Leadership, what can we learn from computer games?

🤔 As someone who spent their youth playing games on the Commodore 64, I have found it helpful to draw connections between these experiences. Remember Frogger? It was a game that encouraged being nimble and able to change direction quickly, foreseeing the most effective path through a series of challenges. Many days as a leader can feel like that, and arguably, it is an essential skill in guiding your team.

Effective Leadership, of course, goes beyond simply navigating a path to the end of the day. Contact points are with people, with a community; they deserve to be thoughtful and well-prepared. Does that mean that there is no place for trial and error? For improving and retrying ideas?

Super Mario is a platform game where you collect coins and extra lives by completing levels and managing the challenges. All while avoiding dangerous mushrooms and turtles. Imagine an attitude where you could not fail at all. The game would be unplayable. Instead, we try, fail a lot, and load the previous save so we can put into practice what we just learned.

As Leaders, we ask teachers to do this. To reflect on their practice and adapt, aiming to provide the best possible learner experience. Another example would be a role-playing game like the Legend of Zelda, a character your play throughout, taking on puzzles of ever-increasing difficulty. The key here is to collect resources and achievements carefully, focusing on critical attributes so you can level up, developing the confidence to take on more demanding assignments.

I may have lost a few of my readers up to now. Computer games are not a universal hobby; only some have younger family members to remind them of their youth.

What can we reflect on here? I argue quite a bit. Relationships and trust are built through positive interactions; sometimes, leading can feel like a one-time game where we must be note-perfect. Leadership can be emotionally challenging; sometimes, defensiveness and protectionism can creep in. What will help you and your team to thrive is an environment focused on feedback, growth, and peer support. 

1. Be comfortable with imperfect while striving to improve continuously and modelling that attitude and practice through sharing your self-improvement journey with the community. As in Super Mario, we may only collect some coins (achieve flawless execution) on the first try. Remember, Leadership isn't about perfection but an ongoing purposeful practice and growth journey.

2. Teachers need opportunities too. Repetition once a year during school Professional Development or as they go through a set part of the curriculum is likely to yield insignificant results. You may need to look ahead and anticipate where situations arise, possibly by design, such as in our interactions as pedagogy leaders.

3. Offering feedback and taking the time to deliver it in person will help you build relationships and confidence in your team, developing a strong learning community 🌟🏫.

4. Encourage an environment where teachers feel comfortable experimenting with new techniques and sharing their learning.

5. Create opportunities for teachers to observe practice in different classroom environments. By promoting a culture of openness and feedback, faculty will learn from each other's experiences, fostering a community of growth and improvement 🗣️🤝.

You can model self-reflection as a way of improving our practice; it is equally, if not more important, to extend the same opportunities to our community, particularly students, parents, and colleagues who make up the majority of our daily interactions. How can you create opportunities for others to practice, learn and practice again?

Doing so will create supportive, collaborative environments that provide opportunities to engage in conversations and share ideas. Progress will not always be linear; however, building practice is a recordable success. We build the 'muscle memory' through purposeful practice to ensure we pick up most of the coins.

Try these simple leadership habits you could start today.

• Decide what your most important 'coins' are. Record the coins you collect and those you don't. Keep a 'working document' of areas for growth and success.

• Try out new methods and ideas. Communicate regularly and in person.

• Ask for feedback and use it to identify coins you might have missed.

• Develop a culture of praise relating to the progress individuals and groups make.

• You can also ask teachers to submit their suggestions in praise of others to encourage sharing of good practice.

• Become a regular part of daily life in school by meeting people as they arrive, spending time with colleagues, regularly going on learning walks to connect with classroom life and take on a club or activity, build relationships in different contexts.

• Above all, be yourself.

 

- - - - - - - - 

** Not registered yet? Create your free profile here and add a response below **

To share your story, thoughts or ideas with the ISN community, please send your article draft directly to our editorial team here, or email us at [email protected]