Developing Talent

The wrestling business knows how to develop talent.

Growing up I watched World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for mindless pleasure in the back and forth battles between good and evil wrestlers. Now my interest is with the backstage news and politics that developed talent that transformed a local promotion into a global business.

As reported from Ewrestling News the experienced wrestlers (Edge, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio) are working really hard with the newbies in the business (John Morrison, Dolph Ziggler, Mike Knox). These newbies are being viewed as potential Superstars a change “to the veteran mentality in the past where the opinion of newer talent was that they haven't paid their dues or are missing something important to become a star.”

The relationship between the two groups is grounded in the common goal to provide the customers with a quality product. The mentoring relationship is critical to this success and that of each individual and of the organization. What drives the Superstar to mentor is the recognition of being a locker room leader and is rewarded with television airtime and pay per view opportunities. What is unique in WWE is that worth ethic is evaluated by how well you make your opponent look good during a performance. Can you imagine if our educators were evaluated with the same criteria? This connection will have me looking for similar relationships with our classroom teachers. Just what is the veteran mentality? What will inspire competent and qualified teachers to mentor? Are new educators viewed as potential superstars? Does the success of the team outweigh the success of the individual?

Systems Thinking

A system is a group of interacting, interrelated, and interdependent components that form a complex and unified whole. As you read the definition what connections do you make to your role of developing teachers?

"Systems thinking is a perspective because it helps us see the events and patterns in our lives in a new light—and respond to them in higher leverage ways. For example, suppose a fire breaks out in your town. This is an event. If you respond to it simply by putting the fire out, you're reacting. (That is, you have done nothing to prevent new fires.)

If you respond by putting out the fire and studying where fires tend to break out in your town, you'd be paying attention to patterns. For example, you might notice that certain neighborhoods seem to suffer more fires than others. If you locate more fire stations in those areas, you're adapting. (You still haven't done anything to prevent new fires.)

Now suppose you look for the systems—such as smoke-detector distribution and building materials used—that influence the patterns of neighborhood-fire outbreaks. If you build new fire-alarm systems and establish fire and safety codes, you're creating change. Finally, you're doing something to prevent new fires!"

Source: About Systems Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14, 2009, from http://www.pegasuscom.com/aboutst.html.

Focus on improvement before the win

When inducting new football players to the team there are practical tips that I believe can be easily transferred to our work. Since new players are expected to perform with the same results as their veteran teammates here are two sensible acts that coaches can easily implement:

Tip #1- Reduce the number of plays to study. There is a greater chance of success that a new player will learn 20 offensive schemes than 50. Develop the first 20 to mastery before biting off more than you can digest. Assist the new player in identifying the best 20 plays for success.

Tip #2- Focus on the technique not on the Win. While the goal of the game is to add another number in the win column, the time spent planning, the time spent practicing, and the time spent reflecting should be invested on what skills and techniques need improvement. When working with the new player assist with focusing on the need without forgetting the purpose of the game.

Tim Tebow: Induction Advocate

The headline from the Independent Florida Alligator newspaper read, “Tebow passes victory lap tradition to Brantley.” As an induction advocate not only has Time Tebow coached freshman backup quarterback John Brantley in the mechanics of the game, but in the celebration. From his first victory at Florida Field Tim celebrated with the fans by running a victory lap and on Saturday, he broke in his replacement. When the clock ran to 00:00, Tebow grabbed Brantley and circled the field together. “It was my idea, I made him come,” Tebow said. “He was a little shy at first. Hopefully we can start a tradition.”

Heading into the last game of the season as national championship contenders, it appears these boys from Florida know how to succeed.

Growing your own

For months my HRD Program Facilitator partner has included in her email signature the phrase “Induction: Nothing beats growing your own!” We are constantly reminded that when developing competent and qualified teachers, one of the most effective ways is to take ownership for professional development. It also appears that Marvel Comics harbors that same belief.

(The following requires your suspension of disbelief)
When faced with the recent death of Captain America Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada states, "We were toying with the idea of someone new taking over the mantle of Captain America," Quesada said by phone from his New York office. "But we kept coming back to Bucky.” Bucky Barnes was the Captain’s sidekick for many years before he went missing at the end of WWII and later returned to join his side. Yet during their time together Bucky took every opportunity to learn from his role model.

After his death, Steve Rogers expressed in a previously written letter that the mantle of Captain America needs to continue. The replacement needs to uphold all of Captain’s beliefs, morals, and values. The replacement needs to meet and possibly exceed the expectations of the people Captain America has protected for many years. Who else better to serve that role than Bucky?

For those keeping track on comic book heroes and preparing replacements, when Bruce Wayne was injured with a broken back and faced with making a decision for a Batman replacement he chose someone else other than Dick Grayson. He felt Robin was not ready for the dangers that came with the mantle of the Bat. Even though Dick constantly demonstrated his maturity, Bruce was blinded by his own emotions and failed to give him the opportunity he has been preparing for. Bruce chose someone who had the skills, yet lacked the attitude and aspiration. This KASAB deficit led to a complete breakdown of crime fighting responsibilities in Gotham. Eventually Robin did what he was trained to do and stepped up and took out Bruce’s first choice. When the time comes to step aside, Bruce will not make the same mistake twice. Nothing beats growing your own!

Doctors preparing their replacements

A few days ago Kimberly Dozier’s story shared her story of survival from a car bombing in Iraq on Memorial Day 2006 on National Public Radio. I wondered if she new about the concept of Induction.

What caught my attention was the part of her story regarding the interest her doctors had when after her full recovery she returned to see them. She shared that since medical treatment in Iraq is administered in different stages, the doctors are not always able to receive feedback on whether they were a success. From what I understand from her interview it appears that there is a fast turnover with medical doctors in Iraq and they sought to identify and record the proper procedures to share with the "newbies" in the field. Perhaps it would be better I share an email I received from Kimberly describing her situation.

Kimberly writes, “...it's not so much an attrition rate I was aware of, but the year-in-year-out turnover of doctors just like all the other troops. One set rotates in, gains expertise, then has a short overlap with the new set of about a month, and rotates out. The new guys have to start from scratch, relying on what they learned in the few weeks of exchange. That's one of the reasons my trauma docs said they need a database that everyone can refer to, so the newly acquired knowledge isn't lost.” Kimberly’s story is unique in that a doctor’s Induction system is essential in saving lives.

I replied to her email, “Would you believe that a similar situation exists with teachers, department chairs, office managers, and administrators in our schools? The problem is similar with the Doctors in that since the routines and procedures of the work are people driven as soon as someone leaves that position the organization drops back down to a point of zero. The doctor database might just be a possible solution. In our schools identifying and developing a written plan facilitates the move away from being people centered. If the work has value then by all means it should stay with the organization just as the doctors look to develop a process that retains the most effective medical routines and procedures available.”

What processes exist to prepare your replacement?

Additional information on preparing your replacement is available as an HRD Podcast. Search for “Induction Air #2” and “Induction Planning”