#ICELEBRATEYOU NO. 6 – “VISIBLE WORK” – NORMAN ERICKSON (TEACHER) -

For the sixth #ICelebrateYou Day, within the theme of celebrating influential leaders who practice and enable “VISIBLE WORK”, I want to acknowledge Mr. Norman Erickson, my high school biology teacher.

“VISIBLE WORK” Is one of the 5 pillars of Working Out Loud? . It’s not just “Building Your Brand” – Defining to yourself and to those you come in contact with your morals, your integrity, your empathy, your ability to communicate, your ability to accept challenges and work as part of a team. It’s also the ability to “Extend Your Reach”, and utilize the unique set of skills, experience, and behaviors you have to influence your career and positively influence others. Working Out Loud helps you develop your “Visible Work” skills by providing lessons and exercises to conduct self-reflection as to your core values and ethics, as well as expanding your network, improving your communication skills with those you know as well as those you don’t know (but would like to know), and solidifying your skills and accomplishments.

For this month’s #ICleebrateYou, I recognize Mr. Norman Erickson, my high school AP (Advanced Placement) biology teacher at Rockford (IL) Guilford High School.

Mr. Erickson was one of those instructors who taught with a passion. He didn’t just want his students to learn science. He wanted them to learn about life, and shared many personal lessons in an effort to help us navigate our lives successfully. He was extremely patient and understanding, and invested personally in each student’s success.

I remember one story he told us from when he was an undergraduate at University of Illinois (to be my alma mater). He had pledged a fraternity on campus, and was at the end of “Hell Week”, where pledges are made to perform all sorts of menial tasks to demonstrate their worthiness (?) to join the fraternity. (Similar practices are in place at sororities.) He was in his last day of Hell Week, scrubbing a bathroom floor with a toothbrush, when he quit and walked out. He decided, “This is beneath me. I have more dignity than to degrade myself like this, regardless of how much I want to join this fraternity.” Despite all the time and energy he invested, he determined it wasn’t worth his integrity. To me, it was a powerful lesson about self-realization and self-determination, and deciding how much you value yourself.

My other great learning moment from Mr. Erickson came a couple of years later. I had taken the biology class as a sophomore, but had kept in touch with Mr. Erickson. In the succeeding years, he had a running conflict with the high school’s department head, who was a pompous blowhard who didn’t like anyone challenging his authority. Eventually Mr. Erickson was pulled from teaching AP biology, and assigned to teaching developmental biology and science classes, for those students struggling with the topic.

I asked him how it felt being demoted like that? And his answer shocked me. He told me, “You know, I really enjoyed teaching the AP classes. Those were the best students. But it was easy – you came to learn. Regardless of whether it was me or another teacher, you would have learned to subject. But in my current classes, I’m teaching students who either don’t learn as easy as the top students do, or there are obstacles preventing them from learning. In these classes, I have the chance to make a difference. To help them overcome their issues and roadblocks, or their lack of interest, and ignite their interest in science and learning. I’m having a much greater impact as a teacher with these students.”

I was surprised at his response, but it made perfect sense. He viewed his role, not through the lens of personal ?growth or status, but from the opportunity to affect positive change. He was a true servant leader, finding personal value by prioritizing his customers’ needs.

Thank you, Mr. Erickson, on behalf of the many students who were fortunate to have been in one of your classes or who benefited from your wisdom and compassion.?

“Teachers who put relationships first don’t just have students for one year: They have students who view them as “their” teacher for life.” – Educator Justin Tarte