People
In the U.S., there was a show called ‘The Profit’, which starred a very wealthy businessman named Marcus Lemonis. When he looks at a business he is thinking about investing in, he looks at the people, process and product. Each part plays an equal role in the success of his businesses. When I first heard him talk about the three P’s, I instantly knew he was right. While Marcus uses the three P’s for business, I believe they are equally important in education.
Make no mistake, education is a ‘people’ business. In fact, it is the primary people-business on Earth. In America and in Europe, they like to say, “No child left behind.” However, I believe this is wrong. It should be “No person left behind.” Education isn’t just about the students. Everyone involved in the process is important. Students, teachers, parents, administration and school staff, regardless of position, play a part. Students absorb knowledge everywhere they go and in everything they do. Therefore, we, as a community, are responsible for the wholistic education of the students.
That being said, we are responsible for becoming the best possible versions of ourselves that we can. As an inherent part of the educational process, we must all continually strive to keep learning and developing, teaching and nurturing. In order to develop our people, an on-going training program is essential, complete with workshops and refresher courses. As a part of this process, we must also continue to have meetings and team-building events and never be afraid to share our ideas and offer constructive feedback to colleagues. As a core tenet, everyone should understand that they are a valued member of an invaluable team.
Process
For Marcus, the process is how a product or service is designed, manufactured and delivered. For education, it is about how the curriculum is designed, developed and delivered. There isn’t much of a difference. In both cases, each phase of the process needs to be scrutinized and improved upon, as necessary. Once excellence is reached, it has to be disseminated and duplicated.
Therefore, central to a successful school’s philosophy is a constant review of the educational process. In that, inspections, evaluations, and discussions are essential and continuous.
Product
It has been said that 80% of satisfaction is based on expectations. Since we are in the business of education, we have customers who we provide products and services to. If we do not satisfy the expectations of our customers, they will seek these products and services elsewhere. Therefore, it is our responsibility to provide the highest quality products and services possible. If the products and services are sub-par, we are responsible for making the necessary improvements without delay.
