Getting Unstuck #130: Being More Human-focused at Work
In this episode of Getting Unstuck
Mark LeBusque is the Founder of marklebusque.com, an organization focussed on humanizing workplaces. He is the author of two books: Being Human and The Little Book of Human.
Mark is Harvard Business School trained and an accredited Practitioner in Adaptive Leadership and the Immunity to Change framework.
The Essential Point
Many educators still reject lessons from the business world with “This is education, we’re different.” Ironically though, business change leaders and educational change leaders use very similar language when they attempt to rationalize a shift away from what they both see as a traditional and inadequate approach in their respective systems, born in our century-old system of manufacturing.
“Why is it then that we keep operating a 100-year old management system that desperately needs rewiring from a Robotic to a more Human approach and expect that it won’t burn down.” Being Human, Mark LeBusque (p7)
“Based on a century-old factory model, [most] schools excel at preparing children for a world that no longer exists. It’s torn between two contexts: an education system anchored in the past and an innovative world defining the future.” What Schools Can Be, Ted Dintersmith (p xxiii)
Since our traditional management system and school system are based on the same past, what if we were to look at them together as opposed to separate especially since today’s students will lead tomorrow’s businesses?
As a leader at your level, where do your behaviors fall on each of the 7 rooms in the above illustration?
How you can use this podcast
How often do you or your team focus on your collective relevance, your sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself – where and how you fit into the larger organization and what you’re contributing?
Imagine a continuum line with the far left anchored as “Technical Work” and the far right anchored as “Human Work.” The former represents the job skills and thinking necessary to accomplish the work of the organization. The latter represents a developmental and caring focus on the people doing the work. If you’re in a leadership position, where do you spend most of your time and energy? If you’re focused on the left side of the continuum, what would it take to move you more toward the center?