Order Choas

This week scrolling through Facebook, I came across this "Order Chaos" image, showing the juxtaposition of a pine branch against the same pine branch separated into its separate part of twigs branches and pine needles. I tried to find the original artist but all I found was the image on pinterest.

Below is my brief reflection on how people engage in the workplace and how this image of an organic or agile style of work can bring order...

Many of you have probably seen this image, this has really blown me away and challenged my thinking about agile in education, service learning, student teams, not sweating the small stuff, work flow and how people engage. If indeed following an organic processes would work as suggested in the image, then what to do say about structures, rules, agreements and the boundaries for collaboration and communications? Which are important too. What makes this image so proactive is that our current work culture would have labeled the separated parts image as "order." Flipping the label poses some fun questions. How do we build agreements for engagement for student teams to work in an organic-natural way? The Arts, design thinking and world of creative processes understand this well, ensemble work, using flow, song, ritual, rhythm, colour, iterations and error to produce "products." I like how the natural, pine branch is classified as "order" this time, because there is wisdom in nature, but can organic work flow really bring about order? I would like to think so. A plants mission is to chase after the sun and produce fruit, its crucial for survival to change direction and follow a different direction to the sun or risk being cut off. More growth and energy is required so that the plant can maintain growth on its mission. It requires work.

Mike Rowe from Discovery's channel Dirty Jobs says, "The only thing worse than dirty jobs is dirty knees from avoiding them," it's a reminder that embracing hard work and not being afraid to get our hands dirty is really important. Sometimes compliance policies stifles growth. Following an organic way is complex though, it requires hard work, a thick skin, better communication and an attitude of mind to trust and believe in the process.

Workplace interactions can be challenging, changing plans on the project requires cost, compromise and an overall commitment to the mission. Personalities collide, a change in direction always ruffles feathers and people express their objections in various ways, some leave, some retreat, some shout, some go with the flow, like the old flight or fight analogy. It's complex. Everyone handles the situation the way they handle it, as long as its respectful.

Over 20 years as an educator I have had 4 major (vocal) clashes with colleagues. My approach to the team, work space mission has always been about, support, hard work, placing others before me, Jordan Peterson would probably classify me as "highly agreeable." My default response is to shy away and avoided the conflict at all costs, I choose flight a lot of the time. One thing I can say about conflict is I have gotten better at it, maturity has encouraged me to stay in the game, no longer avoiding, but rather engage the conflict myself, don't bring anyone else in and not play the pity-blame game.

Over the years I really struggled with strong commanding personalities types, corridor gossip would call them bullies, folks would say "they can't talk to you like that." But after the heated confrontations settled I would strangely came to empathize and admire the outspoken strong, speak-your-mind type of colleagues. I thought I lacked that quality. Because I am able to hold my tongue and won't snap at colleagues, I use to feel offended, and hold grudges,. Holding a grudge or gossiping only hurts me and creates divisions in the team, I have had to take notes from my theatre days and learn to rather "dance" with these folks. Learn their steps and speak my mind. Its been really good for character building. Respect, forgiveness and restoration transpires. There is a time and place for tough love and opportunities to learn from each other.

If an organic style of work were to work in the workplace, how then do we encourage students and colleagues to deal face to face with challenges and confront team clashes? How do we encourage them to not "tell on" and get leadership to intervene? Unless warranted in serious cases and unless they looking for advise on how to approach the conflict. My advise is to go back and handle the altercation yourself with trust and a calm temper ant, then only if necessary take it further if there is no resolve.

Anti Bully Campaigns need a new label too, what are we teaching kids? Tough kids should not be pushed out, ostracized or bullied back. Rather the "bullied" kids need to be given tools and strategies to speak up and handle the conflict. In turn the "bullied" kid will hopefully teach the strong personality type some empathy and respect. And the tough kid will teach the sensitive kid to not sweat the small stuff. I don't want to make light of the bulling culture in schools across the world and the serious retaliations we hear about in the news. It truly takes a village to raise, pastor, coach and guide students how to better handle conflict. But conflict is part of process and cannot be avoided, we need people to learn how to handle conflict in isolated situations, and take responsibility.

We can't gang up against one another, we absolutely need these tough characters in our world because they strengthen us. We are all on the same mission. I think the anti bully campaigns need to be replaced with something like "Talk wise" or "Act wise" or "Speak up" campaigns. I don't know that "imprisoning" the young tough characters is a good idea. I really love the eduScrum model as it deliberately creates student teams to work towards a task and handle the natural conflict that arises. Students get the opportunities to practice conflict, advocate for their ideas, disagree, concede and negotiate. With practice they will end gossiping, telling-on or running away and they will learn how to handle personal conflict constructively. Imagine what this will do for the next generations workforce, if they don't learn how to handle conflict at age 12 they will later, in their 30's or 40's handle the conflict like 12 year old's.

Sensitivity and empathy are important traits too, but one personality is not greater than the other. Organizations can fall into the trap of rewarding the loud and outspoken personalities more. This is often the result of the work culture of separating parts of the whole which infuses rank and importance. All members, all personalities are important and each play crucial roles in achieving the mission. Acknowledge all, Give honour when honour is due. Like the old proverb says: Therefore, give all their due - tribute to whom you owe tribute, custom to whom custom: fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Romans 13:7

If organizations are to work in an organic way, we must find a way to acknowledge all personality traits and celebrate all parts of the team. All skills and contributions must bring value no matter how big or small. Allowing teams to self direct, embrace the changes and challengers head-on and stay in the competition. Great teams have autonomy. Gossiping creates divisions in the team, members must be encouraged to "scrum", be firm but kind, develop thicker skins, stop blaming, stop leaving, manage sensitivity, stop being so serious or politically correct. Teams must be encouraged to continue sharpening each other with respect and dignity and work together to get the job done. Trust. And finally teams need to have fun with it, work hard, celebrate the small wins, dance, sing, joke, laugh and connect, it will only make the mission that more great, build fond memories and lasting relationships along the way.