Three Billy Goats Gruff

This is more of a leadership philosophy than a teaching philosophy.

That said, as you probably know, teaching and leadership philosophies often overlap. Both involve responsibility, taking care of the people in your charge, knowing when to step forward—and sometimes more importantly—knowing when to let things play themselves out. One phrase that tends to get under my skin—and I imagine it does with many of you as well—is: “That’s not my job.” We hear it in workplaces, organizations, and sometimes even in training environments, and while it may be accurate in many scenarios, it often carries a lack of caring tone.

Many of us actively try to make sure we’re not guilty of that mindset. As a result, most of us tend to overshoot a little and get down on ourselves when we attempt things that might be outside our wheelhouse. I’d like to offer a thought process that sits somewhere in the middle ground between "do everything" and "that’s not my job."

Think about the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. It’s a classic tale. To be honest, I’ve never read the original version, and since a good chunk of my childhood probably depends on the gentler retelling, I don’t plan to. I suspect the original is considerably more brutal and far less forgiving.

The child-friendly version I grew up with tells a simple story: the grass is greener on the other side, and the smallest Billy goat approaches a bridge guarded by a troll. The troll threatens to eat him, and the little Billy goat pleads, saying his older brother will be crossing soon—and he’s much bigger and fatter.

As the oldest of eleven siblings, that part always resonated with me. I’m fairly certain my siblings would have sold me out in about three seconds for fifty cents and a Coca-Cola from McDonald’s.

The second Billy goat repeats the same strategy. But when the third and final Billy goat arrives, he doesn’t negotiate. He doesn’t plead. He handles the problem directly, knocking the troll into the ravine, never to be seen again.

Beyond the humor, the story offers an interesting look at group and family dynamics. One concept was painfully clear to me, especially after reading it over and over as a child: the younger Billy goats knew the older Billy goat was better equipped to handle the situation. They recognized their own limitations and deferred to the one who had the strength and ability to resolve the problem.

That idea carries an important leadership lesson. When dealing with any situation, while we should never default to “this isn’t my job,” we should also recognize that within every group there are people who are better suited to handle certain challenges than others.

Imagine a group of ten people, each with a specialty. Everyone is cross-trained, but no one is forced into a role that highlights their greatest weakness. Instead, people step forward when their strengths are needed, and step back when someone else is better equipped. That group would likely be calm, effective, and highly functional—and probably enjoy the task a great deal more.

So when you’re dealing with a challenging situation, I’d encourage you to remember that very simple, very childish version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Leadership in a school or organization isn’t about avoiding responsibility; the best results are achieved by making sure everyone is working to their strengths.