In Sundays New York Times, Fred Conrad's opinion is headed – the Brightest Are Not Always the Best, http://tinyurl.com/6a7df4 [1]. His main example is Robert McNamara. As defense secretary, his team orchestrated the Vietnam War. The “best and brightest” had a stunning career as a young Harvard professor, WWII Army system analyst and at age 44, CEO of Ford. We tend to use “best and brightest” as the mantra for the solution to all our complex problems. But we need to remember this phrase was coined as an ironic and sardonic means to address the leadership of the Vietnam War.

Barack Obama has repeatedly used “best and brightest” as an accolade for his new cabinet. That is as it should be. These folks must implement sustaining innovation for the incumbent systems of finance, economics and government. That is what the “best and brightest” do best. The reason they were chosen is because they have excelled in academic, professional and work achievement with the incumbent system. And they have the best shot to continue.

But in this time of deep recession and disruption the final heroes will not be the ones that patch, refurbish and get the leaking ship steaming once more. They will be the disruptive innovators like the ones who build our system of aviation. They will be the self educated, inventive and system thinkers that thrive in spite of the incumbent system. Their aviation predecessors include the Wright Brothers, Glenn Curtiss, Cap’n Eddy Rickenbacker and Burt Rutan. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are more current versions whose vision and entrepreneurial talent transformed our economy.

Eschewing the best and brightest track of the incumbent they took a “road less traveled” path of disruptive innovation.

The question we must ask is - best at what - and brightness - in what arena. As eLearningi [1] continues itsi [1] tortuous path of disruptive innovation I like to remember a quote by my good friend Alan Hald, “Success happens when preparation meets opportunity.” My short form is, “Persistence gets lucky.”

I believe that we are in an emerging opportunity of the desperate need for a radical increase in the speed, depth and success of K-12 student learning. Our preparation has been thorough. We have thorough researchi [1] and pilot implementations.  We know the systems, the required preparation of teachers and the appropriate digital curriculum needed. Arizona has a networked cadre of “Best and Brightest” populated throughout our educational ecosystems from classrooms to the board rooms to enterprises. Lord knows we have been persistent. Now let’s get lucky!