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LeadershipinTimesofTransitionpresentedbyChrisShade

LeadershipinTimesofTransitionpresentedbyChrisShade

Whatisthesinglegreatestimpedimenttoyourorganization’sgreatness?

Thestatestandardsoutlinecurricularexpectationslackspecificityandrelevance.Ourcurriculumis“amilewideandaninchdeep”requiringstudentstobea“jackofalltradesandmasterofnone.”AccordingtoRobertMarzano,“Ifyouwantedtoteachallofthestandardsinthenationaldocuments,youwouldhavetochangeschoolingfromK-12toK-22.”

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AccordingtoSirKenRobinson,lastyear,theNFLwasanine-billion-dollaindustry.

Hollywoodwasaneleven-billion-dollarindustry.

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Standardizedassessment?Asixteen-billion-dollarindustry.Thissoundslikebigbusinesstome;andtothatIsay,“educationisnoneofyourbusiness.”

http://www.jamievollmer.com/pdf/the-list.pdf

Governmentpolicymakers,inanefforttocorrectwhattheyperceivedasinefficiencyandineffectivenessinpublication,haveover-mandatedandover-regulatedthelocalfunction.Multipleandlargelypunitiveaccountabilityprovisionswerecreatedtoensurecompliance.Thoughthecontinualproliferationofprescriptiverulesandrequirementsisprobablywell-intentioned,itsimpactonschoolsisinherentlycounterproductive.Ratherthanfocusingeffortsonstudentsuccess,schooldistrictshavebeenforcedtobehavelikeinflexibleandunresponsivebureaucracies,moreaccountabletopoliciessetbythegovernmentandtheirenforcementagenciesthanresponsivetomeetingtheneedsoftheirstudentsandthecommunitiestheyserve.Thisshiftinpowerhasstrippedthelocalcommunityofasenseofownershipofitsschoolsanddenieditscitizenstherightandopportunitytomakemeaningfulchoicesaboutthequalityandnatureofeducationitdesiresforitsyouth.[VisioningDocument]

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BureaucracyTest[fromGaryHamel]• Doyoufeeltherearetoomanyrulesandpolicies inyour

organization,toomuchredtape? • Dothoserulesandpoliciesoftengetintheway ofdoing

therightthingforcustomers? • Doyoufeelover-managed,asifyou'renotreally

trusted? • Arethereinternalprocesses,likebudgeting andthe

annualperformancereview,thatseemtoabsorb moretimeandeffortthanthey'reworth?

• Doesitseemunnecessarilydifficulttostartsomethingnew, togetabitofseedfundingandcarveoutsometime toexperimentwithanewservice,product,orworkpractice?

• Doesitfeellikespeakingup,challengingyourmanager, orquestioningadecision,couldbeacareer-limitingmove?

• Areyouoryourteammatessometimesreluctanttotakerisks forfearofbeingpunishedforfailure?

• Dointernalstafffunctions,likeHRandfinance, seemmorefocusedonenforcingtheirrules thanfacilitatingyoursuccess,moremeddlesome thangenerallyhelpful?

• Doesitoftenfeelasifemployeesaretreatedmorelikeresourcesthanhumanbeings? Thatprofitscomefirst,andpeoplecomesecond?

• Doyoufeeltherearetoomanylayersinyourorganization? Toomanymanagerswhospendtheirtimemanagingothermanagers?

• Doleadersseemmoreinclinedtoprotecttheir decision-makingprerogativesthanto empowerthosearoundthem?

• Anddoesitoftenseemasifit'sthebestpoliticians whogetpromotedratherthanthebestleaders? Sothat'sadozenquestions.

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http://www.garyhamel.com/blog/3-trillion

ReformstrategieshaverepeatedlybeenintroducedwithsuchactsastheElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct,Goals2000,NoChildLeftBehind,andtherecentEveryStudentSucceedsAct.

Imageborrowedfromhttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:No_Child_Left_Behind_Act.jpg

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Yeteachnewreformismerelyputtinglipstickonthepig.LikeitspredecessorsESSAemphasizesstandardizedassessmentdespiteknowingthatweighingthepigwon’tmakeitfatter.AndwhatCEOwouldoffertoberatedonthepriceofcompanystockonanarbitrarydayoftheyear?

Why?

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Namesomeofthegreatestbreakthroughsofthepast150years.

Allofhumanity’sscientificadvanceswouldhavecontributedlittletoourqualityoflifeiftheyhadn’tbeenaccompaniedbyequallyastoundingbreakthroughsinmanagementscience.Overthepastcentury,muchofthisinnovationwasfocusedongettingpeopletobeasreliableasmachines,achallengethatrequiredanewandsystematicapproachtotheproblemofcontrol.Thenameforthatapproach:bureaucracy.

Thechallengemayseemintimidating,buttakeheart.Thoseearlymanagementpioneershadtoturnfree-thinking,obstreperoushumanbeingsintoobedient,kowtowingemployees.Theywereworkingagainstthegrainofhumannature.

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Inroutinizingwork,weriskedroutiniziedhumanbeings.Indeed,thiswasinevitable,sincethegoalofbureaucracywas(andis)toexcisethehumanfactor,toturnpeopleintomachinesmadeoffleshandblood.

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Whenwethinkoffactories,wethinkofHenryFord,ModelT’s,andassemblylines.Yet,withtheburgeoningsuccessandgrowth,theneedforanewtypeofworkerwasborn,thewhite-collarworkers.Interestingly,however,thesewhitecollarworkerswerestillfactoryworkers.Whetherpushingapencilorhammeringawayonakeyboard,orcallingoncustomers,theworkwasplanned,controlled,measuredandroutinized.Ifyoupaidattentioninschool,followedinstructions,showedupontime,andtriedhard,youwerepromisedtobetakencareof,paidalotofmoney,givenjobsecurity,offeredhealthinsuranceandretirementbenefits.ItwastheAmericanDream.Myfatherworkedinthefactory,inawhitecollar,insales.EverydayhewouldfightHoustontrafficgoingfromoneplaceofbusinesstoanother.Meetwithanofficemanager,ask,“Whatpaperproductsdoyouneed?Papertowel?Toiletpaper?Cleaningsupplies?Chemicals?”Hewouldtaketheorder;getbackintohiscaranddrivetoanotherplaceofbusiness,church,orschool.“Whatpaperproductsdoyouneed?Papertowel?Toiletpaper?Cleaningsupplies?Chemicals?”Hewasextraordinarilytalentedandextremelysuccessful.

Inroutinizingwork,weroutinizedhumanbeings.

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Nocorporationorschoolcanthriveintheabsenceofcreativity,innovation,andlearning,andthegreatestthreattoallthreeoftheseisdisengagement.[DaringGreatlybyBreneBrown]

Engagementmayhavebeenirrelevantintheindustrialeconomy,butit'sthewholegamenow.

http://content.gallup.com/origin/gallupinc/GallupSpaces/Production/Cms/POLL/ifgznd_do0qhwo_o3oc5sg.png

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TheTexasCenterforEducationalResearchreviewedanumberofestimationmodelsandstudiedthreerepresentativeTexasschooldistricts.Theyconcludedthatthedistrictsspend20%ofadepartingteacher’sannualsalarytoreplacehimorher,amountingtoaconservativeestimateof$329millionstatewideeachyear.

Ina2004studyofteacherretention,theAllianceforExcellentEducationestimatedthatthecostsassociatedwithteacherattritionareabout$12,500perteacher,andconcludethatthecostinthe2000schoolyearcouldhavebeennearly$2.1billionacrossthenation.1,000teachersx15%turnover=150departingteachers$30,496x20%=$6099.20toreplaceone[firstyear]teacher$6,099.20x150=$914,880totalannualexpense[BuildingEngagedSchoolsbyGaryGordon]

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Howcanyouexpectengagementatworkifworkisn'tengaging?

Teachersareshackledbystandardization,standardsandstandardizedassessments.Thereislittleroomforautonomyandcreativeliberty.

Technologyhaschangedeverything.Thewhite-collarjobsthatwereoncemachine-proofarenowbeingreplacedbymachines.Whenit’stimetodotaxes,manynolongercallonanaccountant,butinsteadgoonline.Whenshoesareorderedfromanendlesssupplyonline,theyareshippedinthecorrectsizethenextdaywithaclickofabuttonhavingneverlefthome.Today,Icandowhatmyfatherdidineighthoursinamatterofminutes.Butinthefaceofcompetitionandtechnology,thebargainhasfallenapart.Jobgrowthisflatatbest.Wagesinmanyindustriesareinanegativecycle.Themiddleclassisundersiegelikeneverbefore,andthefutureappearsdismal.Peoplearenolongerbeingtakencareof—pensionsaregone;401(k)shavebeenslicedinhalf;andit’shardtoseewheretogofromhere.It’sfutiletoworkhardatrestoringthetake-care-of-youbargain.Thebargainisgoneandit’snotworthwhiningaboutandit’snoteffectivetocomplain.There’sanewbargainnow,onethatleveragestalentandcreativityandartmorethanitrewardsobedience.

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IntheirviralvideoShiftHappens,KarlFischandScottMcLeodstate,“Wearecurrentlypreparingstudentsforjobsthatdon’tyetexistusingtechnologiesthathaven’tbeeninventedinordertosolveproblemswedon’tevenknowareproblemsyet.”

Until1900humanknowledgedoubledapproximatelyeverycentury.BytheendofWorldWarIIknowledgewasdoublingevery25years.Today,knowledgeisdoublingevery13months.AccordingtoIBM,thebuildoutofthe“internetofthings”willleadtothedoublingofknowledgeevery12hours.

Orputmoresimply…

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Ifthereisonethingyoucanalwayscountontohappeninlife,it’schange.

"Ifyoudon'tlikechange,you'regoingtolikeirrelevanceevenless."EricShinseki

Youcan'toutrunthefutureifyoudon'tseeitcoming...

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Becauseaninfluxofmoniesforeducationisunlikely,wemustinnovate“insidethebox.”GeorgeCouros

Weneedtoturntheassumptionof“organizationfirst,humanbeingssecond”onitshead.Insteadofasking,howdowegetemployeestobetterservetheorganization,weneedtoask,howdowebuildorganizationsthatdeservetheextraordinarygiftsthatemployeescouldbringtowork?Themostimportanttaskforanymanagertodayistocreateaworkenvironmentthatinspiresexceptioncontributionandthatmeritsanoutpouringofpassion,imagination,andinitiative.

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Tocreateanorganizationthat’sadaptableandinnovative,peopleneedthefreedomtochallengeprecedent,to“waste”time,togooutsideofchannels,toexperiment,totakerisksandtofollowtheirpassions.Policiesandrulesareimportant—noorganizationcansurvivewithoutthem.Mostorganizations,though,areovercontrolled.That’sbecausecontrolworkslikearatchet.Managersareincentivestocreaterules,notabolishthem.Morerulesmeanmorethingstocontrol,andthatmeansmorejobsecurityandmorepower.Ifyou’reaformallyappointedleader,andyouwanttoturnsheepintoshepherds,youhavetotakeoffyourleadershipmantleandsaytopeople,“Idon’thaveaplan,what’syours?”That’shumbling,butit’stheonlywaytoreleasethelatenttalentswithinyourorganization.Letpeoplefindtheworkthatbestsuitstheirinterests.Thisisthekeytobuildingacommunityofpassion.Whenyouforcepeopleintoslots,yougetslot-shapedcontributions;youdon’tgetboldandastonishingcontributions.Ifyouwanttheunexpected,youhavetogivepeoplethefreedomtodotheunexpected.

Threethingsarecriticaltoengagement:first,thescopethatemployeeshavetolearnandadvance(arethereopportunitiestogrow?);second,thecompany’sreputationanditscommitmenttomakingadifferenceintheworld(isthereamissionthatwarrantsextraordinaryeffort?);andthird,thebehaviorsandvaluesoftheorganization’sleaders(aretheytrusted,dopeoplewanttofollowthem?)]

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Showmeanorganizationwherecompensationislargelycorrelatedwithhierarchy,Icantellyouthat’snotgoingtobeaveryinnovativeoradaptableorganization.Peoplearegoingtospendalotoftheirtimemanagingupratherthancollaborating.Therewillbealotofcompetitionthatgoesintopromotionupthatformalladderratherthancompeting,really,toaddvalue.So,increasingly,compensationhastobeacorrelateofvaluecreatedwhereveryouare,ratherthanhowwellyoufoughtthatpoliticalbattle,whatyoudidayearortwoorthreeyearsagothatmadeyouanEVPorwhatever.Theproblemiswiththetechnologyofmanagement,thesystems,processes,tools,methods,thatweusetomobilizeandorganizehumanbeingstoproductiveends.Wehaveanameforthistechnology.It'scalledbureaucracy.Andthoughthatwordseemsarchaic,likehorsepower,bureaucracyisstillverymuchwithus.Infact,it'sprettymuchinescapable.Bureaucraciesaredisempowering.Bureaucraciespartitionthinking,anddoing.Thoseinthetopenvision,whileeverybodyelsesimplyenacts.Anddeprivedofanyrealinfluence,mostemployeesfeelemotionallydisconnectedfromtheirwork.Unlessyourorganizationistrulyexceptional,itcontainsalotofpeoplewhoarephoningitin.

Threethingsarecriticaltoengagement:first,thescopethatemployeeshavetolearnandadvance(arethereopportunitiestogrow?);second,thecompany’sreputationanditscommitmenttomakingadifferenceintheworld(isthereamissionthatwarrantsextraordinaryeffort?);andthird,thebehaviorsandvaluesoftheorganization’sleaders(aretheytrusted,dopeoplewanttofollowthem?)]

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http://brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DaringGreatly-EngagedFeedback-8x10.pdf

Rehumanizingworkandeducationrequirescourageousleadership.Honestconversationsaboutvulnerabilityandshamearedisruptive.Thereasonwe’renothavingtheseconversationsinourorganizationsisthattheyshinelightindarkcorners.Oncethereislanguage,awareness,andunderstanding,turningbackisalmostimpossibleandcarrieswithitsevereconsequences.Ifyougiveusaglimpseintothatpossibility,we’llholditasourvision.Itcan’tbetakenaway.”[DaringGreatlybyBreneBrown]

Whataboutourchildren?

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http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/2015-Gallup-Student-Poll-1.jpg

Learningispassive.For13years,welearntoconsumeinfo.

Why?

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America’sschoolswerenotdesignedtoteachallchildrentohighlevels.Theyweredesignedtoselectandsortyoungpeopleintotwogroups:asmallhandfulofthinkersandagreatmassofdoers.

ItstartedwithThomasJeffersonwhoconsidereditessentialallchildrenbeeducated“wellenough”toa)transactbusiness,andb)effectivelyparticipateintheciviclifeofthecommunity.IntheNotesontheStateofVirginia,Jeffersonproposedteachingthe3r’s,reading,writing,andarithmetictochildrenthreeyears“gratis.”Avisitorwastochusetheboyofbestgeniusintheschoolwhoseparentsaretoopoortoprovideaneducation,andtosendhimforwardtooneofthe20grammarschoolsforfurtherteachinginmorecomplexsubjects.Fromthere,thebestgeniusofthewholewasrakedfromtherubbishandcontinuedforsixyearsatthepublicexpense.Thechoosingcontinueduntiltheturnofthecenturyandtheindustrialrevolution.Thecountrywasfillingupwithfactories;andthesefactoriesneedworkers.Factoriesreplacedfarmsastheprimaryplaceofwork.RuralAmericansflockedtothecitieswheretheyseekinggreatercomfortandsecurity.Theyenteredtheregimentedworldandwerecloselymonitoredandtightlycontrolled.Theywerepaidtodowhattheyweretold—nomore,noless.

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Here’sthedealourparentssignedupfor:Ourworldisfilledwithfactories.Factoriesthatmakewidgetsandinsuranceandwebsites,factoriesthatmakemoviesandtakecareofsickpeopleandanswerthetelephone.Thesefactoriesneedworkers.Ifyoulearnhowtobeoneoftheseworkers,ifyoupayattentioninschool,followinstructions,showupontime,andtryhard,wewilltakecareofyou.Wewillpayyoualotofmoney,giveyouhealthinsurance,andofferyoujobsecurity.ItwastheAmericanDream.Itworked.

Thoseworkerswerenotonlyadults,butchildren…andtheadultswereincensed.“Childrencan’tworkinthefactory…They’retakingourjobs.”Factoryownersinsistedthatlosingchildworkerswouldbecatastrophicandsaidtheycouldn’taffordtohireadults.Andadealwasstruck.Theyweresoldontheideachildrenwouldactuallybemorepreparedtobecompliant,productivemembersoftheworkforceifeducatedtositinrows,followtherules,anddoastheyweretoldtold.Masseducationwasdesignedchurnoutadultswhoworkedwellwithinthesystem.Theeconomyneededaninstitutionthatwouldchurnoutcompliantworkers,sowebuiltit.Factoriesdidn’thappenbecausetherewereschools;schoolshappenedbecausetherewerefactories.Thereasonsomanypeoplegrewuptolookforajobisthattheeconomyhasneededpeoplewhowouldgrowuptolookforajob.Jobswereinventedbeforeworkerswereinvented.[StopStealingDreams:WhatIsSchoolFor?http://sethgodin.typepad.com/files/stop-stealing-dreams-print.pdf]

Factoriesdidn’thappenbecausetherewereschools…schoolshappendedbecausetherewerefactories.

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School,nosurprise,isfocusedoncreatinghourlyworkers,becausethat’swhatthecreatorsofschoolneeded,inlargenumbers.Thinkaboutthefactthatschoolrelentlesslydownplaysgroupwork.Itbreakstasksintothesmallestpossiblemeasurableunits.Itdoesnothingtocoordinateteachingacrosssubjects.Itoftenisolatesteachersintodepartments.Andmostofall,itmeasures,relentlessly,attheindividuallevel,andre-processesthosewhodon’tmeettheminimumperformancestandards.

Today,wefaceanewanddifferentchallenge.Technologyisubiquitous.Thewhite-collarjobsthatwereoncemachine-proofarenowbeingreplacedbymachines.Whenit’stimetodotaxes,manynolongercallonanaccountant,butinsteadgoonline.Whenshoesareorderedfromanendlesssupplyonline,theyareshippedinthecorrectsizethenextdaywithaclickofabuttonhavingneverlefthome.IntheirviralvideoShiftHappens,KarlFischandScottMcLeodstate,“Wearecurrentlypreparingstudentsforjobsthatdon’tyetexistusingtechnologiesthathaven’tbeeninventedinordertosolveproblemswedon’tevenknowareproblemsyet.”

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“IfIcangoogleyourquestions,yourquestionssuck.”

Ifyouusegoogle,Iconsideryourresourceful.Ifkidsdoit,they'recheaters.

There’snocompetitiveadvantagetodayinknowingmorethanthenextperson.

“Wecannolongeroperatea19thcenturysystemusing20thcenturyaccountabilityandexpect21stcenturylearners.”Dr.JeffreyTurner,Superintendent

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericaswallow/2012/04/25/creating-innovators/#41dd65553d7a

Innovat ion is a team sport . Problems today are too complex to solve alone.

Innovationisateamsport.Problemstodayaretoocomplextosolvealone.

Innovationiscrossdisciplinaryandexploressolutionsfrommultipleperspectives.

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Multipleandlargelypunitiveaccountabilityprovisionswerecreatedtoensurecompliance.[VisioningDocument]Thepresentbureaucraticstructure[isa]systembasedoncompliance,coercion,andfear.Ifproperfocusistoberestored,thesystemmustbetransformedintoonebasedontrust,sharedvalues,creativity,innovation,andrespect.[VisioningDocument]“Wedon’tliketousefear,butit’stheonlytoolwe’vegot.”DirectorattheTexasEducationAgency,ACETSpringConference2013

Innovationisgroundedintakingrisksandlearningviatrialanderror.

Weareaveryfailureadversesociety.

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FirstAttemptInLearning

Innovativelearningculturesteachcreation,notconsumption.

Extrinsicincentiveshavedrivenlearning:carrotsandsticks,AsandFs.

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Innovatorsareintrinsicallymotivatedandaren’tinterestedingradesorrewardsystems.

http://novemberlearning.com/educational-resources-for-educators/teaching-and-learning-articles/students-as-contributors-the-digital-learning-farm/

Johnson_1920_HighPlains.jpg

Istheideaofcompletelychangingschoolasweknowitscary?Yes,butIthinknomorefrighteningthanhowthefarmersfeltattheturnofthecenturywhenpeoplewereleavingthefieldsforthefactories.Overthenext50years,Americaentereditsmostprosperoustimeinhistory.

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Don’tthinkofhowitis,butofhowitcouldbe.

cshade@dentonisd.org www.underwhoseshade.com@underwhoseshade

ChrisShadeCoordinatorofDistrictImprovement&InnovationCoordinatorofFederal&StateProgramsDentonISDProfessionalDevelopmentCenter1212BolivarStreetDenton,TX76201(940)369-0676cshade@dentonisd.orgwww.underwhoseshade.com@underwhoseshade

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