A Note from Chad: Last time I shared with readers about the fantastic learning opportunity and experience at Solution Tree the last weekend of March. It ended with…Stay tuned.
Well…it’s a go! I was invited to join the most recent class of associates for the esteemed Solution Tree organization. This means that, in addition to my own consulting, coaching, and writing, I will be doing the same for schools and districts that contract with Solution Tree.
Needless to say, it’s an incredible honor, and I look forward to this amazing work with an even better organization.
What's Good for the Goose...
April 30, 2021
“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” This saying is many times used to reference gender roles, but occasionally addresses the idea that if it’s good for one then it’s good for all. As in, if it’s good for you to do something, then it must of necessity be good for me, too.
And so it is with professional learning: if it’s good for teaching staff (and classified staff), it’s good for administrative staff.
Indeed, in order to create a collaborative environment for teachers, school leaders must engage in professional learning. This learning boils down to two big areas and many specific activities: 1) One’s default mode of operation, and 2) Distinguishing between leadership and management.
A Default Mode
Schools are full of challenges: scheduling, student behavior, instructional improvement, parent engagement, interpersonal challenges…the list goes on.
Leaders of schools that are creating collaborative environments approach these challenges with a learning mindset. They avoid pure problem-solving, solution-driven, “fix-it” approaches. Instead, collaborative leaders approach their work with active listening skills and a learning mode.
For a nice (and short!) article with excellent advice, see:
We all have default modes. This is what we fall back on when times get tough and stress is high.
Leaders who are creating collaborative environments strive to have their default mode be that of learning. When times are tough, they ask how they can personally improve–as well as how they can improve the system. When stress is high, they consider possibilities.
Their default mode is that of “What can I (or do I need to) learn?”
Contrast this mode with one of finger-pointing, blaming, or short-term solution-seeking.
I remember hearing that Deming (@DemingInstitute) would remark that in Japan (where he worked to help the Japanese car industry become the best in the world, for the best price) they ask “What happened?”
Whereas in the U.S. we tend to ask, “Who needs to be fired?”
The story of Warren Buffet, the multi-billionaire investor known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” also comes to mind: A staff member had made some bad trades and lost a significant sum of money (possibly in the millions). Buffet had this person come to his office, and the individual was sure he would be fired. In anticipation, this staff member offered his resignation. Buffet responded with a laugh and said, “I just invested a million dollars in your learning–why would I fire you now?!”
“I just invested a million dollars in your learning–why would I fire you now?!”
A default mode of learning leads to collaboration and long-term success. Ask not, “who’s to blame,” but, “what can we learn from this.” It’s not a matter of fixing blame, but of fixing the problem. Let’s learn what we can from setbacks.
Leadership vs Management
The second key idea around modeling learning with your staff is that of distinguishing between leadership and management.
Deming noted that leadership is meeting the needs of everyone. Management, on the other hand, is about meeting the unique individual needs of each person.
Another way to say it is that leadership is working on the system; management is working in the system.
School leaders who are modeling learning distinguish between these two types of activities, and then act accordingly–varying their personal and organizational learning needs depending on the issue.
Sometimes we lead. Other times we manage. Sometimes the distinction between the two blurs…
Specific Activities
Having a default mode of learning and distinguishing between leadership and management are well and good, but what about day-to-day, practical activities? In short, school leaders must engage in practices similar to teachers, but with their own colleagues. This includes:
- Learning alongside “your” staff
- Learning from and with a mentor
- Planning together with other leaders about professional issues
- Thinking together with other leaders
- Observing and responding to teaching with other leaders
- Observing and responding to assessment with other leaders
- Focusing on improving instruction with other leaders
- Using protocols (step-by-step procedures for teams) with other leaders
Don’t just talk about professional learning. Do the professional learning.
As you engage, especially focused on learning by doing–virtually and/or in-person–you will become a better and better leader.
Because you are learning, and what’s good for others is good for all of us.
Questions for Reflection
- What is my default mode of operation? How do I know? What steps can I take to make sure that learning is my default?
- Think about the work that you do in a week. Which would you consider leadership (meeting the needs of everyone)? Which would be more managerial (meeting individual needs)? What changes might help your work?
- In which of the activities listed do you regularly engage? What steps might you take to increase these?
Do you have a story you’d like to share?
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