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Melbourne, VIC, Australia
2nd Grade Teacher at a school in Melbourne, Australia. My job: push kids to think. My passion: helping kids to tackle the life-long skill of searching for meaning, skills, answers and more questions.

Sunday 26 August 2012

Who am I working with?

Would it make a difference to the way I looked at a colleague if one of their team told me why they value that person so much?

Lately, I've been telling people all about how good Scroope is... haven't known why.  It's just seemed the right thing to do.
I want people to see the potential for amazing collaboration and great teaching if they can appreciate what makes her special.
I haven't really told the people who need to hear it.  I've been preaching to the choir. 

I know my school has hired special people.


I just have little idea what makes certain people special - not because they lack that something, just that I haven't worked with them closely and nobody has told me what 'it' is.  I am left to simply guess or infer.

Would it make a difference to your perceptions if I told you that Geevesy is a master organiser?  That she is a rare talent at getting stuff done?  That she is SO funny but SO deeply caring?  That her humor is never aimed at the depreciation of anyone else? That she is fiercely protective of the feelings of others?  There's more... that's just the start.

If you were in year 5/6 or the ELC, you might not know that.

Would it make a difference if I asked you to tell me about your team?  Would I respond to them differently when faced with the deeply humanising information about what makes them special?  Could I remain distant then... or would I have no choice but to look for that quality in them every time we talk or collaborate from now on?

There is so much talent here. 
There is so much desire to be great. 
There are so many stories. 

Would it help to share these a little?
Is there a way to do this........... authentically?

I want to know more about the people I work with.  I want to know their strengths.
We all have weaknesses.  I think those are up to us to share about ourselves when and where we feel we can trust.

But strengths.
What makes Bruce or Tanya special?  I can tell you - you've just gotta say the word and I'll begin.

We're going to make a huge collaborative push in the next 12 months.
I'd love to know WHO I'm really collaborating with.

I think that might make a difference...........

3 comments:

Nicole said...

Right on Blackie! So true- sometimes we can't see what is right in front of us... and being too busy is no longer a good enough excuse! The talent is here within us all right now, we just have to unlock it.

mjm said...

Great post Mr B! Love your thoughts & good to remember how important it is to let people know they are special and, perhaps more importantly, why they are special.

Richard Black said...

Thanks ladies.
Thing is... I don't really need or want someone to tell me why they think I'm special.
I would really rather hear why they think someone I don't know very well is special. I want their perspective on the colleagues whom I don't appreciate as fully as I should/could.