Working At The Edge

Make School Different: Digital leadership & Transformation

#28 of 60: How do our work/learning environments support vulnerability? 🤔

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This past week I listened to two podcasts that got me quite energized:

Yes…they interviewed each other on their podcasts. And it is well worth the time to listen, not only for the learning, but their curiosity for people and ideas is infectious. Definitely give a listen, even if you have to do it over several sittings.

Both conversations are relevant to our work transforming schooling–being vulnerable (Brown’s work and various books, including Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Heart) and continuously challenging our thinking (Grant’s new book Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know.)

Let’s ponder vulnerability for a bit… This from Brown’s book (bold mine), pg. 13:

We can’t always ask our students to take off the armor at home, or even on their way to school, because their emotional and physical safety may require self-protection. But what we can do, and what we are ethically called to do, is create a space in our schools and classrooms where all students can walk in and, for that day or hour, take off the crushing weight of their armor, hang it on a rack, and open their heart to truly being seen.

We must be guardians of spaces that allow students to breathe, be curious, and to explore the world and be who they are without suffocation. They deserve one place where they can rumble with vulnerability and their hearts can exhale. And what I know from the research is that we should never underestimate the benefit to a child of having a place to belong—even one—where they can take off their armor. It can and often does change the trajectory of their life.

While this is focused on students, I’d challenge us to take this to another level to include the adults in the organization. Transformation is hard. It involves every human in the organization if it is to be successful and effective. 

Teachers, leaders, support staff, parents, community—all adults in addition to learners—deserve to be in a space where they can “open their heart to truly being seen.” Our systems will not be fully human-centered until all stakeholders can occupy such a space.

—–

âť“ Provocations:

Think about your work/learning space. How comfortable are you “take[ing] off the crushing weight of [your] armor, hang[ing] it on a rack, and open[ing] [your] heart to truly being seen”? How might we focus on the concept of vulnerability to transform the cultures of our organization? What might be if we were more comfortable being vulnerable? 

đź’Ž Resources:

Adam Grant’s podcast: https://www.adamgrant.net/podcast/ 

Brené Brown’s podcasts: https://brenebrown.com/podcasts/ 

🧠 Mindsets:

Vulnerability

đź’ˇ Area:

Learning

Leadership

📣 Drop your thoughts in the comments, or in the Facebook group, and feel free to share resources. 🔥🔥🔥

Randy Ziegenfuss
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