Think Time

Adam Grant THINK AGAIN The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know

As an elementary principal leading a school community through a pandemic for the past couple of years, I know I needed to slow down and reflect this summer. I purchased Adam Grant’s book, Think Again, The Power of What You Don’t Know to think more deeply about this experience and determine my next steps. Grant shared, “Our ways of thinking become habits that can weigh us down, and we don’t bother to question them until it’s too late” (p. 7). During this time of uncertainty, the actions we took became necessary habits, and questions were often a luxury with little time for reflection.

Grant stated, “Rethinking is a skill set, but it’s also a mindset. We already have many of the mental tools we need. We just have to remember to get them out of the shed and remove the rust” (p. 16). My mindset needed a reboot and my heart a jumpstart. Grant’s book did not disappoint. Through research and examples, he explored how thinking can be a tool for growth and change. First, how we can acquire this skill for ourselves, encourage others around us to think more deeply, and finally create a learning culture by conquering the art of rethinking together. As an educator, I thought about the Gradual Release of Responsibility framework. I do. (Modeling) We do. (Guiding) You do. (Collaborating) You alone. (Reflect).   

There is so much to unpack in Think Again, but three takeaways stand out as I return to school in the fall. Personally, as a school leader, I need to take it down a notch. I know my intensity can be an asset, and I’ll likely not shy away from that character trait. But what I can do is when I make mistakes, and I made plenty, I can model a more optimistic attitude and a bit of humor. Grant reminds us there is the opportunity to find joy when being wrong. "Laughing at ourselves reminds us that although we might take our decisions seriously, we don't have to take ourselves too seriously" (p.72). 

One of my responsibilities as a school leader is guiding others to think deeper about their decisions to positively impact their teaching and learning environments in their classroom. “When we try to convince people to think again, our first instinct is usually to start talking. Yet the most effective way to help others open their minds is often to listen” (p. 151). I smiled and thought to myself, yes, Grant, I’m guilty in that regard. Moving forward, I need to remember “...we can rarely motivate someone else to change. We’re better off helping them find their motivation to change” (p. 146), starting with talking less and listening more.

Collaboratively we can all learn to examine how we are thinking collectively in our decision-making process to keep us focused on what we value and prioritize as a school community. “Organizational learning should be an ongoing activity, but best practices imply it has reached an endpoint. We might be better off looking for better practices” (p. 216). “A bad decision process is based on shallow thinking. A good process is grounded in deep thinking and rethinking” (p. 217). 

Pushing out of a comfort zone to a learning zone requires me to normalize change for growth as a leader. What works research has the potential to be effective, but does it align with our beliefs and values as a school community? Grant proposes a Rethinking Scorecard for decisions that include processes and outcomes.

“Even if the outcome of a decision is positive, it doesn’t necessarily qualify as a success. If the process was shallow, you were lucky. If the decision process was deep, you can count it as an improvement; you’ve discovered a better practice. If the outcome is negative, it’s a failure only if the decision process was shallow. If the result was negative but you evaluated the decision thoroughly, you’ve run a smart experiment…The goal in a learning culture is to welcome these kinds of experiments, to make rethinking so familiar that it becomes routine” (p. 219). 

Summer for a school leader passes quickly. I have quite a few new challenges ahead of me, and I want to lead with joy, drive, and passion. Grant’s last thought is my most vital takeaway from Think Again “It takes humility to reconsider our past commitments, doubt to question our present decisions, and curiosity to reimagine our goals. What we discover along the way can free us from the shackles of our familiar surroundings and our former selves. Rethinking liberates us to do more than update our knowledge and opinions—it’s a tool for leading a more fulfilling life” (p. 243).