First published in NAPP My Portfolio 21 February 2016 – published in WordPress 29 June 2016
I follow Mindshift on Twitter MindShift @MindShiftKQED and enjoy the way ideas and actions are added to my learning framework as a result.
In this example Tim Harford uses a TED talk to elaborate on Messy Disruptions and how active use of them can add power to our thinking and lead to results beyond what we might expect.
Our instincts as teachers and leaders in education always craves the normal and comfortable – as a Principal I would often think of a “normal week” – by this I thought of a normal timetable with no interruptions from special events (such as sports), disruptions from upheaval (teachers illness, students behaviour, angry parents etc). It took me years to recognise that the interruptions were the normal and that our school as a “living breathing being” was simply being human.
Harford’s point about dealing with complexity by deliberately adding disruption is powerful. His example where four friends are less likely to solve complex issues/problems than three friends with an awkward stranger (or in our case a grumpy parent/teacher) really makes you stop and think about how we need to shift our thinking and not be trapped by comfort and security.
I suppose the Mindshift message is that unease and disruption push us into higher levels of thinking – have you ever been leading a meeting and as a result of “disruption” from someone else’s thinking had an “aha moment” been able to capture it and then speak about a better plan/intent than the one you began with.
I wonder what Twitter will throw up as a disruption this week?
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