How Educational Leaders Can Overcome Sorting, Othering, and Siloing to Build Stronger School Communities

In her AMAZING book, I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, Mónica Guzmán shares the human tendencies of Sorting, Othering, and Siloing, coined "SOS." These natural behaviors can hinder effective communication and understanding, especially in educational settings. As education leaders, recognizing and addressing these patterns is crucial for fostering collaborative environments, particularly during challenging times and periods of organizational change.

Understanding SOS in Educational Contexts

1. Sorting: This refers to our inclination to associate with individuals who share similar beliefs, interests, and backgrounds. In schools, this might manifest as teachers collaborating primarily within their departments or administrators engaging mainly with like-minded colleagues.
   
   
2. Othering: This occurs when we categorize those who differ from us as "the other." In an educational context, this could lead to divisions between various groups, such as teachers versus administration, non-licensed staff versus licensed staff, or different academic departments, creating an "us vs. them" mentality.
   
   
3. Siloing: This involves isolating ourselves within our groups, and limiting exposure to different perspectives. In schools, siloing can result in departments or teams working in isolation, hindering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation (DuFour, et al. also used siloing when describing school teams).

Guzmán emphasizes that these patterns can blind us to the complexities of our communities, in our case, school communities. She states, "If you can't be curious across divides in a polarized world, then you can't see the world at all."

The Impact of SOS on Educational Leadership
For teacher leaders, principals, and superintendents, falling into SOS patterns can have significant consequences:

• Reduced Collaboration: Sorting and siloing can limit opportunities for cross-district collaboration, which is essential for aligned student development.
  
  
• Impaired Decision-Making: Othering can lead to dismissing valuable input from different stakeholders, resulting in decisions that may not serve the entire school community effectively.
  
  
• Stagnant Professional Growth: Siloing restricts exposure to new ideas and best practices, hindering professional development and innovation.

Strategies to Overcome SOS
Guzmán offers practical approaches to counteract these tendencies:

1. Cultivate Curiosity: Actively seek to understand perspectives different from your own. Engage in conversations with colleagues from various departments, buildings, backgrounds, and roles within the school. Guzmán advises, "To keep our minds open when so much pushes them closed we’re going to have to kick it old-school. We’re going to have to talk—really talk—with actual different people."
   
   
2. Foster Inclusive Dialogue: Create spaces where all voices can be heard. Encourage open forums, roundtable discussions, town halls, and collaborative meetings that bring together different groups within the school community.
   
   
3. Challenge Assumptions: Regularly reflect on your own biases and assumptions. Guzmán reminds us, "People are mysteries, not puzzles. This means we can never be sure about them. But we can always be curious."
   
   
4. Promote Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Break down silos by encouraging projects and initiatives that require input from multiple buildings. This not only enriches the learning experience but also builds a more cohesive school culture.

Applying These Strategies During Organizational Change
Change can be a challenging period for any organization. Educational leaders can apply Guzmán's insights to navigate these times more effectively:

• Engage Stakeholders Early: Involve teachers, staff, students, and parents in the change process from the outset. This inclusive approach ensures different perspectives are considered and reduces resistance.
• Communicate Transparently: Openly share the impetus for change, the expected outcomes, and the steps involved. Transparent communication builds trust and minimizes the "us vs. them" mentality.
• Provide Support and Resources: Offer professional development and resources to help staff adapt to changes. This demonstrates a commitment to their success and supports a collaborative environment.
• Celebrate Different Contributions: Acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and successes of individuals and teams from various parts of the educational organization. This recognition reinforces the value of different contributions and encourages ongoing collaboration.

Closing Thoughts…
Mónica Guzmán's I Never Thought of It That Way provides valuable insights into the natural human tendencies that can impede effective communication and collaboration. By recognizing and addressing sorting, othering, and siloing behaviors, educational leaders can foster more inclusive, innovative, and persistent school communities. Embracing curiosity and open dialogue not only enriches our professional lives but also models the values we wish to instill in our students.

As Guzmán aptly puts it, "The way to tame othering isn’t to turn down the complexity of what divides us. We can’t pretend we’re all the same when we’re not, or pretend we all agree when we don’t. It’s to turn up the complexity of what makes us who we are."

By embracing this complexity and fostering genuine curiosity, educational leaders can navigate challenging times and lead their organizations through change with empathy and effectiveness. Solid book!