Barry Smith - Learning about Learning

I took part in an interesting exercise on perception and diversity last night.  As part of the leadership development programme of a French Electricity Provider (EDF) we (the band in which I play) posed as waiters, serving the participants a meal before spontaneously breaking into a song, dance and African music performance. 

Afterwards we introduced ourselves to the delegates, explaining who we ‘really’ were, an Italian neuroscientist, Spanish primary teacher, American masseur, Senegalese dance and theatre instructor, Glaswegian law lecturer, Nigerian/Irish student, South African professional musician and some bloke from Airdrie.  A more diverse group you’d be hard pressed to find.

The point of the exercise was to challenge the delegate’s own stereotypical views and assumptions on who and ‘what’ we were.  It worked a treat, they were blown away!

The interesting part for me was that I learned more about the people I play music with in that one evening than I have in the past four years.  I had made certain assumptions about my friends which were based on nothing more than good old ’face value’ and most of which were totally wrong I have to admit!  It was as much of a learning experience for me as it was for anyone else I’m sure. 

It brought very clearly home to me how little I really know about those I work with.  My feeling about this is that it is a shame.  We all wear our ‘work face’ and present what is required to get things done in a professional manner, but because the job is very often so hectic we get precious little opportunity to really get to know others or allow them to get to know us.   

I know that there wil be exceptions to this rule, but ask yourself this question, how many people with whom you work do you really know? 

I don’t think not knowing your colleagues diminshes professionalism in any way but on some level I perceive(there’s that word again) it to be negative.  Without having any ‘proper’ information about someone, the mind is free to run away with it’s many stereotypes, positive or negative, to fill in the blanks, just as both I and our French delegates duly demonstrated last night.

So the long and the short of this tale is that I am committed to getting to know people a bit better!  First stop is via having the Guidance team entered in the East Lothian outdoor education staff challenge tomorrow which should be great fun!