Communicating what matters

Several times in the past few weeks I've been asked how I find the time to maintain a 'professional blog', how I find the time to write. The question, and its repetition in such a short time, had me thinking. I realised that it's a question that can be answered on several levels.

At the surface level, yes it's a matter of time, but no it's not. Let me paraphrase a story from the late twentieth century management and leadership writer Tom Peters, who wrote that famous book 'In search of Excellence'. 

Peters relates how he was giving a seminar to a group of senior executives, and had been talking about what he termed 'management by walking around', a highly relational way ro engage team members, get closer to what they are thinking, feeling, and saying, etc. In a coffee break, one of the senior executives cornered Peters and said (I stress, I am paraphrasing the story here) "Tom, I don't know how you find the time to wander around. I'm too busy writing reports, completing plans, and doing all the paper work.' Peters replied 'I don't know how you find the time to write all those reports, complete plans, and do all that paper work. I'm too busy wandering around".

It's a question of making deliberate decisions about how best to spend our time,  of 'knowing what to give a **** about', if I may reference the Mark Manson book, of communicating what matters. I am of course relatively privileged. I have no children at home, and I have an exceptionally tolerant partner in Lorraine, albeit that she does at times ask who that stranger in her bed might be.

I prioritise the communication of what I stand for. I want our team to be in no doubt about what I think is important. I am also intent on communicating our vision and our journey to make sure that our community knows what we do, and why we do it. I want the community perception of our kura to be positive, I want them to know that they can have faith in our kura to give their young people what they need and want.

I reckon that this issue of clarity is an essential part of leadership. If you look at examples of great leadership, you see 'the cause;' communicated with clarity. As Shakespeare wrote in 'Henry V':

God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; ......

God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more methinks would share from me For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more! Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,.......

That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company .......

This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Think about Hone Heke and the flagpole. His actions left no doubt for either Ngapuhi, or the colonists, about what he stood for.

(Source: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/hone-heke-cuts-down-british-flagstaff-for-a-third-time)

Effective teams require common purpose, and clarity about that purpose. Haas and Mortenson (Harvard Business Review, 2016) wrote:

What matters most to collaboration is not the personalities, attitudes, or behavioral styles of team members. Instead, what teams need to thrive are certain “enabling conditions.” In our own studies, we’ve found that three of Hackman’s conditions—a compelling direction, a strong structure, and a supportive context—continue to be particularly critical to team success. In fact, today those three requirements demand more attention than ever. 

(Source: https://hbr.org/2016/06/the-secrets-of-great-teamwork )  

With my blog posts I want to ensure that I communicate what I see as our 'compelling direction' as a kura. This is why I talk constantly (to the point most probably of sounding like a nagging' Principal') about creativity, about Manaiakalani and Learn Create Share, and about blogging.

I want no-one to be in any doubt whatsoever about what I stand for. I guess that this post in particular might be seen as my own little piece of metacognition, my own thinking about my thinking. 

Reference

"The Secrets of Great Teamwork", Martine Haas and Mark Mortensen, Harvard Business Review,June 2016