Great teaching doesn’t just transfer knowledge—it builds trust, invites vulnerability, and creates space for laughter. Here’s a fun moment with students and staff from the YWAM School of Photography in Kona, Hawaii, where we didn’t just learn photography—we learned how to lead by showing up as ourselves.
“The best teachers translate complexity into clarity, not by simplifying the subject, but by personalizing the path.”
— Stanley Leary
Over the years of teaching photographers, videographers, and storytellers from all walks of life, I’ve learned that people don’t just need simplified information-they need relevant understanding. Whether helping someone understand lighting or guiding a nonprofit through brand strategy, I’ve seen that people needn’t just simplified information—they need relevant understanding.
Albert Einstein put it this way:
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
It’s a great benchmark. But here’s the next step: just because something is simple to you doesn’t mean it’s clear to them. That’s where personalization comes in.
Teaching vs. Leading: Who Needs to Personalize?
A workshop teacher works face-to-face with learners, adjusting explanations to match different learning styles. One person may need visual examples, another might learn best by doing, and a third might need the story behind the technique to understand its purpose.
Great teachers observe, listen, and respond—not just with answers, but with adaptation. The best ones know the material, sure—but more importantly, they learn the student.
Now, what about leaders?
They may not be teaching aperture or video timelines, but they are guiding people—staff, partners, clients, or donors—through complex decisions and missions. Clarity still matters, and so does personalization.
A great leader:
- Shapes the organization’s message to fit different audiences.
- Communicates vision in a way that each team member can own.
- Understands when to lead from the front and when to walk beside.
Like the teacher, the leader must also personalize the path.
Don’t Just Simplify—Clarify
It’s tempting to take shortcuts: simplify, eliminate the details, and assume people will “get it.” But that often leads to misunderstanding or disengagement.
True clarity comes from doing translation work—not removing the complexity, but guiding someone through it.
That’s what teaching is. That’s what leadership is. And that’s what storytelling is, too.
Whether you’re standing in front of a classroom or at the head of an organization, the goal is the same:
Help people make sense of what matters—by meeting them where they are and guiding them forward.
