F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”
Focus:
In a previous post (The Integrated Approach of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative) I explain that Integrated Approach has a concurrent focus, both internal and external. They focus on developing strong norms, processes for communicating, problem solving, building consensus, etc. This is important, but Professional Learning Communities must recognize that equally important, is a clear understanding of how their work fits into the needs of those outside of the team.
They clearly understand that their work must fit within the greater goals of the school and the district. They are externally focused and internally focused. They do not wait to create and establish internal norms or practices for every aspect of their work, but rather, get on with the work meeting the needs of students, the grade level, department, school, district, and the team together, while simultaneously developing internal processes. They also keep an eye out for trends in technology, new research, and new strategies, and new compliance issues developing outside of the group.
The internal focus develops key group processes, norms, goals, time-lines, etc. The internal focus is what great Professional Learning Communities do to build solid teams. But this is not enough. The must also have the concurrent external focus. They need to understand others' expectations (school or district) constantly update their information about available talent and knowledge in their network of useful outsiders, and be aware of the external situation in which they work. The external focus has at its heart the principles of The Expectations, Network, and Situation. (T.E.N.S.)
Being able to have the concurrent focus of the internal and external approach is to be ambidextrous.
Function
There is a commercial about Tiger Woods that say, “relentless consistency, 50 percent; willingness to change, 50%.” The commercial from the global management consulting firm Accenture sums up perfectly the concurrent focus of function; relentless consistency while at the same time continuously innovating.
Professional Learning Communities must have a strong unwavering and unyielding commitment to use best practices, research based methods, proven strategies, and all practices that are known to make a difference for student learning. Professional Learning Communities must practice “kaizen”, the continual improvement in their work. A strong Professional Learning Community is always seeking to gain a greater depth of understanding of their work and continual practice of those best practices. Their internal focus is to find those critical aspects of their work and apply the best-known methods without exception.
The other concurrent focus of the Professional Learning Community function is to continually innovate. If “kaizen” is getting better at what they do, the term “tenakaizen” is to make something completely different, to innovate. The Professional Learning Community should be continuously learning to do new things in new ways. The only way to even greater results is to find new innovative ideas.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was describing the integrated approach of concurrent focus that created what I call Ambidextrous Professional Learning Communities.
Ambidextrous Professional Learning Communities have an “integrated” or "ambidextrous" approach to their focus and their function.Focus:
In a previous post (The Integrated Approach of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative) I explain that Integrated Approach has a concurrent focus, both internal and external. They focus on developing strong norms, processes for communicating, problem solving, building consensus, etc. This is important, but Professional Learning Communities must recognize that equally important, is a clear understanding of how their work fits into the needs of those outside of the team.
They clearly understand that their work must fit within the greater goals of the school and the district. They are externally focused and internally focused. They do not wait to create and establish internal norms or practices for every aspect of their work, but rather, get on with the work meeting the needs of students, the grade level, department, school, district, and the team together, while simultaneously developing internal processes. They also keep an eye out for trends in technology, new research, and new strategies, and new compliance issues developing outside of the group.
The internal focus develops key group processes, norms, goals, time-lines, etc. The internal focus is what great Professional Learning Communities do to build solid teams. But this is not enough. The must also have the concurrent external focus. They need to understand others' expectations (school or district) constantly update their information about available talent and knowledge in their network of useful outsiders, and be aware of the external situation in which they work. The external focus has at its heart the principles of The Expectations, Network, and Situation. (T.E.N.S.)
Being able to have the concurrent focus of the internal and external approach is to be ambidextrous.
Function
There is a commercial about Tiger Woods that say, “relentless consistency, 50 percent; willingness to change, 50%.” The commercial from the global management consulting firm Accenture sums up perfectly the concurrent focus of function; relentless consistency while at the same time continuously innovating.
Professional Learning Communities must have a strong unwavering and unyielding commitment to use best practices, research based methods, proven strategies, and all practices that are known to make a difference for student learning. Professional Learning Communities must practice “kaizen”, the continual improvement in their work. A strong Professional Learning Community is always seeking to gain a greater depth of understanding of their work and continual practice of those best practices. Their internal focus is to find those critical aspects of their work and apply the best-known methods without exception.
The other concurrent focus of the Professional Learning Community function is to continually innovate. If “kaizen” is getting better at what they do, the term “tenakaizen” is to make something completely different, to innovate. The Professional Learning Community should be continuously learning to do new things in new ways. The only way to even greater results is to find new innovative ideas.
The integrated, or ambidextrous Professional Learning Community demonstrates the ability to have what Roger Martin, dean of Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, call “an opposable mind.”
The “opposable mind” allows a member of a Professional Learning Community to have the, "…predisposition and capacity to hold two diametrically opposing ideas in their heads. And then, without panicking or simply settling for one alternative or the other, they’re able to produce a synthesis that is superior to either opposing idea.”
Have an internal and external focus simultaneously. Have a focus on getting better at what you do, while looking for new ways to do it.
Professional Learning Communities that have “integrative thinking,” will be able to manage con-current focus and prove themselves to be... ambidextrous.
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