Strip Away the Complexity

For instructional leaders there is an ongoing, yet hidden, battle between IQ (intelligence) and EffQ (effectiveness).  And in almost all cases, the wrong Q wins.  Let me explain.  Your typical instructional leader is smart.  They see the complexity of problems and create complex solutions to solve those problems. When these smart people were solo operators (teacher, AP and small campus principal) they could execute their complex solutions with a high degree of success.  And this success was often the springboard to the greater position.  Yet, there is the rub.  At a certain point the strength of the high IQ and its complex solutions becomes a weakness. The tipping point from strength to weakness is when the complex solution has to be implemented beyond the direct, overt supervision of the smart person. 

At that point, the 2^nd tier (and beyond) implementer doesn’t understand the interconnectedness of the complexities and begins cutting corners, which quickly renders the solution worthless. 

This is where EffQ changes the game.  Effectiveness, in terms of solutions, is at-scale implementation.  Which means the effective leader takes the complex solution and strips away all the non-vital elements, leaving only an actionable core. An actionable core can be implemented at scale.

Now this can be frustrating for all of the smart, mid-level leaders in the system (and I readily admit, I was one of those people).  These people see how the solution isn’t optimal, how performance is left on the table.  And they are right while being completely wrong.

Because the optimal solution not executed, always loses to the actionable solution decently implemented.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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