The command-and-control approach to management has in recent years become less and less viable. Globalization, new technologies, and changes in how companies create value and interact with customers have sharply reduced the efficacy of a purely directive, top-down model of leadership.

“It's easy to extol teamwork, but not every group is a team. In fact, most teams we see, aren't — because their managers focus on building the most effective relationships they can with each individual who works for them. They spend their time managing person by person, paying little attention to collective performance…”

The attached article on the state of education in America outlines a number of measures that have been reviewed for each state, including use of data systems, teacher effectiveness measures, student achievement measures, gaps in learning, dropout and graduation rates.

While this Stanford article on collective impact is geared toward nonprofits, it may also be thought-provoking for business and the for-profit sector to consider the strides that collaboration can make.  Particularly, those who support the work of nonprofits may find some useful perspective on how and what to fund and the resulting expectations.

When it comes to social media, are you a “predictive practitioner,” creative experiment practioner,” “creative experimenter,” “social media champion” or a “social media transformer?”

"This is the seventh in a series of annual reports profiling the education policy, legislative, and programmatic issues that will shape [Georgia's] public school system [in 2011]. As in previous editions, this latest Top Ten draws on current research, national trends, and state policy developments to identify 10 issues that will impact the work of educators and the outcomes of students in Georgia."