Synthesize, Simplify, & Strike
“In the long run, the only sustainable source of competitive advantage is your organization’s ability to learn faster than your competition. “
PETER SENGE, The Fifth Discipline
So, HOW do we learn faster, deeper, and more creative? HOW do we create cultures for learning? We are competing with technology and vying for attention of young people and adults in the global world that is becoming more challenging. Believing that Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, is correct, let’s start with WHY. Most people can get clear about their personal and/or professional WHY. As a longtime educator, my why is contributing to my own learning and to the learning of others. I also think when engaged in a conversation people can describe WHAT results they want to see, hear, and feel. What remains is to close the gap between WHY and WHAT… the HOW.
Richard Sheridan, CEO Menlo Innovations has a great mission statement, to “end human suffering in the world as it relates to technology” by returning joy to his organization. Menlo is a software development company; technology teams create for others to use. His books, Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer provide examples of the Menlo culture and how it contributes to the Joy of working in that culture.
As I reflect on the education today, I wonder, what if our mission was to end human suffering caused by schools? The environment in communities has changed from the industrial age to the knowledge worker age. Educators are on the frontline of a changing world and working in structures that were operational in the past. Some students do very well under the current organization. More students are having trouble fitting into the existing way schools are structured and in the testing culture. Art Costa told me over thirty years ago, if the staff is not in a mentally stimulating environment, why do you think they will provide it for students? His question to me has kept me learning and leading in many schools. Mahalo Art!
Here are a couple of quotes from Dr. Sheridan:
- “If You Want a Culture of Leaders, Build a Culture of Systems Thinkers.” Michael Ayers, 3M Professional Development and also a parent of students in a school where I was principal years ago, invited me to a ‘systems thinking’ workshop he was leading at 3M. What a gift for me! This provided new connections to business models that could be adapted to education. Neither business nor education has THE answer; they both have multiple answers. For more knowledge about systems, read Upstream by Dan Heath.
- “Fear does not make bad news go way. Fear makes bad news go into hiding.” Most leaders are more afraid of what they don’t know than what they do know. If bad news is hiding, the future will hit us in the side of the head, not in the forehead. For more knowledge creating a great psychologically safe culture, read Amy Edmondson’s The Fearless Organization.
- Trust is a necessary component of leadership. Without trust, organizations can become toxic. Read https://learningomnivores.com/rules/build-trust-or-become-toast/ on my website
“The most exciting breakthroughs of the 21st century will not occur because of technology but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human.”
JOHN NAISBITT, Megatrends
I am not sure all high-tech people believe this. Naisbitt’s book in the late 90s proposed the idea that high tech needs high touch. I believe the human element is currently losing the battle. I attended a workshop about AI. The host showed Morgan Freeman making some statements. The convener asked, ‘isn’t that wonderful what we can do?’ Then, told us that the image was not Morgan Freeman, and the voice was not Morgan Freeman’s voice. She asserted that this is a great use of technology. I said, ‘what you have demonstrated to me is that I can’t trust anything, because it could be fake.’ Crickets!
I do want to honor the advancements technology has accomplished in the medical field, etc. For me, the question becomes, ‘how do I know it is true?’ I suggest the idea of digital ethics for our young people (and older people like me). Read Anxious Generation by John Haidt for more recent research. I am reminded of Bo Diddley’s quote below.
“Before you accuse me (take a look at yourself)”
Bo Diddley
So, How do we move forward? I am suggesting we synthesize information, simplify strategies, and strike while the iron is hot. (yes, some older sayings still have meaning)
Synthesize
When I asked Richard Sheridan, how do you hire those who will fit your culture? He said, the first requirement is “Do they play well with others?” Our collaborative environment requires working with others, not separation by cubicles. The culture at Menlo drives learning and sharing information throughout the organization. This SAVES TIME.
Another characteristic Menlo looks for, are they readers? LEARNERS ARE READERS. Bring all ideas to the interactions and see what works. The more broadly the associates acquire knowledge, the more leadership potential and experience they can bring to the table. Creating a culture of learning is paramount for Menlo. RUN THE EXPERIMENT is one Menlo’s favorite strategies
Our leaders and aspiring leaders must be active learners. We must continually deal with a changing world, or we may disappear. How many dinosaurs do you see walking around? If an idea doesn’t work, don’t relapse, adapt. Much of the literature currently talks about being emotionally and intellectually agile to deal with a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous). The world is changing. Keep moving forward or fall behind. Marshall Goldsmith coined the term ‘FeedForward.’ Basically, you can’t change the past, you can change the future.
“Fear is the mind-killer. “
BENE GESSERIT
Kupersmith and Hoy wrote about trust and provided three elements: Be a person first, a role second, and take responsibility. No blaming, and no manipulation of others by fake words and actions.
Stan Slap in his book Bury My Heart in Conference Room B has a great activity that he led our Learning Omnivores group through.
- Identify your most important values. Three at most
- How did you get the value. We all talked about teachers, mentors, coaches, etc.
We all have stood on the shoulders of giants to recognize Isaac Newton’s quote. How we navigate our current reality is important. Can we manage conflicts that emerge along the way. Slap included the following quote in his book. Leadership is walking on and in fire sometimes. Do you have the repertoire and the emotional agility to deal with daily and life issues?
“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.”
CHARLES BUKOWSKI
Simplify
At Menlo, they are looking for able learners with maximum intellectual curiosity. They can teach skills all day long. This is consistent with Herb Kelleher, CEO of Southwest Airlines. Herb said, ‘We hire for attitude. We can teach them to take tickets and most of the necessary tasks. And, we want staff to have fun. Of course, a pilot would need a license.’
Mary Barra, CEO General Motors arrived to find multiple issues between the union and management. One example was the dress code. I forget how many pages in the contract were necessary to define the code. Mary reduced it to two words: Dress Appropriately.
Contracts do have to spell out necessary legal requirements, safety issues, pay scales, etc. At the same time, as I reflect on my years as a principal and assistant superintendent, I realize a contract can restrict a deviation that makes sense.
In one district, an extraordinary English teacher had a chance to accompany her spouse on a fully paid week trip to China. The contract gave two days for personal leave. This was a teacher I would want my own child to have as a teacher. So, do you adhere to the contract so the teacher can’t go, make her lie about being sick, etc. No, you work out two days personal and three days unpaid leave for a great experience.
Doing what is right is not always easy. What is easy isn’t always right. When asked why we accommodated this teacher, I said, ‘when you get a fully paid trip to China, you will get the same offer.’
Getting Better Together. “Don’t wait for permission or bureaucratic buy-in. Don’t ponder all the possibilities. Try it and see what happens.”
Strike
Take Action. Make Mistakes Faster is a poster on the wall at Menlo. I know many organizations take a “burn the boats” approach. Sometimes hat shocks the system to change. Sometimes if depresses the people to give up. Leaders must work with a both/and approach. Barry Johnson and Polarity Partnerships have great strategies available.
Communicate what is not changing, what will change, and HOW we will make the necessary adjustments. If the organization has had many false starts in the past with new ‘silver bullets’ it will be harder for the people in the organization to trust change will stick. Michael Ayers told me years ago when dealing with change, ‘People have to believe change is possible before they will embrace it.’
Life is Change
Growth is Optional
Choose Wisely
Karen Clark
Attempt to implement strategic or organizational change, and you’ll get one of two kinds of resistance from your employee culture:
- OVERT – It’s too late to prevent it.
- COVERT – You don’t realize it’s too late to prevent it.
Never misinterpret lingering cultural silence as agreement, compliance, or an indication that the culture has nothing to say.
”Anyone who has had a bull by the tail knows five or six things more than someone who hasn’t”
Mark Twain
You can’t rest on past success if the world is changing. Let’s continuously look for a better way. Never stop learning or challenging yourself and others. Finally, persist in taking risks. Doing all of these takes courage. A lot of it. Anybody can change, but they must want to.
Nobody ever changed for the better by going to a training session.
Marshall Goldsmith
It is action, not position. What are you waiting for. Today is a workday.
References:
Goldsmith, M. (2007). What got you here won’t get you there. New York: Hyperion
Johnson, Barry. (1992). Polarity management. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, Inc.
Johnson, Barry. (2020). And: Making a Difference by Leveraging Polarity, Paradox or Dilemma. Volume One. Sacramento, CA: Polarity Partnerships.
Sheridan, Richard. (2013). Joy, Inc. New York: Penguin
Sheridan, Richard. (2018). Chief Joy Officer. New York: Portfolio/Penguin
Slap, Stan. (2010). Bury My Heart at Conference Room B. New York: Penguin.
Slap, Stan. (2015). Under the Hood. New York: Penguin.
Wagner, Frank. (2015). The Power of Total Commitment. SCC Marshall Goldsmith