Position of Incompetence

My father and I were talking over the weekend, hopefully not about me particularly (I am joking if you are reading this, Dad), and he told me about a theory from the 60's I have never heard of. It interested me enough to research the idea and formulate my opinion. 

The Peter Principle

The theory that employees within an organization will advance to their highest level of competence and then be promoted to and remain at a level at which they are incompetent. 

Basically the principle and book says that if you great at your job you get promoted. If you have never done the new job, you are probably not good at it. If you improve in this new role, you might then get promoted to the next level. At the point when you can no longer perform in such a way to "get noticed," you cease getting promoted. You have thus reached the point of incompetency. Alternately, those in authority are faced with the obvious choice to promote new managers in times of need. If given the choice, they will select the individual who represents the least overall "loss" to the institution. Hence they select the least competent individual to manage the more qualified and effective ones. This way the most efficient employees still do their jobs and the least productive ones are removed from situations in which they potentially impeded productivity. 

More info

The history of the Peter Principle is the history of organizational observations throughout the centuries. From WikiPedia: 

The same experience was described as early as 1767 by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing in his comedy Minna von Barnhelm translated from German to English: “To become more than a sergeant? I don't consider it. I am a good sergeant; I might easily make a bad captain, and certainly an even worse general. One knows from experience.”^[1]

In the 1910s José Ortega y Gasset suggested that: "All public employees should be demoted to their immediately lower level, as they have been promoted until turning incompetent".^[2]

A similar theory was proposed by Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoon series. In his 1996 book, The Dilbert Principle, Adams suggested that "the least smart people are promoted, simply because they’re the ones you don't want doing actual work." In other words people are promoted because of their incompetence in their current role, rather than their competence. 

It's not so simple to nail down though. There is also the existence of the bureaucracy and its necessity for self preservation. In terms of examples, think of the incompetent manager already in authority. Why would this person promote a talented younger individual who threatens to upset the top of the hierarchy? 

Be Optimal

So after reading all this, digesting, and placing myself on the "hierarchy" of my career path, I have some thoughts. First, I asked myself "am I incompetent?" The answer, I hope for you as well, is a resounding "no." In my case I have to take a serious step back and really analyze the situation. Why do I have this job? How did I get this opportunity? I started as a teacher in Louisiana with a penchant for creative lesson planning and technology. I took the initiative to find something more exciting, go somewhere different, and try new things. I taught a year or so and was given the opportunity to be more than just a classroom teacher. Working as the technology liaison for the district, I trained, practiced, and studied on my own. When the opportunity arose to teach others what I knew I took it. Working as a consultant I listened and observed successful administrators in action. I studied best practices for professional development and soaked up every tidbit of research on education, technology-infused instruction, and cognitive theory. Given a chance to move back to the public realm, I was a prime candidate for the position of Educational Technology Coordinator.  The next year was spent studying for the chance to be the Director, should the position open. 

Without gloating, I mean only to point out that I was prepared ahead of time to make the transition to another advancement. So where does this put me now? What is the next position? 

This is the question I ask myself now. I know I have only worked in my current position for one year, but my first instinct in life when entering any door is to immediately locate the exit. This has my mind whirling of course. What if I am optimally placed as an Educational Technology Coordinator or professional trainer? What if I am a truly gifted teacher? Am I selfishly placing my ambitions to achieve more above what I am best qualified to do? Would someone else do my job better than me and if so, am I subconsciously holding them back to protect the hierarchy?   

My answer is fairly straightforward. I am optimal. I am efficient and effective. I believe I was ready before I started each position I earned, or at least more ready than anyone else that could have applied. Not to understate the situation, I am a motivated professional with the intelligence to learn the skills I will need daily. I think the key to my conundrum is self-reflection and balance. We have to know when you slow down and be excellent and when to stretch ourselves and learn alternate skills. We have to experiment to truly understand our own value as well. Finally, we need leaders, both supervisory and collegially, who encourage us to stretch ourselves when appropriate and to be optimal when it is not.

The Good Life

Between polar vortexes and winter storms, Alaska has been robbed of snow and winter in general since December! I bought a snow machine in January (while weather delayed in Anchorage actually) and the weekend after I drove it down river from St. Mary's all the snow melted. I have been warm and raining while relatives in Louisiana are getting snow... 

Last weekend we got about 3 inches finally, and not a second too soon. I was chomping at the bit to ride and I've never had a new machine not broken in within a month! 

Though I would love to have more snow, I have to say this week has been stunningly beautiful. 

All this is to say, I am much happier riding than cooped up in the house all day. 

I'd still rather be on a beach, but this is the good life. 

VIDEO 

Super Bowl 2014

I can't the Super Bowl turned out as expected, but I can't say I mind the results either. I love Wes Welker and Manning on the field, but I have to go with Seattle (unless the Saints are playing, of course). The great thing about the Super Bowl, of course, is the party... not necessarily the game.

This year we had Gator, chili, queso, chips, dip and tons of desserts! The desserts included gluten free, caramel, and peanut butter brownies, tons of cookies, and candies. Homemade bread and near beer rounded out a great meal. More of an ongoing snack fest, the day was quite nice.

Penguins and Change

If you've never heard of it before Our Iceberg Is Melting is a story about responding to change. Written by Dr. John Kotter, it is a tale that helps explain change, the agents of change, and common struggles associated with change. Don't be fooled by the simplicity of this story. Our Iceberg Is Melting brings a very unique perspective and tells a very meaningful story through the lives of penguins.

Being an education professional, I see all around me those who are agents of the status quo and certainly not change. I see people who will nay-say any new idea because it is not "the way we have always done it." As I read the book I identified with many characters and recognize similarities between myself and several key players. I encourage you to read the book as well and pay special attention to the characteristics of each penguin in the story.

The main characters include Buddy, Lewis, the Professor, Alice, No-No, and Fred. I will not ruin the story for you or tell you much of anything about the characters, but trust me when I say you will not look at coworkers the same again. The premise is simple. To affect change in a population try following this eight step approach:

1. Create a sense of urgency
2. Build a guiding coalition
3. Develop a vision and strategy
4. Communicate the change vision
5. Empower others for action
6. Generate short-term wins
7. Capitalize on gains and produce more change
8. Establish a culture of change

Do you need change? Have you ever thought about your life, your job, your surroundings and said, "I like things just the way they are." I don't! Born and raised in Louisiana, I hated the oppressive heat and confines of the concrete jungle. I figured out what I needed to do and moved to Alaska. I thought about my career in teaching and decided I wanted to do more, be more impactful, and touch more classrooms. I worked in the private sector seeking "better icebergs" and found them. Never one to settle, I made change a part of my lifestyle and swam out again in search of more "fish" and kept the momentum going.

In my current position I lead with humility, energetically working alongside the team. I push colleagues to act now, not later. If it is worth doing, do it now! Superficial commitment or punching in and punching out is not acceptable. I want to be better and I want them to want to be better. By empowering my team members change is multiplied exponentially. We become greater than the sum of our parts. I believe in what we do. I believe in what we could be. I trust that if given the freedom, they will make good choices. We all deserve to make micro-changes while contributing to the macro-change. How often do each of us have something to share and never get asked?

Without vision and the ability to communicate the need for change there is no purpose. Finding a model to demonstrate the need for change may be the most difficult of the eight stages of change. Sometimes what you are attempting to do (or not do) has never been done before. How do you create a model for something that's never been done? How do you demonstrate a paradigm shift? How do you express the human imagination? Once you have done all this, you must be able to communicate it to others effectively or it will never gain traction. This is the difference between good ideas and revolutionary ones. Making your idea palatable for others requires a bit of salesmanship, but the time is well spent. Creating a coalition among equals, employees, and those in authority is the only way to make a lasting impression on an organization.

You can't expect to succeed immediately, though. Be ready for opposition. Be ready for No-Nos around every corner. They will interrupt you, talk behind your back, set you up for failure, and sabotage your plans. Don't let them get the best of you though. Be a Buddy and win people over with a sincere, concise, and clear message. Don't confuse the issue with those you are trying to win over. If the No-Nos persist, be the Professor and dog them with data. Flood them with statistics, data, and resources supporting your position. Make it impossible to refute your ideas or make them too busy with sifting through the details to mount a campaign against you.

These are just thoughts, of course... I recommend the book highly for all ages, really. It is meaningful on so many levels and teaches through parable. One evening would be plenty of time to finish it. Here is the link if you are interested: Our Iceberg is Melting. Reply with who you identify with in the story or thoughts of your own.

Here are some parting thoughts...

What is your iceberg and is it melting?
What are the cracks that you see?
Are you an Alice or a Fred or do you have people like this in your group?
Do you have a bottle (model to demonstrate the need for change)?
Do you have an elevator speech (simple 30-second message for your cause)?
Do you have enough scouts in your group?
How much control do the No-Nos have?
What concerns you more: catching fish today or planning for tomorrow?

Education, Research, and Development

Working in Western Alaska as an educator and technologist I have learned a lot about educational issues in the Bush and across Alaska in general over the past 8 years. One thing is constant: the complaints that the system is broken and that there are unique difficulties in every school and student population.

We all realize that there are things that need to be fixed. We all agree on the existence of half a dozen issues at least. Legislators, Governors, Mayors, and administrators come and go, all well meaning, but nothing changes.

When was the last major educational upheaval in the Bush? When was the last time we tried something truly, fundamentally different? Molly Hootch, RUS grants and VTC deployments statewide bridging geographical gaps in the late 90's?

I personally have had my educational philosophy altered irrevocably by the one-to-one initiative of the early 2000's. My ideal classroom will never be the same again. My students had voices in the learning and experienced being the teacher to their peers as much as I did. Multimedia projects offered ever-present opportunities to succeed. With culture, language, and place-based standards infused with the content I presented from text and online resources, the students formed their own opinions. The joy of exploratory learning and satisfaction of self discovery made every theme, date, and name "sticky" (as Seth Godin would put it).

Leveraging academic concepts in organic solutions is what problem solving in the real world boils down to. Complex issues, like Bush education (or American education in a broader sense), require complex solutions. There is no blanket to cover all. There is no silver bullet to win every battle. 

The cure for polio was not a happenstance. Interstate highways are not America's oldest roads. Trails were blazed and it cost blood, sweat, and tears. Risk and reward built American industry and created the one great Superpower.

What experiments are we trying to affect learning outcomes in early childhood education? 

How many risks are we taking "flipping" classrooms and districts nation-wide? 

Defense budgets through the 80's and 2000's were nothing short of disgusting to the average American. R&D projects led to (relatively) positive outcomes for our troops, though. Predator drones, laser guidance systems, body armor...

Energy independence in the US is a noted priority of both parties. Though rarely agreed upon in form and function, this goal is funded by billions annually. We now supplement power in the village of Alakanuk through wind energy. Solar cells in the siding of the new schools offset a percentage of the heating costs during winter, however small...

What cutting-edge educational RESEARCH is being done in Bush Alaska? 

How many dollars are we spending on DEVELOPING Alaska's future... our children? 

Art Therapy

Living in the Bush can be a struggle sometimes. Working in a town with no restaurants, movie theaters, or source of entertainment outside ball games at the school, life can be a bit drab. We have game nights, dinner parties, movie nights, and fiddle dances every now and again, but most of the winter is spent inside avoiding the bitter cold. This year, my 5th or 6th Bush winter, I thought I would try something new. 

While last in Anchorage I purchased a few paints, brushes, pastels, sketch books, charcoals, and canvases. This passed week instead of TV or video games friends and I practiced a little art therapy! 

Some of us beaded others drew. I sketched a bit and then tried my hand at acrylics on canvas for the first time.  I was inspired by the 1869 painting by painter William Rimmer called “Evening” or “The Fall of Day”,  featuring a picture of the Greek god Apollo. Of course, the colorful version is more likely recognizable on the Swan Song album by Led Zepplin. 

I also tried out pastels for the first time, drawing up a scene from Kauai, Hawaii. I camped on the beach for a week in October and hoped to capture a bit of the majesty that is dawn on the Pacific.  

The following are the works my wonderfully talented friends created! I won't identify them without permission, but I will show off their work... 

I can only get better, as you can tell, so expect more pictures soon. 

Straight Talk, not Small Talk

Lately people have been asking me "how is your year going?" or "how do you like the new job?" and the response is always the same. It's almost like the question "how are you?" or "how was your day?" Is the answer ever anything but "good" or "very well, thank you"? The truth is my days, just like the rest of my life, are up-and-down. 

My question then is: do I, they, or anyone actually care?

I have found myself pondering my resolution for the school year lately. I told myself that this year I would talk less and say more. I want to be a man of my word. I want to be a man of straight talk and concise/meaningful answers. I want my no's to be no's and my yes's to be yes's. I don't intend to be rude, short, or terse with anyone in this regard, only forthright and direct. Honesty, truth, and trustworthiness will be my goals.

All this is to set the stage for what I believe to be my current struggle in life. I love to ask myself questions, reflect on my choices, challenge myself daily, and create standards worth meeting. Recently I took a trip to Kauai. This was undoubtedly the most significant of vacations/experiences in my life. I came back refreshed and re-centered. I tried to re-create this trip recently by traveling to Las Vegas last week. You might think that's a funny place to be alone but the truth is we can sometimes hide in large groups. Becoming nameless and faceless allowed me to be invisible temporarily. Reading, lounging by the pool, walking the streets at night, seeing Cirque productions: these were all refreshing experiences, especially alone. The trouble is I still don't know myself. I failed in a number of ways to recreate Kauai. I didn't read what I wanted to, nor as much as I wanted to. 

I know what I want to be. I know how to get there. I just don't know who will do it with me. Who will challenge me? Who will be my support? Who will bring me down? Who will lift me up? 

I have met several wonderful people lately. My mind soars at the possibilities! I have many concerned and supportive friends. My family will continue to encourage and love me unconditionally. 

Will this be enough though? I think not. I will need strength and guidance from above. I will need grace and mercy for what I do. I will need wisdom and insight and sound judgment to discern His will for my life. I will need Straight Talk, not Small Talk. Please feel free, after reading this, to give me some Straight Talk. Challenge me.

I am not yet the man I wish to be. I am working progress. I am willing to learn and change. I am His.