Lessing aint no Doris

A well known Deputy Principal (ninja stare) was at a meeting where several Principals were in attendance. She suggested using google docs for some information sharing and gathering. One of the Principals said "what is google"? "I have yahoo but not google".

It reminded me of the video about the british royal family.

You see its about looking at the world through a different set of eyes. Perhaps my colleague just paddles his own waka and takes care of business in a different way. Or perhaps this principal is an absolute lemon. This of course is not known and in a way not for me to judge but it's one for all leaders to consider. You have staff who are different, they see things in other ways to the way you do. In fact all staff could do with remembering that. More importantly the world of the web may not be there strength, or area of interest but they may be a fantastic staff member.

If we all thought the royal family were Betty and Phil and a few spoilt kids then where would we be.

Consider this :

"Ideally, what should be said to every child, repeatedly, throughout his or her school life is something like this: 'You are in the process of being indoctrinated. We have not yet evolved a system of education that is not a system of indoctrination. We are sorry, but it is the best we can do. What you are being taught here is an amalgam of current prejudice and the choices of this particular culture. The slightest look at history will show how impermanent these must be. You are being taught by people who have been able to accommodate themselves to a regime of thought laid down by their predecessors. It is a self-perpetuating system. Those of you who are more robust and individual than others will be encouraged to leave and find ways of educating yourself — educating your own judgements. Those that stay must remember, always, and all the time, that they are being moulded and patterned to fit into the narrow and particular needs of this particular society.' "
— Doris Lessing (The Golden Notebook)

If this rings true with you then perhaps celebrating difference in staff and kids is OK.