Link Business and Education?

by Ellen Weber

Published in Wellsville Daily Reporter, February 26, 2001

Cold wars between education and business which skim precious assets from both sides may be coming to an end. If there ever was a time to create new connections beyond wireless links, education programs, business enterprise and human brain power, it’s now. Classrooms and commerce already share critical keys, capital, clients and computer software, but unfortunately, we still lack respect for one another’s skills and problem solving abilities. We also lack curiosity. Assets vitalize education when we seek intervention and governance guidance  from business. Similarly, prosperity builds business when education’s brain-based learning tips create innovative commercial breakthroughs. 

One major achievement of excellent schools over the past decade, has been release of kids’ hidden abilities to succeed, through brain based insights. In similar ways, corporations thrive when employees unleash talent to increase productivity. It seems to me that similarities exist between personal prosperity at school and creative contributions in business. It makes sense, if we are to create sustainable ventures that solve real problems together,  we seek opportunities to enjoy capital from both sides. So why do educators and corporate leaders rarely communicate respectfully as genuine partners?

 As I’ve pounded and chiseled a lecture on education renewal possibilities, for a Chautauqua forum, I imagined lively links that connect educators and business leaders. Mergers cascade economic opportunities and open floodgates to intellectual possibilities flowing far beyond classrooms and workplaces that exist alone. What would it take?  It seems to me that respect between business and education involves a plan that both learns from and teaches the other side. At MITA renewal center, we begin on common ground.

Let’s begin through a shared question posed to benefit both sides. WHAT CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES COULD YOUR GIFTS PRODUCE? Now, imagine we agree on doable goals and tasks that allow each participant to tap a full range of intelligences, draw more brain power and shoot for impressive results?  We negotiate tasks with gifted innovators, depend on different abilities from each person, and partnership possibilities spring up exponentially from individual talents tapped. The result -- quality input. Now imagine we reflect together in order to ensure ongoing value from diverse contributions.  With each union, we benchmark higher progress. You’ll agree we may have just discovered hidden treasures that turn around schools and improve corporations.

So what keeps education’s and  business’ planets apart?

Some people on both sides suggest the divide is too deep, and no human effort can alter that reality. Fortunately, innovative leaders on both sides however, have already begun to scale walls that separate. Key to successful steps to close  gaps is respect for differences that define each side.

An article just came across my desk from the Herman Group, which suggests that business hopes to support education in future. At first glance, the idea appeared filled with thrilling possibilities.  Unfortunately, these diminish as you read on. The article laments the fact that corporate leaders and futurists apparently find only poorly prepared kids leaving secondary schools. The Herman group warned that corporate patience was wearing thin. Educators respond that gold-rush mentality leaders care more about quick money gains than sustainable intellectual expansion. No room for respect or links in either accusation, you’ll agree. Nevertheless,  I think there could be another joiner with the right shared question. 

Think of it from inside either location, WHAT CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES COULD YOUR GIFTS PRODUCE? Suppose we work together, address this question and empower kids or employees in similar profound ways. Suppose we begin with respecting the contributions of each student and employee. Could Bush’s  hope to restore civility include  restored respect between education and business leaders?  Could we launch possibilities for profit here together?

I think of success washing along connected shorelines, as we gather at roundtables and achieve significant gains for business and education. Where gaps exist between current needs and the capacity of existing expertise to benefit, we join hands across divides. Everyone gains from vibrant partnerships that refuse demands for dominance or arrows of arrogance that creep  in to spoil emerging dialogues. Together we’ll create a new cadence of possibilities that await genuine partnerships, built on respect and curiosity.