World Cup Leadership

Stephen Covey, in his book The 8th Habit, decribes a poll of 23,000 employees drawn from a number of companies and industries. He reports the poll's findings:

* Only 37 percent said they have a clear understanding of what their organization is trying to achieve and why
* Only one in five was enthusiastic about their team's and their organization's goals
* Only one in five said they had a clear "line of sight" between their tasks and their team's and organization's goals
* Only 15 percent felt that their organization fully enables them to execute key goals
* Only 20 percent fully trusted the organization they work for

Then, Covey superimposes a very human metaphor over the statistics. He says, "If, say, a soccer team had these same scores, only 4 of the 11 players on the field would know which goal is theirs. Only 2 of the 11 would care. Only 2 of the 11 would know what position they play and know exactly what they are supposed to do. And all but 2 players would, in some way, be competing against their own team members rather than the opponent.” 

As the school year comes to an end I can't help but wonder if Covey's metaphor holds true for a lot of schools. In an era of education where mistrust is sky high it's hard to chat with colleagues and feel optimistic about what we're trying to achieve and why. The optimists declare that we are preparing students to be informed citizens--citizens with knowledge of the world around them armed with the skills needed to succeed in a hyper-connected global landscape. So why then do we behave hypocritically? Why do we pay lip service to what we already know about how the world is changing?

Common Sense Media reports that 38% of 2-year-olds use mobile devices. We're moving too slow and what's appalling is that the lion's share of educators are digital deniers. They consider technology and social media a distraction. Not only do they not get it, but they are doing  a serious injustice to the fundamental reason why they went into education; to help children. No one is doing children any favors by shielding them from the one fundamental thing that will be ubiquitous to their futures. Shame on us as a profession for standing on the sidelines while the world is advancing technologically and we are clinging to wagging the admonishing finger when a kid pulls out a cell phone. 

If you are an educator and you haven't realized how isolating of a profession it is, please spend this summer brushing up on current trends in the marketplace and then tell me that we will not be remiss if we don't prepare students for a modern world in which technology is as essential as arithmetic. Your future is set. You have a secure career and will be receiving a pension, but our students will be facing challenges in a dramatically different world than you and I grew up in and in order for them to have a chance to succeed they will need skills and tools to compete and I'm not talking about subordination. Social and mobile is no longer a technology discussion, but rather a lifestyle reality.

It's imperative that education leaders and educators alike figure out which goal is ours. We have a moral obligation to care and agree on what we have to do. So as we cheer on the United States men's national soccer team against Germany on Thursday let's not forget the metaphor that this is a global competition not unlike the one we are obligated to prepare our students for.