From the Learning Pit to the Peak of Genius: Strategies for Forward Movement

Watch the Recording Listen to the Podcast

Sometimes, educators just get stuck. They might be learning and struggling with something new or at the same level of expertise that keeps them on track without opportunities to expand their skills. They become trapped in the “Learning Pit,” a metaphor for the struggle and growth that occur when grappling with complex concepts and situations.

Educational leaders explained in the edLeader Panel “Mastering Leadership in Uncertainty: Rise Above the Pit” that building a culture of resilience, adaptability, and innovative thinking can help people thrive professionally by tapping into their strengths, desires, and passions.

Leaving the Pit

In the pit, educators work through cognitive conflict and questioning that leads them to a deeper understanding, allowing them to leave the pit. However, they can experience dwindling confidence, frustration, or burnout if they don’t. Worse, they might abandon their jobs. So, what’s a leader to do?

Leaders can reference Gay Hendricks’ four zones of work to guide educators’ leveled growth trajectory:

  1. Incompetence: Tasks that are difficult and often result in mistakes (the learning pit)
  2. Competence: Tasks that are doable but not necessarily enjoyable or fulfilling
  3. Excellence: Tasks that are done well and recognized but may not align with a person’s passions
  4. Genius: Tasks that use a person’s unique talents, passions, and strengths and bring a sense of fulfillment

Moving from the zone of incompetence to the zone of genius, where educators can experience more fulfillment and success, requires leaders to build capacity and forward movement.

Start with Support

It’s hard for leaders within a compliance-oriented system to step out of their day-to-day management routine. Yet, to move staff from the learning pit, they must know what is happening in the classroom and school and be connected to teachers’ work.

Leaders can implement supportive structures, resources, content, etc., centered on a strong vision of accomplishment and direction that frames a pathway forward and can circumvent potential struggles. The goal is to be intentional about the “why” to ensure people have the tools and guidance to grasp a concept or practice and recognize desired outcomes.

For example, when launching a new curriculum, it’s essential to be clear about the desired outcomes. Providing unit launches can frame and guide the curriculum’s teaching and support teachers in implementing it.

Leaders must partner with staff to provide them with the necessary resources for success. They cannot simply lead from the district office but from the schools and classrooms to gain background knowledge, build ladders and relationships, and identify beneficial supports and structures.

Embrace “Incompetence”

The zone of incompetence is not a bad thing, per se. When in the learning pit, educators are, well…learning. Struggle is expected. What’s essential is creating a culture where people can speak to that “incompetence” and their vulnerability.

Allowing people to express their struggles, even in the zone of genius, promotes self-advocacy and efficacy in their actions and enables leaders to support them when overwhelmed and at capacity. Leaders are also vulnerable. They can model that vulnerability by openly sharing when they do not know something or step outside their comfort zones.

Establish Collective Efficacy

When educators are in the learning pit, juggling incompetence, they can reach out to peers to support them in the tasks they cannot accomplish or are unfamiliar with. Combined strengths and collaboration allow for collective problem solving.

Drawing on others’ expertise and perspectives builds efficiency and success. A professional learning community exemplifies the supportive, symbiotic relationships that enable educators to combine their skills and knowledge to achieve success, develop programs, etc.

Move People to the Zone of Genius

Once people have moved beyond the zone of incompetence to excellence, recognizing their strengths, interests, desires, and passions is necessary to advance them to the zone of genius. The zone of excellence can be limiting. People are good at what they do but don’t feel challenged or fulfilled. It is often what causes teachers to lose their passion and creativity. Being in the zone of excellence can lead to the “zone of danger.”

Teachers could have the same class they had the year before because they excelled. However, the experience is redundant for the teacher; it is more of the same and does not challenge them or allow them to further their growth potential. Leaders must listen and pay attention to what makes staff tick to encourage innovation that moves people forward and ignites the passion that does not happen in the zone of excellence.

Targeting the zone of genius is vital, as well as recognizing the additional strengths, vision, ideas, capabilities, etc., that enable growth, achievement, excitement, and change, making work more compelling.

Educators’ well-being and efficacy rise to a higher level, and they then operate from there, collaborating to create new programs, implement new instructional approaches, etc. They love what they do, generating positive energy and excitement that trickle down to students.


Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Mastering Leadership in Uncertainty: Rise Above the Pit, sponsored by MindSpark Learning.

Watch the Recording Listen to the Podcast

Join the Community

Leadership Practices for Innovative Leaders is a free professional learning community where school and district leaders share and collaborate on personal leadership skills, professional learning and support for teachers and staff, student learning and well-being, communication with all stakeholders, and more.


MindSpark Learning

MindSpark is an innovative organization that believes in the power of education to solve society’s most pressing problems. Their programs deliver cutting-edge professional development experiences for educators, industry partners, and communities, enabling them to take their newly acquired skills back to the classroom and beyond. Since 2017, MindSpark has made an enormous impact, reaching almost 38K professionals and over 1.8M students worldwide. The organization has established meaningful relationships with more than 1,000 industry and community partners, serving all 50 states and 88 countries. MindSpark’s programs are designed to bridge the gap between the most highly impacted regions and the leading-edge regions, ensuring that everyone has access to the best possible educational resources. By empowering educators and communities with the tools they need to succeed, MindSpark hopes to create a brighter future for all.


MindSpark Learning

 

Article by Michele Israel, based on this edLeader Panel