Category: Thought Leaders

Football can serve as a nice metaphor for organizational endeavor.

The VISION of the football team is to win games and championships.

The MISSION of the offense is to make first downs and score points.

The ACTION PLAN of the offense is to effectively executive plays in a coordinated way.

In football, there are many offensive schemes that can be used (all good), each with its own nuances:

• Wishbone Offense
• Split-back Veer Offense
• Winged T Offense
• Run-and-Shoot Offense
• Slot-I Offense
• and many more

Imagine the result if a team breaks huddle, sprints to the line of scrimmage, and each of the 11 players then attempts to execute a completely different play, from a different offensive scheme.

We see that very thing happen with remarkable frequency in organizations. It’s as if the VISION, the MISSION, and/or the ACTION PLAN somehow get lost in the day-to-day work.

When that happens, we should not expect to make first downs…..or score points…..or win.

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

recently read God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor, and the Search for Meaning by Meghan O’Gieblyn (2021).

My top takeaways:

• Science presumes a third person perspective, yet consciousness is a first-person experience.
• We have yet to understand the phenomenological experience—the entirely subjective world (color, sensations, thoughts, ideas, beliefs)
• The “hard problem,” as described by Chalmers, Chopra, and others, is understanding consciousness.
• Kurzwell predicts that Singularity – the merging humans with technologies – will happen by the year 2045.
• Nature can be thought of metaphorically as a huge river, constantly flowing, changing, evolving.
• Are “atheists” and “believers” simply choosing different metaphors for understanding the transcendent?
• Self-organizing emergent systems occur at ALL levels of life – from tiniest organisms to humans –  and perhaps beyond.
• Emergence is the ontological opposite of reductive materialism.
• Our mind is not simply a physical object to be examined, but rather, a structural pattern that emerges from the complexity of an entire internal-external network.
• Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, defined information as “the resolution of uncertainty.”
• A current theory of consciousness is called Integrated Information Theory (IIT).
• Panpsychism envisions all of nature—plants, animals, humans, angels, and God himself—existing within a continuum of consciousness. It’s sort of an all-centric vs human-centric (anthropomorphic) view of the universe.
• Metonymy is the belief that the mind serves as a microcosm of the world’s macroscopic consciousness.
• There is an irrefutable connection between “influencer” and “influenza.”

My favorite quotes:

“All perception is metaphor—as Wittgenstein put it, we never merely see, we always ‘see as.’” (p. 11)

“In the lecture rooms and the laboratory, the only value that should hold is intellectual integrity.” (p. 47)

“Bohr believed that whenever we encountered a paradox, it was a sign that we were hitting on something true and real.” (p. 130)

“In the year 2001 alone, the amount of information generated doubled that of all information produced in human history. In 2002 it doubled again, and this trend has continued every year since.” (p. 194)

Many researchers in the AI field suggests that the WHY really no longer matters. They argue that if the data show us the WHAT and the HOW, then we know all we need to know. I still have a burning question: Can justice, and morality, and quality of life be reduced to an algorithm?

I picked this book per my current interest in AI. Learning is sense-making. If you’re interested in trying to make a little better sense of things, this book will aid your journey.

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

Blessings come our way in a multitude of forms: kindness extended, forgiveness offered, assistance, deference, prayers, time given, a listening and nonjudgmental ear, a simple smile, an encouraging word, ………. the list goes on and on. Most (and some of the most meaningful) cost not one penny.

Blessings have a boomerang effect. The more we choose to serve and bless others, the more blessings come our way.

It’s not hard to find those who need a word, a hand, a little help.

Go ahead. Give it a try.

But only if you like to be blessed in return.

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

Little children, pets, and visionaries often share a similar trait. They see a person, object, or objective of great desire. They accelerate quickly in the direction of that person, object, or objective, gaining unbridled enthusiasm and speed in the pursuit.

Then…..they crash — either into the apple of their eye (the teacher? the wall? the organizational resistance?) or some other unnoticed barrier along the way.

The effect, late realized: Their brakes did not work as well as their accelerator.

Wisdom and good judgment are key in our ability to make optimal decisions about how much accelerator pressure and how much brake application helps us achieve our goals (whether personal or organizational).

Surrounding ourselves with strong teams of diverse, wise, and outcome-focused folks helps us make sound(er) accelerator-brake application decisions.

For leaders, two questions burn:

1) How well have we shaped a culture that attracts such a talented team?

2) Why in the world would such talent choose (because they can) to work with us?

If we’re not paying very close attention, there is ZERO chance we can approach answers to those two questions.

Proceed? Yes.

How? Judiciously.

Gotta have good help to make it happen.

*To read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning. 

Organizations are actually living, breathing organisms. They have health markers, just like us humans.

Leaders are in particular need of being able to assess and address organizational un-health.

Consider the following graphic conception for viewing, thinking about, and discussing the health of your organization.

   Healthy <<——————- Blah ———-———>> Toxic   –

Transparency <<——————————————————>> Secrecy

Trust <<—————————————————————->> Distrust

Collaboration <<—————————————————–>> Isolation

Service <<———————————————————>> Self-Interest

Equality <<———————————————————->> Hierarchy

Support <<——————————————————–>> Destruction

Macro-focused <<——————————————–>> Micro-focused

Freeing <<———————————————————->> Oppressive

LEARNING <<—————————————–>> Imposed Ignorance

How can we better affect healthy and robust organizational culture? Just as with our personal health, knowing how to do better means very little………unless we actually choose to do better.

The burning question: Whatcha gonna do about it?

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

As a school principal, and as a school superintendent, and as a teacher of those who aspire to the same, I have often said the following:

“School” is a sanctuary of learning. It exists for the sole and sacred purpose of LEARNING. If the leaders of the school — teachers, administrators, school board members — are not learning at a faster clip than the students, I think we have a problem.

I continue to believe that assertion to my very core.

As I consider other kinds of organizations, perhaps the truth of that assertion transfers…

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

Getting better is a tough slog. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about our personal “state” or that of our organization. Why? Because getting better always means a change in the current state. Change is hard even if we agree that it’s needed. It’s particularly hard if we don’t.

There are three common and powerful Impediments to betterness efforts:

• Recalcitrance — Either through laziness or fear, resistance seems baked into our DNA. Even if our current state ain’t all that great, we lean into the safety of the “known.”
• Distraction — Magicians, con artists, and resistors play this card on us all the time. By taking our attention off of what’s really happening, they divert us from facing current realities.
• Whining — Playing the victim is a common ploy. It’s the commiseration party. Whiners attempt to absolve themselves of all responsibility, for both current or future states.

An absolute indisputable fact about the current state is that it IS going to change.

We can either affect the shape of that change, or we can engage in Recalcitrance, Distraction, and Whining.

Progress, anyone?

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

No, there’s not a contest or tournament which results in declaring who the World Champion Leader is.

Yet, those of us in leadership roles typically long to be viewed as exemplars of the craft.

IF, however, such a contest existed, at the very top of the list of determinant criteria would reside a powerful attractor: Respectfulness.

Everyone wants to be treated respectfully. And, generally, they afford similar treatment in return.

Here’s the short list of folks who crave respectful treatment by leaders: 1) All internal stakeholders, and 2) All external stakeholders. That pretty much covers everybody.

As leaders, how can we demonstrate respectfulness?

• Create the conditions in which TRUST is offered, earned, and rewarded
• Exercise in all ways HUMBLENESS
• Demonstrate CARE in many and genuine ways
• ASK good questions, LISTEN to the answers, TALK less

Don’t worry, it’s a learnable skill set.

And, the game never ends, so we can continually play “catch up.”

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go tonc’s Recursive Learning.

Organizational dysfunction or inertia is typically the result of subversive behavior on the part of some members of the organization (either a few of ’em or a lot).

Assuming that we are voluntary members of organizations that have worthy and noble intentions, what are some ways we — you and I — can be better team members, and bolster the likelihood of the success of our team? Consider these moves…

• Align our time, effort, expertise, words, and influence as highly as possible directly to the worthy and noble goals we share.
• Bring positivity and energy to the table, every day.
• Contribute instead of consume. Add value in many ways, small and large.
• Deal with disagreements in objective, non-emotional, and transparent ways.
• With all people and in all ways, treat others respectfully and fairly.
• Perseverate only on the data that highly aligns to achievement of the noble and worthy outcomes we hold dear.
• Learn, and share learning, relentlessly.
• Refuse to engage in subversive behavior. Not only does it make our organization less, it makes US less.

If, however, we are in organizations that do not have worthy and noble intentions, perhaps it’s time to get off the bus. Life is too short, and our participation in same will only make it shorter.

*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to nc’s Recursive Learning.

For most of us No is the last thing we want to hear, especially as we progress through our career. In this, my twentieth year in education all the No’s led me to where I am today. I started my career in education in the very small town I grew up in, just about ten miles away from where I now live and work. I loved my small town and all the feels that came with it and I loved having the opportunity to teach in the very community that helped raise me. I was a first grade teacher and I loved teaching and working with my students and all the adults that came with it. By the start of my second year I knew I wanted to be an administrator, now this was a stretch because I didn’t come from a long line of educators at all, I was the first in my family to attend and complete college, but there was just something about administration that struck me. I applied to Texas A & M- Kingsville and was accepted and completed my master’s degree within a year and a half and obtained my certification not long after. I continued to teach, but just like most small town girls I thought the city held bigger and better opportunities, so I applied and started a very long career with one of the largest districts in the state.

During my time there I taught third grade, fourth grade, kindergarten through fifth grade for summer school and I was also a math specialist that serviced all students kindergarten through fifth grade with math support and I was an administrative intern as well. During my fourteen years with this district I was accepted into a leadership cohort that selected individuals that exhibited characteristics of blooming leaders. I learned so much throughout this semester-long program. With this program and my certification I just knew I was ready to move up and pursue my dream of becoming an administrator. Things didn’t go quite as I had planned, I was being interviewed but unfortunately was always coming in as the runner up on my interviews. To be exact, I was the runner up on eight vice principal interviews. This was a very hard pill to swallow, because with each of these denials I was never given an area to improve upon. I was always told, there wasn’t anything I needed to improve upon, just keep being myself and doing what I was doing and it would happen. Boy were they right, but I certainly wasn’t expecting what happened next. My husband Mike and I had built a house in the great small town of Lytle, that neighbored us growing up. Lytle reminded us of everything our small town was when we were little and we wanted to raise our kids there. Upon the completion of our home we registered our oldest daughter into the local youth volleyball program and that is where He stepped in. While at practice all the moms were super friendly, we’d chat and visit about work and so much more. The school where these ladies worked sounded like the place I wanted to be, but the chances of finding an administrative position mid year in Lytle ISD sounded impossible. After about a month in a half an assistant principal position was opened and you better believe I jumped at the opportunity. I was praying, lighting candles and just about standing on my head that this would not end up like all my other failed attempts. It didn’t, I received the call from Jammie Fewell officially offering me the position, tears of joy flowed and I couldn’t believe I was finally getting the chance to do what I’ve wanted to do for so long. I was now a Lytle Pirate and couldn’t be prouder! With this move the opportunities opened up and my capacity for growth and learning was more than I could have ever imagined.

Within a year and a half the principal position at my campus became open and my superintendent, Michelle Carroll Smith saw my qualifications, even though there were outside candidates, and chose me. Now in my second year as the proud principal at Lytle Primary in the amazing district of Lytle I have gained so much knowledge and experience. Through Lytle I’ve been able to gain an amazing partnership with CEN and gain great knowledge of the P-20 model. I’ve also been a part of the implementation process of our HQIM at my campus which included a visit by the TEA to see the phenomenal work that our teachers have done with this high quality curriculum. I’ve also been able to welcome superintendents from all over the US to see our campus in action for our high quality early learning program that takes place on my campus for our PreK 3’s through first grade.

I’ve never been happier and I’ve never worked with a better group of teachers and colleagues before, and I alway remind myself had it not been for all those No’s I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. If you’re reading this and you’re feeling like your chance will never present itself, just give it time and trust the process. He always knows better than we do and He will always put us in the right place at just the right time.

#PiratePride #ItsAlwaysAGoodDaytoBeAPirate