The Pack Mindset and Keys to Understanding Team Dynamics

The Pack Mindset

Keys to Understanding Team Dynamics


 "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack." ― Rudyard Kipling.  

Inside the ancient parts of our brain, we are wired to mirror the other members of our pack. Our fight/flight/freeze instincts are connected to this innate awareness of our surroundings. Ever notice one person yawns, and you suddenly have an uncontrollable urge to yawn. If I am whispering to you, it would seem exceptionally odd to yell back at me. We see somebody in danger and panicked, and our instinct is to quickly move to help them. Our mirror instincts are at play when we get into an argument, and it quickly escalates. The inverse is also true. When upset, a calming and reassuring voice can quickly change our mood. These reactions are a part of this instinct, which have helped our packs survive and thrive over millennia. 

This instinct is universally possessed by all species which move in packs. We are highly intelligent pack animals. 

How to Be the Pack Leader-Cesar Millan

A few years ago, I was watching Cesar Millan's The Dog Whisperer television show on NatGeoWild. At the time, I had a wild puppy, and I was trying to learn how to be a better dog owner. Cesar has a saying, "I rehabilitate dogs, and I train people." It was watching this show when I began to think about the team as a pack. Many people call peer pressure in pre-adolescents and adolescents are nothing more than the emergence of the pack mindset. A five-year-old is not aware of the group. Two five-year-olds playing in the sandbox do not play with each other; they play around each other. Ever watch a T-ball baseball game, there is not a lot of team happening on the field. A group of pre-teens, however, is keenly aware of the pack and the pack has a great deal of influence on their decision-making. 


In his book, Be the Pack Leader, Cesar Millan talks about the keys to an adjusted member of a pack as exercise, discipline, and affection. Cesar states that this is both a linear and circular process. While I am not suggesting our students are animals or anything less than human, I believe the same can be said about teaching and raising children. If you transfer those ideas to humans, I think it becomes: rigor/purpose, accountability/structure, and recognition/support. A good leader creates a purpose, accountability, and support for the group. When one of these ideals is absent, the pack and its members become adrift. 

Cesar Millan discussing the parallel of his philosophy to raising healthy children.

EXERCISE/RIGOR
How we structure our daily classroom activities provides the exercise each student needs and craves. This rigor keeps the students engaged and focused on a purpose. A student accustomed to no rules or boundaries will resist this structure at first. However, for the class and the student to succeed, we must remain vigilant. There can be no compromise on this ideal. Having routines and an active instructional pace with meaningful work is vital. The structure, consistency, and relevance of this routine will determine much of your success. 

"Through discipline comes freedom."~Aristole 

DISCIPLINE/ACCOUNTABILITY 
The accountability we provide our students should be consistent and delivered calmly and assertively. The pack will only follow a stable leader. If we fail to provide the needed structure and accountability, chaos will take hold. The group will have a leader. If not the teacher, someone else will readily assert themselves to fill this leadership void. This is a difficult cycle to stop once established. I think discipline is often a misused word. The only true discipline is self-discipline. Everything else is either punishment or accountability. Creating an environment where everything is earned, not given, and members are held accountable for the contributions is essential for a healthy team. 

AFFECTION/SUPPORT
Millan mentions an essential aspect of a firm pack leader is understanding your pack. As a teacher, providing support and recognition to your students requires us to know the students as both individuals and the group. In education, we refer to this as differentiation. How well do you know your students, what are their instructional needs, what do they most value? A reward for one student might be meaningless to another. The accomplishment of one student may be of greater significance than to another student. As Cesar also suggests, all praise/affection/support must be earned and genuine once the other two are achieved. This support should be timely and targeted. 

KEEP UP WITH THE PACK
I often say to my students, "The group often goes faster than you need and sometimes slower than you want. Either way, keep up with the group." Because what we teach is a giant group learning project, there are times when the group must move forward and the pace is too fast for some students. Inversely, we often slow down to emphasize something others do not need. Either way, we need our students to understand their role in the group and help the group maintain progress. We need to provide support for the struggling student when the group is moving quickly and proper autonomy and flexibility for the advanced student when needed. 

PACK AWARENESS

I believe we must teach our students to understand their role within the group and how their actions impact others. When a student is engaged and contributing, they are adding positive energy to the group. Someone who is sleepy and lethargic is pulling energy from the group. It is easy for a student to feel as though their contributions do not matter, especially in a large group. We regularly discuss the "Power of 1." Which states, they all bring value to the group and we are greater than the sum of the parts. The group is counting on the contribution of each individual for all of our successes. Our success is your success. "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack." 










Location: Suwanee, GA 30024, USA

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