In general it's advantageous to play to your strengths--identify what makes you strong and use those strengths to do the good work that your called or expected to do. As far as weaknesses go, it's a good idea to look to others for whom those weaknesses are strengths. For example, sometimes I can have trouble with organization of objects since I tend to spend more time organizing my ideas than the objects around me. Fortunately this year I work with some one for whom that is a strength--what a bonus that is to me. I also work with a few people for whom patience and politicking are strengths--that too helps me. And, on the other hand, I can bring some of my strengths to help them. That makes for a strong team.
When we veer into our weakness zone to make change or get the job done, we often set ourselves up for failure because we simply don't have what's needed to do the job well. For example I often jump from initial idea to implementation without spending a lot of time on the steps in between. That works well for my own work because of my experience in my trust with my ideas. I know how to jettison my work from idea to reality quickly, and children can generally follow my lead since they, like me, tend to ideate and create in a similar fashion. But when I do this kind of idea-jumping with adults, I am generally not successful. Adults like to be reassured with a gently laid plan that includes the details of each step as well as proof that it will work. They tend not to be as playful, flexible, and trusting as children. So to forward a big idea, it's best for me to partner with detail-oriented people who are patient and light hearted, people who can forward an idea with the reassurance, sense of humor, and details that help others to get on board to approve and support the idea.
Many years ago when our team decided on a shared teaching model for the grade level. My initial reaction was to forward the idea, then do it, but of course, since we were working with adults we had to take a laundry list of steps to get from idea to implementation. It's was painstaking to go through each step, and I could not have done it without the patience and good demeanor of my teammates who made the time to reassure and explain to those who were not supportive or confident about the change. Thankfully the idea was put into place and it has been tremendously successful and gratifying--I believe we are teaching better than ever thanks to our ability to maximize each others strengths and mitigate each other's challenges. The collaboration not only sets up a good example for students, but it allows us to do more better for the children.
This week I played to my weakness in an area that has served to sting me time and again. I reached out and received the backlash that this weak area often presents to me. It hurt, and I wondered why I stepped into that territory of little to no success yet again. Obviously there's still something for me to learn about this area of school life, and obviously I haven't learned to navigate it well or find those who I can work with to help me navigate the area well. I will think on that in days to come.
In the meantime, I have to keep my areas of strength visible and at the front of my work--areas where I have capacity and some control, areas where I can do the good work possible. Those areas include the following steady list that I write time and again:
- Math/Science Teaching and Learning
- Building and contributing to a strong class community and grade level team.
- Professional learning and curriculum development work and share
- Building a community of skilled and engaged readers and writers
- Advocacy for more inclusive, transparent, and successful communication, systems, and leadership models in schools.
While these areas are obvious, I have to continually remind myself of these priorities so that I don't veer off into the problems that other areas of teaching and learning create for me.
There are weaker areas that I want to build up too--areas that depend on a positive routine, professional learning endeavor, and making wise choices about how to spend my time and energy.
It's critical to identify your strengths and play to them. It's similarly important to recognize your weaknesses and decide how you will strengthen those areas of your work--for some weaknesses, you will find ways to build capacity, and for other weaknesses, you will rely on the strengths and skills of others. These are important professional considerations along the teaching/learning path. Onward.