97th Edition
I know when I eventually launch my political campaign I will have to find a way to be persuasive in front of crowds, especially in places where people might not think the same as I do. This theoretical scene occurred to me recently…
I’m campaigning in a swing state, Michigan to be specific, and have a speech scheduled at the Ross School of Business, where I earned my MBA forty years ago. I’m optimistic about winning Michigan in the election, as it seems to be leaning more red. I’m aware, however, that Ann Arbor, like most college towns across the country, tends to be much more liberal than the surrounding counties. My talk will focus on education, but I wanted to approach it from a unique perspective. Here is a final draft of that speech…
I’d like to talk to you today about playing fields. Not the Big House where the Michigan football team has won so many memorable games, but the playing field that most of us will face in life. Before we begin that discussion we must first ask a foundational question – Do we want the playing field to be level, or do we want it to be unlevel? My sense is most people in the room prefer a level playing field and many probably demand that our government, as well as every institution, is obligated to establish and preserve a level playing field for all participants. Raise your hand if you basically agree with that statement (virtually all hands go up).
Well, I’d like to share two things with you today. First, there is no such thing as a level playing field. There are just too many factors and variables involved for any competitive landscape to be completely level in a way that will produce an equal outcome for all participants.
Here is a previous blog post that discusses this in more detail –
Second, what we should teach all students is how to make the playing field unlevel in their favor. Let me explain what that means and then explain what that does not mean.
It means teaching students three basic concepts:
First, is to develop in them a love of learning so that they will have an unquenchable thirst for studying beyond the basic norm about anything and everything. Students with this character trait won’t be inclined to memorize facts just to pass the test but will ask deeper questions and give serious contemplation to complicated concepts, and far-reaching issues. They will ask for extra assignments, raise more questions in class, and engage in debates to hone and challenge their viewpoints. They will become masters of critical thinking. They will learn how to write persuasively and powerfully. A person educated in this manner will have enormous advantages over classmates who drift through school, unmotivated and disengaged, as many do.
Second, we should teach students how to use their time wisely. We should encourage students to put down their phone, turn off the television and read all kinds of books about history, politics, business, philosophy, theology, and science. Also, biographies of the great men and women who have gone before them, who have overcome the odds, who never let unlevel playing fields stop them from accomplishing their dreams. Students should understand how to network, how to find mentors, learn from experts and absorb their wisdom. There is an art to all this that can be learned by just about everyone. A person who knows how to engage with others, how to ask insightful questions, and how to listen intently to those who have wisdom and experience to share will be way ahead of those who don’t.
Third, we should teach students to work as hard as they possibly can. Effort and attitude can overcome just about any obstacle. We should not make academic achievement too easy for students. We should not lower the bar of expectations, nor should we allow them to make excuses for underperforming their potential. When you expect more, you get more. When you expect less, you get less. Integrating athletics into the overall education experience is the most effective way to teach a determined work ethic.
So, let me review. As educators our job is to develop in students a love of learning and the ability to think deeply and critically. To challenge thinking at all levels. Our responsibility also involves teaching effective time management and the skills to build relationships with mentors in order to benefit from their wisdom and experience. There are people everywhere who love to help others. Go find them. And finally, as educators, we have to teach students to give their very best effort in all they do.
A person with these three skill sets will have created an unlevel playing field in their favor. So, when they determine their course in life, they will have the best shot at being successful. That, in a nutshell, is what I mean when I say that we should teach students to make the playing field unlevel in their favor.
Ok, so what does it not mean? It doesn’t mean that we should teach any student, or group of students, to think of themselves as victims who can’t succeed without intervention from government bureaucrats. The process of making the playing field unlevel in your favor is not a zero-sum game. Sure there are winners and losers in every competitive battle, but winning the right way, with honor, humility, and respect, can motivate others to do the same thing in the future. Who isn’t inspired when the underdog wins? No underdog ever wins unless they are determined to overcome every obstacle in their path. They never see themselves as victims, nor do they worry about unlevel playing fields. They just compete with every ounce of effort they can muster, and they prepare to win using all tools available. Most are inspired by some underdog who succeeded before them. Success and the path to it are contagious. Unfortunately, so is the path of entitlement and blame.
One last point before I close. I know what some of you are thinking. You might be ready to concede there is no level playing field in terms of producing equal outcomes, but you really want equal opportunities. They don’t exist either, for the same reason. There are too many variables many of which are uncontrollable. Moreover, the laws of unintended consequences produce all kinds of problems when we try. Perhaps we can discuss this further during my next visit.
I’ve been watching the body language of the audience as I delivered my speech. It wasn’t positive. A few professors walked out. A few students were shaking their heads. But some were staring intently, deep in thought. What were they thinking, I wondered… Then I launched into my closing comments –
All of us here today have a calling as a member of God’s Kingdom. There will always be someone to teach and so much still to learn. Each day during this journey, we can search for someone to Thank, Inspire, Encourage, or Serve. Thank you very much and God Bless.
To muted applause, I wonder, how many people in Ann Arbor will vote for me?
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.