Understanding the Why

February 1, 2023

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You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Why before What.” Simon Synek is particularly well-known for promoting this notion (this excerpt of his TED Talk is evidently the most viewed TED Talk of all time! It’s definitely worth the watch, and to consider ways that you can think about this science as it relates to the work of schools, teams, and even students).

The comedian Michael Jr. demonstrates the power of “Why” in just three short minutes. If you haven’t seen this clip, give it a go now. You’ll be glad you did–no doubt you’ll be stunned silent by his powerful showcase of why knowing your why is so very important to everything that we do.

Without knowing WHY we are doing something, WHAT it is we are doing has less meaning. And the WHAT becomes compliance-oriented. While doing something because we “have to” certainly has a place, internalizing WHY we are doing it ensures commitment to whatever that “it” is.

Many times in schools we do things because we have a technical grasp of WHAT we are supposed to do. While technical knowledge and skills are needed, what is even more important is a deep understanding of WHY we are doing it. Both knowing WHAT we are doing and WHY it is important is critical. This is where the magic can happen.

Teams Doing "Stuff"

First of all, let me emphasize that every team that I have worked with is striving to do the best they know how to do. With striving, they get better and farther down the path no matter where they are on it.

With this in mind, some are going through the motions because they have been told to do this or that. They identify essential standards. They underline, circle and bracket like the best of ‘em. They craft an assessment (or two or three or four or more). They give it. They look at the results, and many times those results are presented in spreadsheets with color-coding.

And then they move on to their next essential standard.

These teams do the “stuff” of a learning team in a Professional Learning Community.

Unfortunately, in some of these teams, the forest gets lost as we focus so heavily on the trees–the “stuff.” The work of the team seems cosmetic or surface-level and does not impact our professional practice.

Teams Improving Their Practice

And then on the other end of the continuum I also have the blessing of working with teams who don’t quite grasp the intricacies of the “stuff.”

These teams may not understand what unpacking means. They might not have the best assessment practices. Their data isn’t presented in tables and spreadsheets.

While messy, they know WHY they are engaging in these practices–and that is to improve their own practice and results for students.

They know that while there are trees in this forest, the purpose of the forest is to get better at what we, the adults, do every day for students.

Not a Dichotomy

To be clear, I’m not advocating for one scenario over the other. Where teams are in their journey is where they are. I am privileged to work with teams who do both: see the forest (improving our practice and results for students) AND engage in the technical aspects (identifying essential standards, unpacking them, developing quality assessments, and looking at the data in meaningful ways).

Indeed, teams who can do both are those who get great results.

Let’s do just that. Let’s understand WHY we are doing what we’re doing. And let’s get really good at WHAT we are doing, too.

Together, we can ensure high levels of learning for all.

Questions for Reflection

To what extent does your team(s) know WHY they are engaging in collaborative practices?

Where might your team grow in DOING the right work?

What steps might you take to move your team(s) forward?

“…keenness of understanding is due to keenness of vision.” –Bahá’í Writings

Rib Review

January was a great month of ribs! Lucky for me, I had some great ones in Austin and also Midland, TX, though the Midland joints were a repeat (See this post for a review of Michael’s). Had a quick trip to Omaha, too.

Surprisingly, the Omaha ribs and brisket from Famous Dave’s were solid. While it’s a chain with locations all over the country, I was impressed. What was most impressive was the brisket. I’m not a huge brisket fan, but because of the variety platter that we ordered, I had some. WOW! Tender and flavorful–and it seems to be better than the ribs. (Yes, I just said that…)

Two particularly great places in Austin are a must-visit. Terry Black’s is a local and tourist favorite that serves the meat by the weight. A great outdoor area is available to eat, and the ribs themselves were quite delicious–tender with excellent seasoning on the exterior. The green beans were excellent, and there wasn’t any need for sauce on the meat. We also had some brisket, but it was not my favorite (sorry Texans…). Iron Works is a really fun joint in downtown Austin that used to be a blacksmith shop. Pictures on the walls show famous people who have been there, and one sign boasts that Jay Leno has ribs mailed to him (not sure if that is still accurate or not…). We had both pork and beef ribs, and both were good, though the pork was best. The sauce was unremarkable but thankfully it wasn’t on the ribs as they didn’t need it. Even if only for the cool ambiance, give Iron Works a try.