The principles and processes of collaboration are important to development in the field of education. What I have always abhorred is the fact that gurus seem to piggyback on the work of their research teams in away that allows them to takers the sole glory for positions that establish and findings that are reached. They are offered ‘single surname adulation’ for work that quite obviously has been done by others.
My background is in education. It seems that many noteworthy leaders do not really have thev times to do they work about which they are espousing because they are too busy running around the world talking and taking conference calls, to actually do the work they are upholding.
Certainly they have teams back at base (one or another institute or university) who are working on their behalf. These gurus are in essence the public face of research teams. Yet they speak and present in a way that suggests they are solely responsible for creating the theories and authoring the positions they espouse. That is just not right.
Those working behind thec scenes and well away from the microphone need to be acknowledged and appreciated for their contribution to research process and findings.
Too often we are happy to share the brickbats while holding the bouquets close to our own chests. Leaders fail to see sharing with a group brings them recognition as a group member.