(HSSTF) My Thoughts: Chap 1

How Stella Saved the Farm Chapter 1 Three Months Earlier

Something simpler: 

• What advantages do human run farms have over animal run farm like Windsor?
• Why does Marcus believe the farm needs a new kind of leader?

Something more chim: 

• At his last act, Marcus wanted to create change on Windsor Farm. What options other than turning the farm over to Deirdre might he have considered?

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As highlighted in the story, it seems like farms managed by human are more responsive to the changes out there, e.g. it adopts new technology, when it's available. The human world seems to be a "bigger" world compared to the "animal" world (as Marcus described McGillicddy's "giant operation") - hence could harness more resources (due to its size). Comparatively, the animal-managed farm is smaller, giving the impression that it's more enclosed and operated based on limited knowledge, skills and even wisdom. Human-run farms also leverage on size, hence tapping on the advantages that small-size companies do not have. 

On the other hand, McGillicuddy was described treating animals poorly, which illustrated the limited or absence of "humanity" or the welfare, well-being aspect. Was it trying to say, without taking into consideration (or with limited consideration for) the well-being is among the many that constitutes to success of big corporations? 

Marcus described Windsor's approach to run business - a family-run company.  "...but family first has always been our most cherished principle." It highlights one of the strengths (or success factor) in Windsor is about relationship and affection, care aspect. Perhaps at this point, we should Aso 

The farm needs a new kind of leader because...

"Operational excellence" contributed to Windsor's success. However, Marcus had rightly pointed out "efficiency is no longer enough". Though it is still important - there are more to that's needed so that the organisation can keep up with time, keep up with changes, and remain competitive (to survive). 

To do these, creativity, courage and the ability to take the organisation in new directions (i.e. visionary) are  qualities that Marcus highlighted. 

• Creative: To be able to do things differently, probably not just to "do" differently, but also to 'lead' differently - to bring about change, not necessary to 'rock' the boat (I think), but to build on to minimise the turbulence that change could create?
• Courage: To pick up the courage to make the first move, and continue to move despite it might be difficult to move on and sometimes even having to deal with self-doubt
• New Directions (Visionary): To remain relevant when time changes, and at the same time heading towards what we might not even able to imagine???

The journey would definitely be exciting, that it requires perseverance and unweaving belief & trust of the leadership, too.

What would "How Stella Saved the Farm: Prologue" bring?

Thanks to the new school leader, the book "How Stella Saved the Farm" would be introduced as a professional learning materials... very timely... and really hope that it is going to spur the school to the next turning point (of the S curve). 

- I hope that it would re-ignite our passion and excitement and help us to leap far from where we are now

In my humble experience, anxiety, uncertainty and tsunami-like come-and-go action are part of the process as we rise above our status quo. 

Looking back, when the school first started, all of us came from different places. We brought with us our dreams and hopes, and probably somethings that we knew might not be easily attainable through the normal circumstances (i.e. mainstream context). At least, I did. There were things that were difficult to move quickly or tried in "set" contexts - which means introducing changes & new things to rock the status quo. 

One advantage to start a new context was from ground zero, there were no existing proven practices that we would hold tightly (because of its value, or because it had played an important part in our past, when we grew). At the same time, all of us came with our knowledge from the previous contexts that we were ready to value-add or choose to 'try again' - something we thought worked well and might help the new entity to grow? or ideas that we learnt from the past - to be carried differently. More importantly, we all knew that we were embarking a new beginning, and our energy level was hight. Strong visionary leadership was definitely a critical success criteria.

Now, to move on and leapfrog, compared to the beginning, would mean having to manage another element, which could be seen as an obstacle, indeed, sometimes. It's the "baggages" that we have created over these years as we grew to who we are today. It's scary! (Isn't it?) Now, with the established practices and what had proven to be working, and working well... They had brought us to where we are today. They are the ones that others (external) would probably recognise or know who we are because we had done it so well. So, are we going to drop them? What's the price that we would have to pay.

On another note, is there a price to pay if we just continue to hold on to these "baggages" tightly - including our practices? Yes, definitely... 

• we need to maintain our status quo to survive while others are catching up - as others surpass us, we are actually lagging behind as days go by, despite this 'maintenance' of effort. It is not sustainable
• when other move forward, they become responsive to the environment and changes around, and would have picked up the momentum as they move, gathering new knowledge and capabilities as they grow. On the other hand, if we were to remain in the 'maintenance' mode, to what extent are we responding to the new needs and new changes out there? An important question that we need to ask ourselves. However, the dilemma is, how to manage this "change" - the need to keep up with the pace (the change) yet not to lose what we are doing well and recognised for?

From Google Search... Bypass Strategy or Leap Frog strategy is defined as way to surpass or overthrow the superior competition in the business field by usually by engaging in one enormous, determined, ruthless, brilliant leap of mastermind that results in extraordinary growth, profit, and management position....

Hopefully, we could gather enough courage and sharpen our sensing - to move forward yet keeping true to what is uniquely us, uniquely our niche.

After almost 4 years... Hello... I'm back!

Thanks for the recent discussion on crafting KPIs for the strategic objective related to staff professional development. We spoke about the possibility of setting up some form of structure to kickstart/ support teachers to document their learning and reflection. 

eDocumentation was something we piloted implementation last year... while purpose was absolute clear to us, to help students cultivate the habit of reflecting their learning experiences and how they could work on it to improve themselves, not just the subject matter, but their metacognition development. Looking back, it did not occur to me that I had long forgotten how I had benefited from this in the past.... Quite shamefully... I lost the habit that had helped me to grow over these years (though I might not have noticed how much I gained when I was working on it). 

It was lost in the busyness of many many things... probably busyness was the best default excuse. 

As I dug out this blog to show the team that this (i.e.blogging) could be one of the many formats that one could choose to document their learning, I now recalled how much I lost in the past 4 years. 

I have not stopped learning. I have not stopped reflecting my practices (of course, sometimes it was part of the PD sessions)... but I had forgotten to include it in a very intended way as part of my personal growth. 

Something that I should pick up again... and I hope to sustain this effort...