My father, Harold R. Wilson, embodies my zone of proximal development (ZPD) as my More Knowledgeable Other (MKO). He introduced me to the captivating world of cricket and the intricacies of business. Naming me Everton after his cricketing hero Sir Everton Weekes, he taught me to bowl left-handed and bat right-handed, passing on his legacy.
His adventures became my lessons, from Sunday morning drives through the village selling chickens and vegetables to managing peanut machines and showing me how to hit a ball out of the park. These shared experiences have truly instilled his passion in me.
Sir Everton DeCourcy Weekes (26 February 1925 – 1 July 2020).
Weekes was one-third of the legendary cricketing trio, the Three W’s, alongside Worrell and Walcott. He is widely considered the finest batsman among them. A humorous anecdote recounts Worrell advising Weekes not to hit the ball too hard, as it discouraged fielders from chasing after it, sparing them from exhaustion. This story highlights the dynamic interplay between Worrell and Weekes.
The significance of the three W’s in the West Indian popular imagination is best illustrated by a story shared by the historian Ramachandra Guha:
“One of my favourite cricket stories is of the Archbishop of Canterbury going to preach in the Anglican Cathedral in Bridgetown. He began by saying: “I am going to speak to you about the three Ws”… A great cheer went up from the audience. But then he said, “Yes the three Ws – Work, Worship and Witness”, whereupon half the crowd walked out.”
Sir Everton DeCourcy Weekes, KCMG, GCM, OBE
Weekes was truly one of the finest to ever play the game—graceful, entertaining, with impeccable technique and temperament. And above all, he had immense courage.
What is The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?
The zone of proximal development (ZPD), introduced by Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934), is described as:
“The distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving… the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).
The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is often associated with the concept of scaffolding, a term introduced by Wood, Bruner, and Ross in 1976.
Scaffolding involves the activities offered by an educator or a more skilled peer, supporting the student as they navigate through the zone of proximal development.
Support is gradually reduced as it becomes unnecessary, similar to removing scaffolding from a building during construction. This allows the student to complete the task independently.
Zone of Proximal Development in cricket and table-tennis
My brother Junior and I broke numerous windowpanes playing cricket, so our parents decided to resolve the issue by getting us two VIC table tennis bats. As we started entering tournaments, my left-handed style caught the attention of Mr. Herbert Christopher. His son, Nigel, the junior Caribbean champion at the time, needed a left-handed training partner with a sidespin/topspin loop. Mr. Christopher dedicated countless hours, armed with his ‘box of table tennis balls,’ to teaching me how to loop. This led to me developing a uniquely fierce loop. I gained invaluable experience in the Christopher table-tennis ZPD alongside Nigel, Andrea, Vaughn, Ian, and Raymond. This ZPD ultimately became the foundation for my greatest table tennis accomplishment years later.
Everton Wilson National B Class Champion
The DR. HERBERT NEUBAUER Zone of Proximal Development challenge
7 times World Veterans Champion · 6 times European Veterans Champion · 4 Gold medals at the World Senior Games
In an ETTA Grand Prix tournament, Dr. Herbert Neubauer defeated me in three straight sets. However, after the game, he complimented my dangerous loop. For the first time since turning 40, I decided to train like I did with Mr. Christopher from ages 17 to 23, aiming to defeat Dr. Neubauer in our next match. Most importantly, it was time to apply the Christopher ZPD experience. Additionally, I incorporated the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle, principles from Jim Collins’ “Good to Great: Disciplined People, Thought, Action” (2001), and John Doerr’s “Measure What Matters” (2017).
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PLAN
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First, Load the TTmatic 500 robot (Mr. Christopher’s replacement) with table tennis balls. Then, practice forehand and backhand loops and punches against varying speeds, positions, spins, and floats. Finally, Disciplined Thought | Jim Collins.
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DO
Meanwhile, I trained four hours a day—two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon on the robot. After that, I focused on footwork, skipping, and interval training on a steep hill for 30 minutes each day. In other words, Discipline People | Jim Collins principle.
CHECK
On weekends, I played games with my training partner Joe to evaluate how my skills were improving. To better understand my OKRs—objectives and key results—I referred to “Measure What Matters” by John Doerr.
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ACT
Luckily, two weeks later at the next grand prix, I was grouped with Dr. Herbert Neubauer. I defeated him in three straight sets, as my aggressive play on both wings was too much for him. The plan had succeeded, and my greatest victory was secured. I had achieved my lifelong dream of competing on the world stage and defeating a remarkable player. In summary, Disciplined action is a key concept in Jim Collins’ works.
The Importance of ZPD and OKR’s in personal development, sports, business and education.
The ZPD More Knowledgeable Other (MKO) is an excellent approach to building personal, sports, business, or educational human capital. When combined with the PDCA cycle, the straightforward goal-setting method known as OKRs—objectives and key results—can help surpass expectations, especially when incorporated into your LEAN PLAN.
Conclusion
In conclusion, embrace the ZPD with MKOs and set OKRs. Regardless of where you are in your journey—whether as a parent, student, educator, businessperson, unemployed, or sports personality—these universal principles are effective.
SUCCESS IS NOT AN ACCIDENT!
If you have any questions, contact HOAD SYSTEM.