Self-managed teams

When we introduce self-managed teams at ICE Industrial Services in 2020, we observe an interesting phenomenon: roughly half of the teams work well, they do everything themselves and are very comfortable with agile management. The other half of the teams also work hard, they all willingly go to meetings, fill out spreadsheets, redo the same thing over and over again, but their projects are not as effective.

They do things right, but they often do the wrong things! And when tough decisions and solutions come up they expect someone else to handle it for them.

"Some people have only taken the freedom out of self-management, but they don't want to take responsibility. I complain to the leading Czech HR expert Peter Skondrojanis.

"All agile systems originated somewhere in Silicon Valley, you have to remember that here we are in the Czech Republic. Ninety-five percent of people have no idea about Scrum."

"So sure, Americans are different, but at the core they're still the same people, right?" I counter in a discussion of the issue. I have spent many months in the United States and have been able to get to know the local mentality quite closely.

"The people may be the same, says Petr, but in the Czech Republic they are not brought up for it. They don't have the mindset for it. Look at how the education of children works in the Czech Republic."

I have to agree with him when I think back to my school years. All through my childhood someone said to me:

Sit down, don't describe, don't stand out! Do as you're told! Don't be angry! Be normal!

And now life wants me to do the exact opposite:

Be active and creative! Cooperate! Make yourself different and interesting!

All through my schooling, I didn't understand what we were discussing and why. It wasn't about understanding the context of school. Credit was given to those who excelled in administration, could reproduce best, and had the best margins in their notebook. Ideally six months in advance. 

Obedience, following orders and careful administration were highly valued skills, especially during the reign of Maria Theresa. She began to develop them systematically as part of her reform introducing compulsory education. We still praise her for this enlightened rest, but her motivation was most likely far less romantic. At the time of the Industrial Revolution, there was a need to train a workforce loyal to the Habsburg monarchy. And just as employers today call for better education, the early industrialists of the time demanded better quality workers for their fledgling factories and manufactories. They needed a literate workforce that was easier to task.

For the Austro-Hungarian empire, the style of teaching of the time did a lot of good. In addition to basic skills, the uncompromising school environment formatted children to the monarchy's serf-style of management, and the school system helped to suppress the anti-Austrian ideas that began to spread during Maria Theresa's reign. 

School versus life

The fact that our education system has not changed significantly since the time of Maria Theresa is a social disaster for our society. As the historian of education Magdaléna Šustová states: The core curriculum and structure of schools remained the same. Leaving aside the ideological component, the curricula of the past do not differ much from today's framework curricula. What is discussed in which class does not change and teaching is still based on frontal teaching and rote learning. In the latter, any activity by children is undesirable.

The school requires us to: Do not disturb! Sit, don't talk and listen! Don't worry about what you don't have! But life: The important thing is that you understand the context and can make good decisions. How do you see it? Come with your views. 

School: Don't copy your neighbor! Life: Cooperate! Share your ideas. If you don't know something, ask.

School: Act normal! Get back in line. Life: Look for opportunities to impress, to stand out. Think about how you can make things better. Take responsibility, be creative and innovative! 

School of Joy

When the opportunity came seven years ago to support the creation of the innovative Na Radosti Primary School in Žďár nad Sázavou, we knew that this is exactly the type of education that is missing here, so that children in the Czech Republic do not grow up as subservient sheep, without their own opinion and responsibility, following the orders of the authorities. 

Na Radosti Primary School goes through the educational process with respect for the uniqueness of each child. It listens to them, accepts and values their individuality. It seeks to discover and enhance their talents, providing them with a safe environment where they are free to experiment, make mistakes and continually develop.

Na Radosti School sees education as much more than the mere accumulation of knowledge; it is preparation for a successful and fulfilled life. It fosters the innate desire for discovery that is in all of us. It makes children enthusiastic and productive learners. School gives them the freedom to create, offering them opportunities for spontaneous activity, exploration and interest. Above all, it allows them to do what is meaningful to them, what fulfils them. The aim is to awaken in them a sense of ownership of their education, to teach them to learn freely and joyfully.

It teaches children to face different situations, to recognize their strengths and skills, as well as areas for improvement. The role of the teacher-guide is not to evaluate, but to guide children in self-assessment, helping them to identify and articulate their mistakes and seek solutions. Healthy relationships between all members of the school community - adults and children - are a fundamental pillar of the school, based on mutual respect and esteem.

Things are not learned in isolation, but connections and connections are learned as they are in real life. This knowledge enables things to be understood in a wider context.

The ability to take responsibility for one's life

Bringing up a child in a system of punishment and rewards will certainly destroy any natural inner desire in the child to learn. People who slavishly and without their own opinion follow the orders of their superiors are doomed to mediocrity and failure in today's turbulent world. 

In the global super-competition, only those who are able to think and make informed decisions, who can confidently structure their arguments, present their views coherently and thoughtfully, and take responsibility for their opinions will succeed. Those who can own all the issues in their world, including their development. 

The main task of the current generation of parents is to give their children an education that will give them the skill package that will enable them to do so. Knowing by heart Vrchlick, the digestive tract of an earthworm, and the year of the founding of Sama's empire are not among those skills.

At ICE, we have taken the responsibility for educating young people into our own hands - working with primary, secondary and higher education institutions. We organise robotics clubs and automation camps. 

Tomáš Vránek, CEO