SCAFFOLDING

 

Adam Grant on 'Scaffolding'

In construction, scaffolding is a temporary structure that enables work crews to scale heights beyond their reach. Once the construction is complete, the support is removed. From that point forward, the building stands on its own.

In learning, scaffolding serves a similar purpose. A teacher or coach offers initial instruction and then removes the support. The goal is to shift the responsibility to you so that you can develop your own independent approach to learning. 

For this, the coach sets up temporary structures to give his team the opportunity and motivation to learn.

These structures act as the first bit of scaffolding  for the members of the team.

There had been a gentleman carrying this out with his siblings as they grew up without ever  knowing the term scaffolding  and the implication. He had done it with his juniors where he had been employed. He had done it with his  wife and his children as well.

He used to stretch his palm and tell them that he was supporting them, letting them stand on his palm. He would tell them, he would take off his palm when he saw or felt they were good enough to stand on their own.

He knew, this is how you develop the second line, the next one who would succeed you. To him, this is how you bring out the best in everyone around.

The gentleman referred to is no psychologist which Adam Grant is, without parallel.

However, the gentleman affirms, as he read through Adam Grant on 'scaffolding'  he could see  this was what he had been unknowingly carrying on all through his life.

For him, Adam Grant was a revelation.