Tiger Teacher
 Subscribe to the Three Star Leadership Blog |
|
|
 |
|
Contact Wally about coaching, consulting, or speaking to your group. |
On the last day of school in the second grade we found out who we would have as a teacher in the Fall. I was to be in Mrs. McKinley's class. I spent the entire summer dreading the first day of school.
Mrs. McKinley was "the tough one." Everybody knew that she brooked no nonsense and that you would have to work really hard in her class. It sounded terrifying.
On the first day of school in the fall we all formed up on the playground by classes. The teachers came out to get their classes and walk them to their new classrooms. Mrs. McKinley paired us up by height and marched us to our new class room where we found little nameplates on each desk identifying who would sit where.
Once we were seated, Mrs. McKinley told us the rules and the consequences for breaking them. When she was done, she gave us a quiz on the rules. Those who passed were sent to special recess. Those who didn't heard the rules again and took another quiz.
That was a model for the year. Mrs. McKinley always told us what she expected and we learned that she meant what she said. She gave us a test after she presented new material to us and tested us again the next morning. She gave homework when none of the other third grade teachers did, usually studying something you had failed a quiz on.
I don't remember a lot of details from that year, but I remember how unfair I though her system of teaching multiplication was. We learned the multiplication tables and there was only one passing grade: 100 percent. When my mother asked about that, Mrs. McKinley told her that the standard is "to know the multiplication tables" not to "know them some of the time." "We might as well," she said, "just decide which tables the children don't need to know."
I've been thinking about Mrs. McKinley since the Tiger Mom controversies have been blowing through the media and the blogosphere. Mrs. McKinley was indeed a kind of "Tiger Teacher." She was a great teacher and a tough teacher and her toughness worked because it was based in love. She also did some things that every boss can learn from.
You always knew what was expected. There were no surprises and no "I'm the teacher and I'm in charge" power trips.
Standards were clear and enforced. Violators of the rules suffered the consequences and those consequences were as inevitable as nature.
She had a reason for everything she did and she was willing to explain it, patiently, if asked about it.
Boss's Bottom Line
Much like a teacher or parent, your job is to share expectations, enforce
standards, and care for the people in your charge.
Wally's Working Supervisor's Support Kit is a collection of information and tools to help working supervisors do a better job. It's based on what Wally's learned in over twenty years of supervisory skills training. Click here to check it out.
I'm betting Mrs. Mckinley enforced her standards consistently and never played favorites. High expectations rock, but unfairness sucks. Thanks, Wally.
Reply to this
That's my memory, Bret, but honestly it's been a long time. The expectations were indeed high, but achievable. That's truly important, too.
Reply to this
Wally,
I completely agree with the philosophy of your third grade teacher. With no ambiguities in the assigned task or chore, there will not be any amibiguities in the outcome. If bosses were as consistent and as straightforward with what they expect from their employees, the productivity would increase and the desired outcome will always be reached. The employee would not have to search around and try to figure out "When my boss says this, does he really mean..." Thanks for the post.
Reply to this
Thanks for your comments, Mike. I think it's important to mention that there are bosses out there doing what you describe. There really are a lot of good ones.
Reply to this
With the tiger mother and tiger teacher stories I really appreciate the idea of mastery and that every child has the potential to completely master the material. The part that breaks down for Mrs. McKinley is the need for all children to master it at exactly the same moment (if you don't get 100%, you are "punished").
Reply to this
That's for sharing that perspective, Amy. I have to push back at it. Part of my push comes from analysis. I'm not sure how she could have handled the "instructions test" in any other way that would have been more fair. Part comes from my own experience that day. I was not among the first to make a break for the playground. In fact needed three times, not because I couldn't understand the rules, which were pretty simple, but because I wasn't paying attention, a common occurrence for me in my school years.
Reply to this
I must admit that if Mrs McKinley were *my* teacher I would probably *still* be in the class trying to learn multiplication tables. I think I had a kind of dyslexia where numbers were concerned.
This is a great story, Wally. The message I get from it is the importance of establishing structures and in working consistently within them. To me, there is a certain safety present when we are clear about our boundaries. For children, safety is important. In adulthood though, I think the structures we build for others to work within have to be wider and perhaps more elastic to allow for creativity and the risk that comes with it. Expectations still must be clear and measuring outcomes still must be consistent but sometimes rules need to be challenged for continued relevancy and to allow for change.
Reply to this
Thanks for you usual thoughtful comment, Gwyn. It sparked two thoughts.
First, I think you would probably have learned those multiplication tables under Mrs. McKinley because it was simply expected. It wasn't supposed to be hard. You were expected to learn and so you did. I know this for sure because I AM dyslexic, especially with numbers and it worked for me. See, scientific proof. <hee hee
The other thought was about adults and children. You're so right that we need to do things differently. We also need to deal with not-yet-competent and competent team members differently. Mrs. McKinley both encouraged and expected growth and learning. Leaders should do the same.
Reply to this
Hi Wally,
I had a Mrs. Mckinley too, though it was 1st grade and her name was Mrs. Brown. Ultimately, she became my favorite teacher. There is something about being pushed to the point of achievement, and the self-value a student feels when they understand their teacher thinks they not only have the capability but believes so strongly in them that she expects success. Thank you for sharing!!!
Reply to this
Thank you for sharing as well, Mackenzie and for those insights about how being pushed and supported interact.
Reply to this
What a wonderful story that shows how high expectations with boundaries and patience make a great combination for leadership. Wally, you turned out very well and apparently very grateful.
The word "tough" is relative to a standard though. When we raised our children in the 80's and 90's, we found the norm we grow up with had become "too tough." That did not change our methods, but it did make holding to our standard more challenging. Do you find this to be a struggle for corporate leaders?
Reply to this
Thanks for the comments, Gary. When I look back on my parenting time, it seems like the challenge was how to mix tough standards and support. I think there were many times when I opted for one and the other might have been better.
As for corporate leaders today, I think far too many don't have standards or don't enforce the standards they espouse.
Reply to this
Wally - Great blog! I don’t remember a specific teacher like Mrs. McKinley but I was taught by nuns in grad school so I can relate, they were extremely strict, ALL of them. My mom has always told me that children thrive in structure and I see it every time I am with my four year old nephew. He knows what to expect, when he can play with his trains, when he needs to eat and when he takes a nap. I think the same can be said about adult humans. If we conduct our lives with rules and structure and are expected to perform then we will conduct our lives within those boundaries. It's important to allow children and adults have the ability to make mistakes and learn, rules and structure can be designed for that purpose. My mom also says any woman who has raised kids can run a Fortune 500 company because the skills used to train and nurture children are the same used to lead and foster adults in business. Thanks! Kira
Reply to this
Thanks, Kira. I had many friends who went to Roman Catholic elementary schools and were taught by nuns. One of my daughters had that experience. Strictness about standards and structure are wonderful as long as they grow from love. I've seen it both ways. I've witnessed strictness that was a form of bullying and standards that didn't bend even for good reason. I've seen those same things leavened with caring. Those are the best.
Reply to this
Wally,
I think 'tough love' can be a great thing as long as one knows it is possible to cross the line.
Reply to this
Good point, Lyndsay. You don't want it to be all tough or all love and no tough, but strike a balance and you always need to be aware how easy it is to cross the line.
Reply to this
Wally,
As an adult, I think Mrs. McKinley had a great message but as a 3rd grader I probably would have hated her.
After missing special recess or retaking the same test 2 or 3 times, you'd probably learn what you need to do to avoid that (and start doing it).
If you, as manager, tell employees what you expect, give them the tools to achieve it and can explain your reasons for having those expectations, it's not asking too much to expect results.
Reply to this
Thanks, Matt. I think you're correct that third graders and adults require very different levels of structure. You also say that you're sure you would have hated Mrs. McKinley. All I can tell from my own experience is that I didn't. I can't speak for others who took her class of course, but I think, again for me, one important factor was that her rewards and punishments were purely based on behavior or performance. Who you were didn't matter. What you did mattered.
Reply to this
Wally,
I've had a teacher like that, and I can honestly say I learned the most that year. It's funny to think that we complain about those who expect the most out of us, are the toughest on us, and wont take anything less then perfect as acceptable from us. In the end, we wind up very appreciative that they were so demanding of us because we wind up so much further ahead of the game.
In the work place, it would be great to have more managers, or mentors, that were like this. They set high standards, high goals, and are transparent so that it is clear that there are no favorites and that everyone is on the same playing field. After all in the end, even though we hated it the whole time, we emerge as stronger people with more polished skills that will help lead us to our success!
Thanks for sharing your experiences and this post Wally!
Reply to this
Thanks Wendy. Two lessons in this for managers, I think, are that if you expect great things you're more likely to get them and being a great boss is up to you.
Reply to this