By Donald L. Green
Some observations over the last few days have created certain synergies of thought and inspiration to share. After reading a passage from a Jon Gordon (2017) book, “none of us are as smart as all us,” there has been a linked meaning in recent events of coaching, which emphasize a mantra shared long ago from father to son. The catchphrase is inspiring to almost every leader and pertinent to many coaches, mentors, and masters of learning. We are given two ears, two eyes, and one mouth – in that proportion, for a reason.
A peer and mentor RiderCoach recently facilitated a workshop by the name of “getting bigger with a SMALLER presence,” modeling the ability to say very little as a facilitator, creating an environment conducive the student learning. The main point was to emphasize most of us have learned from a lecture in the past and exposed to subject matter experts who epitomize the “Sage on the Stage.” Whereas, with GOOD facilitation skills, a RiderCoach can be mostly silent, stating very little and therefore allowing students to follow curriculum prompts and discover amongst peers much of the compelling content with very little guidance.
A good example of this would be a conversation in a group, where one person must answer or speak to a topic with every question. On occasion, that person may be adding important information to a group, but continual input, sometimes meandering or off-topic, may lead to group tension or reduction of learning. If the person is the facilitator or coach, chances are the group is in a lecture situation. In a group of equals where learning is happening, good communication, as defined by Covey (1991), is simple, direct, appropriate, and more often an understatement of what is probably beneficial to all.
I would be remiss if I did not provide mention some people need to speak as part of the learning process, it is also very helpful in some situations for clarification of directions and meaning for some students. However, if the facilitator does all the talking, chances are students are already in Brain-Overload, and outcomes of learning are being tampered with in a negative manner (Green, 2020).
A comment read on a recent blog provided, “real world supported guided learning from experienced ‘master’ riders should be the default, as it is how humans have evolved to learn new skills over thousands of years.” Perhaps it would be best to provide an environment of safe discovery learning with the appropriate tools and resources available, including a guide capable of being SMALLER in presence.
Synergy is described as a state where the whole is more than the sum of the parts, in a social learning environment, RiderCoaches are better if we can listen and see more, before analyzing our strategies so we can coach or reinforce skills naturally and appropriately. If we can observe and listen to understand as opposed to listening only waiting to respond, communication really happens. We were given those capabilities to enhance coaching in the correct proportions for a purpose.
References
Covey, S R. (1991). Principle-centered leadership. New York: Summit Books
Gordon, J. (2017). The power of positive leadership. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Green, D. L. (2020). Student brain overload. Chester, NY: RiderChoices. Retrieved from https://www.riderchoices.com/2020/04/28/student-brain-overload/
Synergy (2020, May 1). In Merriam-Webster online dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synergy
