We all think about time. There is professional ‘time’, family ‘time’, down ‘time’, ‘time’ off, the right ‘time’, all the ‘time’ in the world and of course there was the famous Australian slogan It’s Time - the list goes on. Of course, ‘time’ is measurable and incredibly precise. Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, it can also be deceptively expansive.
We can look at time through different lenses. In this brief article I use cricket and music to illustrate my thinking about time.
I remember quite some time ago listening to former Australian cricket test opening batter David Boon commenting on the technique of fellow test batter, Mark Waugh. Boon said of Waugh, ‘he seems to have all the time in the world.’ Waugh did appear to have a lot of time when choosing and executing his selected stroke as the ball was hurtling towards him at 140 kmph. Boon commented ‘I wish I had his timing’.
We know that musical notation gives us an incredibly precise concept of time and in the process rhythm. Strangely enough, amidst this precision, there is also scope for a mystical elasticity and ensemble beyond what is notated. Pianist Anna Goldsworthy in her article Notes for a Better World in the December 2024/January 2025 edition of The Monthly quotes legendary violist and pedagogue Hatto Beyerle. At the time, Beyerle was giving some sage advice to Goldsworthy and her fellow chamber musicians. She recalls these sentiments:
“Do not count in this entry” he said softly but emphatically. “If you just count, it is business in music. Instead, this entry must occur at the exact moment you all feel it must occur”. “There is a difference between the Ancient Greek concept of Chronos”, he observed, “which is time that can be measured, and Kairos, which means the right time. Simply play the chords at the moment they demand to be heard.” As soon as we did this – as soon as we stopped trying to second guess each other but instead surrendered to that collective knowledge – our ensemble worked, and in a way, all of our work since has been guided by this notion of Kairos: of seeking the right, shared moment.
Both examples, from very different worlds, ask us to think about time differently – perhaps expansively. They ask us to think about not only what we see but also about what we don’t see. They ask us to think beyond strict time to delve into the world of Kairos and the ‘right’ time.
As leaders we so often think of time in a certain way. Our timetabled existence makes this almost inevitable. The challenge is to think beyond this rigidity, to think expansively so that considered, thoughtful and timely decision making becomes the norm. It’s not easy.
In many respects this is the thought-provoking world Mr Norm Hunter OAM has captured in his beautifully written and conceived book Between the Idea and the Reality: Decision Making for the Thinking Educational Leader. Hunter’s thinking is the culmination of a lifetime of thoughtfulness. The journey based on his experiences as principal, teacher of both English and History, leadership scholar (or in his words ‘pracademic’) and jazz musician. All these experiences have led him to a very special concept of educational leadership. It is a narrative breathing new life into Parker Palmer’s wonderful concept of ‘The Courage to Teach’. Perhaps it is an expose giving us insights into the courage to lead.
ACELQ in conjunction with Brisbane Girls Grammar School, will be hosting an interactive symposium celebrating Norm’s thinking and contribution to the ongoing development of educational leadership scholarship on Saturday morning 10th May at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. For all of those interested in learning more about this timely publication and the depth of thought underlying its conception, this opportunity is a must. REGISTER NOW
Dr Bruce Addison
ACEL QLD Branch President