Byron's Babbles

“Your résumé is not long enough, but let’s make one tonight.” I don’t know whether this was actually said to a backup quarterback this past weekend, but I heard talk of it. Regardless, I love the thought of this. How many times have individuals been told they just don’t have the experience. I hear this a lot in education. New teachers are told, “we want to hire someone with experience.” I get it; I did it. But as I grew as a leader I realized it was my responsibility to help those just getting started, build their résumé’s.

After one of the postseason major league games this past week, Alex Rodriguez commented, “You’ve got to develop.” This is so true. He was speaking of coaches and players coming up through the ranks and being given the opportunity to grow and develop. Baseball is a great example to look to for this development. The real genius of baseball is the variety of player development systems.

This “farm system” makes use of technology, physical and emotional development, and coaching. It’s really a residency program that is available throughout the career of a player. One of the best examples is when a player is injured, many times they are sent to the Triple A team while rehabbing. I wrote about the great value of this type of system in Leadership Farm Team Pipeline.

It would be great if we did, but we don’t have to be that elaborate. It is all about providing support. Just like the support I offer when mentoring/coaching teachers coming from industry. Who, by the way, become some of the greatest teachers I work with – they are teaching the students about things they have actually done and academic standards they have actually used. Let me tell you, that engages students.

As I was reading The MythMakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien this week I was also reminded of the development power of friendship, relationships, and gathering of colleagues for discussion, support and criticism. Author, John Hendrix, said it this way “When the circle of the Inklings was familiar and the fellowship intimate, it suited Tolkien and Lewis well. As leaders of this unruly academic rabble, they were perfect compliments. And their remarkable connection was always the guiding star.” We all need these connections for our own personal growth and development. I

In all likelihood, without The Inklings and the Lewis – Tolkien friendship we might not have ever had The Hobbit, Out of the Silent Planet, The Lord of the Rings, or pondered where Narnia came from. Tolkien, even knowing Lewis’s résumé wasn’t long enough introduced him to his publisher with glowing reviews. Now that’s a literary “farm team.”

We can all use our own form of “farm team” and résumé building. That can come in many forms, but we all need to think about those who need our friendship and support.