outlook on life – who you are as an individual. This is what makes you unique. And it’s what gives you the opportunity to connect with others on a deeper level. Your story also has a plotline – meaning that it has a beginning, middle and end. You start out as an underdog and work your way up; maybe there’s a particular event or period of time that changed the course of your life for good. But you have a story, and it’s yours and as you read, you’ll realise, ITS SO SACRED. Don’t let anyone ever stop you from telling your story, ever.
The story of Joseph, Genesis 41
You might be familiar with the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers and sent to work in Egypt. His dream was that one day he would rise to become the second most powerful person in Egypt. And this dream came true! Joseph was able to make his dreams a reality because he planned for them, strategized how they would come true, and put policies in place to ensure their success. This is how you make your goals happen too.
If you have a goal or objective that isn’t being reached as quickly as you’d like it to be—whether it’s making more money or getting fit—consider what steps must happen before achieving that goal? These are things like:
Planning out a timeline
Building relationships with key players
Getting clear on what success looks like (for example: number of sales made per month)
How Joseph’s story can help you today
Joseph’s story is the story of a man who was in prison, but he was not broken. He learned to use his time in prison to create a vision for the future and to begin changing things around him. Joseph inspired others by telling them about his dreams, which eventually became their reality as well.
It is the story of a man who was able to use his creativity to bring about change in himself and others around him.
Step 1. Your content must evolve – from theory to practive, from dream to the plan
You must evolve your content from theory to practise.
Your creativity must also evolve from a dream to a plan.
Dreams grow as plants grow. The bigger the plant gets the bigger the pot will eventually need to be. Make sure your dreams have big pots. Plan for big pots, and dream for even bigger fields and plots.
Once you dream it, you have to make it happen. Your creativity must evolve from a dream into a plan.
This is the next step in taking your content strategy from good to great:
Dream BIG about what you want your social media presence to look like and feel like. What kind of content do you want to share? On what platforms? With whom? Etc.
Create a plan for how you’re going to achieve that vision. That could mean creating new graphics, videos or other assets; setting up processes for scheduling posts; hiring writers and designers; learning how-to’s on new software tools like Gif Maker (a free tool provided by Facebook) – whatever it takes! Do what you gotta do. Design what you gotta design. Like these windows. Just do it.
Step 2 like Joseph, put a policy in place that connects your content and creativity with your genuine leadership purpose.
You know what you stand for, but do others? What’s the message of your organization? How do you want to be seen in the world? Without having an existential crisis, lol, WHO ARE YOU?
There’s that beautiful moment where PO gets asked, WHO ARE YOU?
Kai: Who are you?
Po: I’ve been asking myself that question. Am I the son of a panda? The son of a goose? A student? A teacher? I’m all of those things. [Po’s chi forms the shape of a dragon around him] I am the Dragon Warrior! Get it? You see the giant dragon?
To answer these questions, define what’s important to you (or business) and create a mission statement or vision statement that communicates it. Also make sure all your friends and family (and employees) understand how their work fits into this plan. They’ll be more committed when they understand how their contributions contribute value to the overall outcome—and so will customers and partners!
Step 3. You are ready to lead creatively and authentically, leading with a relational heart.
Leading with your story is the most authentic way to lead in a world of digital distraction. Your story is real and true—not manufactured or curated. Your lived experience and absolutely who you are. TAKE A DEEP BREATHE HERE.
You will need to ask yourself some tough questions: What are my values? What do I believe in? Why am I here? How do I want people to feel when they interact with me? When you know what matters most to you, then you can begin sharing it through words, images and videos that reflect who you really are even as they attract like-minded peers who resonate with your authenticity.
Leading with purpose is another important element for becoming an influencer. There’s no point in being creative if there’s no clear reason for doing so beyond ‘because.’ Think about the purpose behind everything that makes sense for your brand or organization before jumping into content creation mode: Why does this matter? Who cares about this issue (or cause)? How will this help someone else?”
Authentic and creative leaders lead with THEIR stories, not other people’s
Authentic and creative leaders lead with their stories.
Relational leaders lead with their stories.
Story is king (and queen).
I want to highlight. “Our stories are sacred” is a phrase that highlights the idea that our personal stories, experiences, and histories are valuable and important. It suggests that our stories are not only meaningful to us as individuals, but also hold a deeper significance and value.
As individuals, our stories are incredibly valuable and important. They are the foundation of our identity, the source of our strength and resilience, and the way we connect with others. Our stories are the threads that weave together the tapestry of our lives, giving shape and meaning to our experiences.
When we share our stories with others, we open ourselves up to vulnerability and connection. We invite others to see us for who we truly are and to witness the struggles and triumphs that have shaped us. This can be a deeply transformative and healing experience, as it allows us to feel seen, heard, and understood.
Let us remember that our stories are sacred and hold them close and cherish them. And let us also have the courage to share them with others, knowing that in doing so, we are honoring ourselves and the human experience that we all share.
So, how do you lead creatively and authentically as a leader? It’s simple. You tell your story – the story that motivates you to action. Then, you connect this story with the creativity needed to build a plan for your organization that is aligned with your true leadership purpose. The result is an innovative strategy that reflects your values (and those of those around you).
Please mail me, dean@deancothill.co.za and I would love to chat and share stories…
