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COLLECTIVE EFFICACY
I N A P L C AT W O R K ®
In addition, our leaders found the counterpart to contribution was significance. It is inherently human nature to seek significance. In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl (2006) writes, “The true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche” (p. 110). This quote by Frankl also reinforces the idea of significance within the leadership paradox. Significance—or meaning, as Frankl states—is to be recognized in the world we operate in, no matter how big or small. Within education settings, significance is attained through individual accolades, honors, and achievements. Significance could also be attained through the collective achievements of collaborative teams. Leaders, however, found a nuance to significance that unlocked a new paradigm for the district. Although individuals and teams naturally or aggressively sought significance, whether publicly stated or not, they were far more inspired when the narrative changed. Chasing personal significance obviously served as a powerful motivator; however, the reframing of personal to collective significance—to serve as the conduit for empowering students to discover their own significance—was invigorating for teams. This was the essence of change needed; teams’ need to become significant through contribution was a meaningful research discovery that powered the organization engine moving forward.
Limbic system vs. the Neocortex Science tells us the limbic system and neocortex help human beings articulate feelings and language, respectively. In his cutting-edge work Start With Why, Simon Sinek (2009) distinguishes these two regions of the brain that serve very different functions. Sinek’s concept of the Golden Circle forced leaders, regardless of areas of expertise, to rethink their approaches when considering highly effective practices. The Golden Circle describes three areas: (1) the outer layer is the what; (2) the middle area is the how; and (3) the inner layer is the why. Sinek (2009) describes the meaning of the science behind the Golden Circle, asserting: Its principles are deeply grounded in the evolution of human behavior. The power of WHY is not opinion, it’s biology. If you look at a cross-section of the human brain, from the top down, you see that
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or initiative, much like a car salesman trying to meet a quota. Leaders needed to focus less on the car salesman approach and more on connecting to the individual and collective psyche of the organization, using the significance versus contribution paradox. The only way to do this is to honor teams by giving voice to the individuals that make them up. Covey (2004) re-enforces, “Once you’ve found your voice, the choice to expand your influence, to increase your contribution, is the choice to inspire others to find their voice. Inspire (from Latin inspirare) means to breathe life into another” (p. 31). District and site leaders needed to “breathe life” into the organization through consistency and clarity of purpose.
