Planning in advance?

The distance between where you are and where you want to be can have an infinite amount of points in-between. Where should we identify the focus of planning?

I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time contemplating the relationship between planning and reaching goals. My obsession started with the excessive “coach speak” during the NCAA football season. While each coach had aspirations and goals to improve their rankings and receive a bowl berth, they effective coaches maintained their immediate focus not on the future in January, but on the next game. So I began to wonder, when it comes to planning how close to the point of action is necessary for success? Or was my question, does planning too far in advance increase your chances on missing your goals. I wasn’t sure, but I do know that the successful coaches didn’t prepare for the games two weeks away but planned for the next week. Yet is that close enough? Did they plan for each day of the week? Perhaps after the Saturday game and watching the game film, they planned for Sunday, and took each day one day at a time.

What are the aspirations and goals of our School Liaisons and Instructional Coaches?
I am curious to know how their planning is approached.

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.

Where does a coach focus support?

With the Miami Dolphin regular season ending at 11-5, where does a coach focus his support? Even the home/loss record appears insignificant with a difference of 1, how would a coach know where to begin? You need to look at the details. If a coach approached improvement with a desired state that focused on just the Wins, will this provide enough information to produce results? I’m not sure, but I would not want to bet season tickets on that choice. Perhaps if the desired state focused on Takeaways then the goals can address skills related to when a defense forces a fumble or registers an interception. Improving a specific skill will eventually help with the W column.

Prepare your replacement

When I sign off on my emails I leave the reader with the thought, “How has your support system prepared your replacement?” I started to use this phrase during the Induction Systems course based on the belief that if your work is producing results, there is a strong chance that you will eventually leave the organization (probably to replicate the success), and if the work is valuable then it must continue. To avoid starting at zero and maintain success then promote from within and only hire from the outside when change is needed.

Without any prompting from the Teacher Development Department, Florida Gator head coach immediately recognized the results of an effective induction system and identified Steve Addazio as his next his next offensive coordinator replacing Dan Mullen. The induction carrot is that Dan Mullen did not lateral into a similar position but moved from offensive coordinator to the head coach of Mississippi State. Dan’s legacy will continue with Steve and those who follow.

If you believe this might have been an induction fluke, think again…the last three offensive coordinators under Urban Meyer have become head coaches.

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.

Right Person or Right Position

Improving results by placing the right person, in the right position.

It has been a while since thinking about the Dolphins and continuous improvement. Cautiously optimistic is perhaps the best way to describe my feelings towards this team. Already improved from last years train wreck, the Dolphins plastered the Bills 25-16 this afternoon. During the post game locker room interview linebacker Joey Porter was asked to explain what was the biggest factor in his improvement from just 5.5 sacks for the entire 2007 season to 10.5 sacks in just 7 games in 2008. Joey credited his performance to the coaching staff for placing him in the “right” position on the line. He endorsed his and the team’s success to the systems that revolve around the coaches and players.

Porter has already proved himself as a sack specialist with the Pittsburg Steelers and was a dominant force for the Super Bowl winning team in 2006. While many believe that if a person performs well in one location, then he/she will perform well in any location. Just ask Joey Porter if that belief is true.

Wax on, Wax off

Is it possible that essence of coaching is revealed through the 1984 movie The Karate Kid? If you have not seen the movie in a while rent it or just search You Tube for the training scenes. While watching the movie on AMC I noticed the following:

The essentials taught to Daniel:

• Wax on, Wax off
• Paint the fence
• Paint the house (side to side)
• Always look eye
• Whole life has a balance

Mr. Miyagi’s words of reflection:
“We make sacred pact. I promise teach karate to you, you promise learn.”
"No such thing as bad student, only bad teacher."
"You trust quality of what you know, no quantity."

For some this is just an ‘80s feel good movie, while others see this as a make someone else feel good movie.How could you see this movie in a different way? What would this look like in a school setting?

Does Data Judge or Inform?

Last weekend the Miami Dolphins lost to the New York Jets starting off the season 0-1. As a coach, it would be difficult to establish an improvement plan with just this information. To improve performance a football coach and the players should analyzing player stats, play selections, practice time, and situations trying to find an edge to get better and to eventually win a game. Reaching the Super Bowl does not happen by focusing on the Win/Loss record or the trophy, but on the players.

If there is a need to improve and evaluate, Action Research (AR) provides a structure to analyze performance data and would be able to explain beyond the Win/Loss record of a student. As a classroom teacher AR provides background information to distinguish between mastery and adequate performance (Sagor, 2000). Taking the same attitude of the football coach into the classroom means to constantly analyze data to look for edges in students, working to try to help them improve, no matter what the objective.

Working at Office Depot

While waiting at Office Depot for my paperwork to clear, I had the chance to talk to the store manager about his company’s orientation for new employees. He shared with me that he strives to instill a sense of pride with his staff. What stood out was his goal to have each employee feel like he/she was part owner of the store. It was quite clear that the objective of the orientation focused on Attitude and Aspirations. When it comes to building Knowledge and Skills the manager turn to his staff. Even though there is an assigned coaching team that includes the store manager, every staff member becomes available to step into the coaching role.

Coaching: Nice or Helpful?

It is unfortunate that Randy Pausch’s death on last Friday led me to write this post, and I am fortunate that Randy Pausch’s life has led me to write this post.

While rummaging through the endless videos and blogs honoring Randy I found an article on mentoring by Professor Kirk Martini who shared his experience when he had Randy as a college mentor. The title of his paper reflects a belief that I have about mentoring and the relationship you have with your client, “Usually Nice, Always Helpful: A Mentor’s Approach”.

Kirk begins immediately with a belief statement that I know will rub some experienced coaches the wrong way. He starts, “Being a mentor is not about being nice, it’s about being helpful.” Now this does not mean that a coach must approach the client by providing cruel and unusual punishment, when providing support effective coaching behaviors such as building trust and effective communication skills must not be overlooked. Yet at the time of support a coach must be the one who should push the hardest, demand more, and irritate you the most. A Coach should know that as hard as he/she can push, reality will always deal a stronger blow. Kirk explains that while he felt relieved when his time with Coach Randy came to a close, he knew that “Randy understood my long-term future was more important than my short-term comfort.”

Would you rather have your coach as someone who is always nice, usually helpful or usually nice, always helpful?

Who is on your Induction Team?

Thinking about who should be on your team? Is just wanting to be there to offer support enough?

Watching the Dolphins develop their roster for the new year made me wonder about their strategy to determine who should be on the team. It was obvious that Dolphin’s owner Wayne Huizenga wanted a leader of football operations by hiring football legend Bill Parcells. The next few weeks the Dolphin’s administrative staff evaluated each player (and coach) and assessed their value and future on the team. One player I believed to have a future with the team was running back Lorenzo Booker. I was shocked to hear of his trade. What I have learned is that even though he emerged as a valuable player, he was limited to being just a third-down receiver on short passes. It was determined that the team needed a player with more depth.

When building their team it takes more than to be just productive and valued, you need to have a purpose for the good of the group.

Measuring Success at 1-15

“We meet, but we are not a Learning Community…yet.”
“We have a Learning Community, but….”

These are two conversation starters that I have routinely heard this past year from teachers. After listening to the plight of facilitating a learning community our discussion turned to the recent performance of our local football franchise. When a football team has a season ending record of 1-15, are they considered any less of a football team? Even though popular opinion might disagree, not meeting expectations did not make this group any less a football team. This is true with our learning communities. Just because the team fell short of reaching their goals this does not take away from the vision or the effort. Developing a learning community is a process, they are just not there…YET. Moving closer to the vision requires all members of the team to reflect on their performance and review their plan and the systems of support. Is it fair to determine success by only a win-loss record?

American Idol is Feedback

Every week during the Spring television season millions of viewers are exposed to performances of possibly the next American Idol. What they also view are examples of different coaching behaviors from Randy, Paula, and Simon. For the past seven seasons these three have established their own styles of feedback.

Randy provides technical feedback. All I know about music is what I like and what I don’t like. Randy shares with us feedback on tone, range, and pitch. What is important is this technical jargon must make sense to the performer. Paula provides the emotional feedback. Regardless of the quality of the performance, she always begins with a positive comment to make the performer feel good. What comes next out of her mouth as valuable to the participants is open for debate. Simon provides the honest critical feedback. In his role as a listener, he shares how he feels about the performance in a straight direct approach. His feedback is strictly professional.

While all three are distinctly different all styles have a purpose. When providing feedback to teachers a coach must know how and when to provide feedback like Randy, Paula, and Simon.

Demonstration of Mastery at Too Jay's: Roles and responsibilities lead to results

If the post, "Being A Coach at Denny's” is about a recipe of success for support, then my experience at Too Jay's was the demonstration of mastery. During my short visit it was obvious that the staff knew their roles and responsibilities and they have succeeded in achieving their short and long term goals: my immediate satisfaction and having me longing for a return visit. Honestly I am thinking it was more than just knowing and performing their job, but it was the impression that they actually loved the job that they were hired to do.

It would only be an assumption that the hostess has aspirations to do more than to anticipate my arrival, but I would never know it. It would only be an assumption that the busboy has aspirations to do more than check ketchup bottles, but I would never know it. It would only be an assumption that the waitress has aspirations to do more than to make me feel that I was making the best food choice of the day, but I would never know it.

I actually believe the hostess, the busboy, and the waitress wanted to be there and make my experience as enjoyable as possible.

Avoiding Relapse

Not during this lifetime did I expect to think addiction and rehabilitation had anything to do with Induction.

As Induction in Broward County is not a “one-shot orientation”, but systems of processes embedded in all that we do to grow as educators; recovery is just not a “one-shot stint of rehab”, but a system that draws upon beliefs, values, and collaboration that focuses on new learning.

When attempting to make a change in your life, Dr. Drew from VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” points out that “Creation of Change” and “Sustainability of Change” are two completely different and equal components of growth. He not only introduces new choices in life, new approaches in decision-making and problem solving, but also prepares the patient to identify support systems that will reinforce the new paradigm after the doctor has left.

It appears that without a plan to sustain the new behavior, the creation of change might just be an exercise of futility.

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!

Cooperation vs Collaboration

Have you ever noticed that educational buzz-words have a shelf life of no more than 6 months yet they seem to surface year after year? Recently “cooperation” and “collaboration” have surfaced and are being used interchangeably. What I did not realize is that these two words although quite similar* describe two different processes. I was just as guilty of using these terms interchangeably until a coworker explained the difference using the analogy of a “sandbox”.

“Cooperation is both of us sitting in a sandbox together respecting each other’s space. We are both focused on independent projects inside the same sandbox and occasionally once in a blue moon we might even share a shovel. Collaboration has us both in the same sandbox and not only are we utilizing the same space, sharing the shovel but we are actually working on the same project.”

She had me thinking. What I noticed differently with collaboration is that the end product could not have been accomplished separately. Too often people are placed in the same sandbox with the expectations to collaborate without considering the differences in background, experiences and beliefs. When teachers are placed on the same team is there an expectation to collaborate?

Perhaps teachers should expect common planning time, opportunities to work on the work, and site-based professional development that reinforces the relationship with your sandbox partner. Who knows this just might lead to doing something differently.

*(The Encarta World English Dictionary has these two words listed as synonyms)

Is it Culture Shock or Culture Change?

I am not going to be another fan who joins the “Here we go again” bandwagon with the new Dolphin head coach. Even though Tony Sparano was named the latest head coach in what seems to be a revolving door of leaders for this organization I have seen two indicators that just might produce different results.

1) Identifying and hiring a leader. When it comes to Dolphin football, the buck stops with Bill Parcells. He has a vision and hired management staff who has already demonstrated similar beliefs.

2) A Coach who understands coaching. When asked about his players, Sparano keyed in on what the research says about achieving results- it’s about the coaching. "We're going to surround our players with the best coaches and teachers. We're going to work them as hard as we can. At the end of the day, we hope that will be good enough." Being hired by Bill Parcells, we know Tony’s work will hard and SMART.

For the past few years the Dolphins have not been meeting their AYP goals, Tony believes he is the right person to lead this organization. Does everyone else feel the same way?

Buzzword BINGO!!!!

I though IBM was original in their portrayal of the overuse (and lack of meaning) of high frequency catchphrases with their recent “Buzzword Bingo” television commercial, yet further investigation showed that this alternative office practice has its origins from a Dilbert cartoon.

Quite often in meetings and in trainings these buzzwords are scrambled around to motivate, inspire, or influence change in the workplace. Does anyone listen? From the perspective of Dilbert or the IBM commercial is it possible that the use of these words actually deters task and relationship-oriented behavior and instead fosters ridicule and avoidance?

What behaviors have you observed when motivating, inspiring, or influencing others? If results are important to change behavior, does your school:

• Uses student data and mission statement to guide site-based decision making,
• In partnership with stakeholders develops a written list of expectations for all staff members,
• Use multiple sources of data to identify the professional development needs of all staff members,
• Implements and monitors the School Improvement Plan based on the needs of all staff members,
• Uses action research to monitor the effectiveness of each Induction/staff development component,

or preach buzzwords to motivate?

I offer you the opportunity to make your own Buzzword Bingo card for your next meeting/training and enjoy the conversation that follows.

(The IBM video is available to view; search using the phrase: IBM Buzzword Bingo)