I’ve always been a firm believer in collaboration and helpfulness, especially after becoming a teacher. To believe we are meant to be some hero or must “peck” our way to the top to be successful only pulls us farther from it.
Business leader, Margaret Heffernan (2015), states “If the only way the most productive can be successful is by suppressing the productivity of the rest, then we badly need to find a better way to work and a richer way to live.”
On the contrary, it is inspiring to see teachers working together as a team to reach a common goal. When I see them collaborating and relying on each other’s strengths for a better outcome, not only for their own success but for the success of their students, true progress is made. Working alongside educators who are there to help each other with a collaborative mindset is a reward in itself. One of my favorite parts of my job as an Instructional Technology Specialist is watching teachers light up when they’ve just thought of an idea or just can’t stop talking with their team members after learning something new. This has been the greatest motivator for my Innovation Plan, which includes the creation of a blended learning leadership program titled "Empower."
When the creative, collaborative juices are flowing, when excitement fills the air and teachers value each others’ opinions, there’s nothing more fulfilling.
Unfortunately, this is not always the experience. Many educators experience the opposite of this and are not surrounded by others who are willing to help. When a person believes their voice dominates over a group, the idea of bringing out the best in one another no longer exists. If educators and leaders desire to be seen as the most intelligent to obtain power, they also tend to avoid challenges, ignore feedback, and feel threatened by the success of others. This is what Carol Dweck (2014) refers to as a fixed mindset. Sadly, I see this mindset in many of the educators who choose to embrace the traditional classroom model without any desire for change or disruptive innovation in education. However, when we have a growth mindset, we lead with a desire to learn and therefore, embrace challenges with the power of yet, learn from criticism, and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others.
Altogether, bringing out the best in others allows us to bring out the best in ourselves. With a willingness to embrace others’ opinions, accept that everyone has value, and pursue a growth mindset, we can achieve true success.
Check out my latest blog post on Learning Networks to see how I've embraced the ideas of collaboration and helpfulness.
Sources:
TED. (2015, June 16). Margaret Heffernan: Why it's time to forget the pecking order at work [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyn_xLrtZaY&t=653s
Stanford Alumni. (2014, October 9). Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ
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