Three Big Shots to take: Management, Monitoring & Motivation

The 3Ms for Educational Leaders during the pandemic

As educators, it is important now more than ever to be willing to take risks when it comes to being innovative in the classroom. The experience of social distancing has changed our notions of what “the classroom” is and where a classroom can be located. Methods for engaging our students with authentic learning opportunities in virtual classrooms are transforming before our eyes and the decisions that institutions are making now will transform how students learn moving forward. (Check out an earlier post on 5 ways to better engage students in online classes).

As our concept of how students access learning changes in real time, it is crucial to develop stronger social-emotional intelligence to overcome the virtual distance.

This will require us to take BIG shots…and to take them more often.

Watching the recent ESPN documentary, The Last Dance, has me thinking about my daily work in basketball terms as I look forward to the end of “March Sadness”. For me, basketball opened a portal into achieving a dynamic and impactful career with a global perspective. Basketball was a central means of motivation and therapy for me as a young man. As a high school Biology teacher, I often used the metaphor of “shooting” to encourage my students to take risks in active participation, particularly since science wasn’t a favorite subject in the school. I encouraged all of my students to “take shots” fearlessly, and more importantly, to practice and prepare for the moment when an opportunity for a shot opens up.

Michael Jordan has been quoted saying,

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” — Michael Jordan

But just as “taking shots” is used as a way to encourage students to participate in class work, educators can make use of the metaphor too. The education game has now presented us with an opportunity to shoot long shots, some of them from half-court. We can’t be afraid to take them when we see them! Improved technique is developed even when one misses, allowing a practiced player along with us as coaches, to adjust our strategies together in accordance with the opening.

Here are 3 shots an educational leader can take in response to distancing during the pandemic: we call them the 3Ms for Educational Leaders (Management, Monitoring and Motivation)

1. MANANGEMENT

Management has 3Ps: Protocols, Participation & Positioning

Protocols: Don’t be afraid to create protocols for EVERYTHING! We are in very virgin territory and lines are constantly being redrawn with regard to expectations of educators during this pandemic. These protocols could include but are not limited to communication updates, submission of documents, video interface, phone/email accessibility, technology usage, and even social media posts. Facilitation protocols for Zoom calls are particularly important; as one needs to be specific, consistent and have a clear rationale in order for the call to be productive and professional for all participants.

Participation: It is extremely critical to clearly define expectations for how participants conduct themselves in online settings. Make sure that participants of online meetings or trainings are clear about how they will be participating at various times. This could be as simple as distinguishing when they should be writing feedback in the chat feature or discussing specific questions in virtual break-out rooms. Participants should not be blind-sighted by any roles they may be expected to play during the meeting or class. Here are some examples of virtual verbs to use when designing participation expectations: read…this part of the article, watch…the video, discuss…your partners view, connect… the opinion to the readings, find… a similar website that supports, explore…editing tools on the program, write…a reflection on your experience, share… a big takeaway, annotate…the google doc in color, practice…creating graphs for your data, edit…your partner’s report, etc.

Positioning: Once you have set-up strong protocols and defined what you want your team to do when interacting, it will be important to position them so they can seamlessly execute protocols and participate in collaborative and individual tasks. When positioning team members for success, consider how you are orienting them to the new protocols. Are you asking the correct stakeholders for feedback? Rolling-out any new management strategies can set a strong foundation for future projects while at the same time negatively impact team-members trust in their leader. Have a detailed orientation plan for any new initiatives!!

2. MONITORING

Monitoring has 3 As: Accountability, Accuracy, Attentiveness

Accountability: Now that you have established Management parameters it is important to hold folks accountable. Accountability during these uncertain times can feel very insensitive but it is needed in order for tasks and projects to be implemented with some level of consistency and predictability. That means you may have to over-communicate your protocols and participation expectations. It will be key for leaders to establish their own protocols for accountability and be transparent with those they manage in addition to modeling self-accountability.

Accuracy: When holding your team accountable it is important that documents and communications are accurate if we expect the same from those who we lead. Model for team members how you want documents to be completed or developed including both content and formatting. It is also important to manage drafts of documents during this time where there is creation of new protocols. Ensure you are consistently labeling documents and indicating the date if it is a draft and mark it “FINAL” when deemed complete. Accurate documents and proper vetting practices will be crucial if we want teams to have confidence that their is a strategic educational plan among this disruption.

Attentiveness: Along with establishing norms around participation in video sessions, gauging participant attentiveness will be vital in keeping everyone actively engaged. Use the the chat function to check on participants at times as it allows you to send private one to one messages. Also use the emoji feature to respond to other comments to model attentiveness and the importance of active participation. You can even assign an individual to be the temperature checker in the virtual session so that all feel they have a voice and an opportunity to contribute.

3. MOTIVATION

Motivation has 3Is: Innovation, Interpersonal & Intuition

Innovation: Motivation approaches during a time when many feel unsure about future norms need to be thoughtful and sincere. Attempt to be innovative with how you build motivation within those you lead. Go beyond including shout-outs and ice-breakers in team meetings or in classes. Find new innovative ways to motivate whether its using a short video as a commercial break to lighten the load and make a point or by even having themed dress-up days to learn more about people’s nostalgic childhood icons. I have even had the pleasure of experiencing a 15 minute Price is Right game show during a meeting in place for the staff baby shower for a colleague on the team. People on the team will hopefully appreciate the effort you are showing in the attempt to staying positive during this trying time.

Interpersonal: While social distancing is now the new norm, it doesn’t mean you distance yourself from getting to know the people on your team. This pandemic presents an perfect opportunity to carve out specific time to learn about another person’s experience and point-of-view. Holding consistent weekly check-ins and being creative with your schedule when it comes to building-in time for one-on-one time can allow you opportunities to learn how that person you are leading or working with is taking care of their wellness and whether they have major concerns for specific family and friends during this health crisis. Don’t be a afraid to make yourself vulnerable for a missed shot; three-point shots sometimes come at just the right time when they go in.

Intuition: Listen to that gut feeling. Motivation can feel very awkward and uncomfortable because you don’t want to seem insincere. However listening to that inner voice inside of you that is anchoring your intentions in genuine concern and authentic feelings toward the well-being of the people you work with and impact will go long way. Don’t be afraid of your right intentions! Let the idea that is rooted in right thoughts, become the right speech, leading to the right effort to eventually executing the right action that will motivate those around you.

Final Thoughts…

Management strategies have to be clear as open lay-ups. Monitoring has to be timed correctly like a mid-range fade-away jump shot. You may even be indecisive with your approach to motivation, like you would a long three-point shot. As we navigate this brave new world of education, let’s be sure that we are taking shots along with our students, learning from the misses and naming the small wins that will lead to a team victory of engaged and equitable learning.