Quiet Leadership
Think you might want to read this book?
If you are a model thinking junkie, Quiet Leadership by David Rock will whet your whistle and then some, as it’s full of complex and interwoven models. If you prefer fewer diagrams and acronyms, Rock will still push your thinking to make sure your conversations are leading others to think for themselves. “The Dance of Insight” model, which focuses on “Permission, Placement, Questioning and Clarifying” is especially helpful to leaders looking for a comprehensive, step-by-step protocol to successful conversations. The “Five Tips for Healthy Email Exchanges” could also help improve a school’s culture of communication.
What Would Socrates Ask?
What if all conversations and meetings had a clear purpose and agenda that was set and shared ahead of time?
Should administrative meetings begin with a leadership dilemma share out about a current issue to practice decision-making as a group?
What if all administrators and teachers were asked to reflect on their own growth at set intervals?
What if all leadership dilemmas were discussed openly and transparently?
What if all leadership dilemma discussions began with a collaborative, solution-focused discussion?
What if we made sure we gave three pieces of positive feedback for every piece of constructive feedback?
What if all one-on-one meetings between administration and faculty were open-ended and scheduled without an end time?
What if the rule of thumb for email length was that no scrolling down was required to read it all?
Concepts
Maybe meetings should start out with a vignette where the group has to work together to bring solutions to light and refine them.
We give babies only positive feedback. Why don’t we give it more often to adults?
Guidelines for email:
As few words as possible
Make it easy to see your central point at a glance;
Don’t send emails that might cause a negative emotional reaction;
All emotional issues need to be non-email communicated
If you accidentally break rule #4, apologize and make amends by phone.
Three reasons why giving people advice, versus asking questions, usually fails:
Our chances of having a relevant idea are slim.
People more commonly act on THEIR OWN ideas rather than those from others and
The dilemma people bring is often not their real issue so we propose solutions to the wrong problem.
Quotes from the author
“The management models we’re applying to our workforces are still those of the process era. We have not yet taught our leaders and managers how to improve thinking.”
“By establishing good process for dialogues, before getting lost in the details of a conversation, you are more likely to have discussions that are useful rather than just interesting.”
“If we want the other person to be doing all the thinking, asking questions is the only way forward.”
Quotes from others
“When will the way we relate to each other catch up with developments in technology?” - Theodore Zeldin
“To tell denies or negates another’s intelligence. To ask honors it.” - Sir John Whitmore
“The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a very creative mind to spot wrong questions.” - Anthony Jay
Organizations/schools working on answers
Referenced books for purchase
The applicability of this book to education is ….
Resources
