Just a Few Good Things

Today, I read a fable and it reminded me of what one of my school leaders reminded us during the school management meeting yesterday on communication. It also led me to reflect and learn about the need to focus on just a few good things.

The fable is called “The Fox and the Cat.” Here is the story: A fox boasted to a cat one day about how sly and wily he was. “I have got all kinds of tricks,” the fox said. “For example, whenever I hear the dogs coming, I know a hundred different ways to escape.”

The cat was impressed and humbly said, “Your cleverness is amazing. As for me, I have only one way to escape, and that is to climb up a tree. I know it is not as exciting as all of your ways, but it works for me. Maybe someday you could show me some of your different escape routes.”

The fox smiled smugly, “Well, friend, perhaps I will have some free time one of these days, and I will show you a trick or two.”

Shortly afterward, the fox and the cat heard a pack of hounds approaching. “They are coming this way!”, the cat shrieked. In a flash, the cat scaled a nearby tree and hid herself in the leaves.

The fox stood there trying to decide which of his many tricks to use. Paralyzed with indecision, the fox waited too long to make his move, and the hounds pounced on him.

What have I learnt from this? Well, it reminded me of the times when I hear teachers say that they have too many “important” things to focus on that they become paralyzed and take no action at all. Confused about what is really important becomes a major source of stress on these members. Hence, I came to realize that it is important that every of my fellow middle managers and teachers need to know the answer to “What is really important?”

I may want to think that the fellow middle managers and teachers in my department are totally connected to what I am trying to accomplish together with them. I may even want to think that the “What is really important” question is easy to answer because I have communicated to them.

But the reality is that even with the many ways of communicating and even spending majority of my time in such communication through discussion, sharing and reviewing with teachers, teachers may still become frustrated.

Why is this so? I think one reason is that everyone is working in a constant state of change – where the conditions are constantly changing –just take a look at change in the individual subject syllabus and the many ministry initiated programs. Hence, I believe that it is a must for me to keep the really important goal(s) for my department. Like just what one of my school leaders said – focus on just a few good things! I have to identify the overriding goals that will ultimately determine my department’s success and keep my team focused on these main things. Change of direction if necessary, so long as everyone is on the same track and understands that the change will help them accomplish what is really important. Put my focus on just these few goals… that is where I will get results.