Why call this post Presents (as in gifts)? There’s been a lot to digest this January and February of 2019. My whirlwind has included the start of a new semester at work and for my kiddos, Mom’s kidney cancer, followed by Dad’s stroke (check out my post here), the rumblings of a 1:1 initiative (focus groups, data analysis, research, and presentations), a new graduate course, TCEA, and everything else that life has to offer. So now that class is winding down, it’s time to wrap it all up (as in gifts).
☆ Presents! ☆
WHY? - Understanding your why in anything that you do changes the way you speak and engage others as you talk about your ideas. I have a passion for blended learning because every learner deserves the opportunity to embrace the learning process as uniquely personal, motivated by interest, driven by choice, existing on a global stage, and relevant to their lives. While at TCEA, I was amazed that nearly every presentation included some kind of why statement for a district doing what they are doing or a presenter presenting what they were presenting. There’s been several conversations recently about increasing the number of mobile devices in our district and many, many questions about the purpose of such a move. Every conversation (budget, district leadership, teacher focus group, community meetings, etc) all return to why: increased learning opportunities, locations, connections, and experiences for students.
Influencer - When I think about where my journey in the DLL program began a few months ago, I’m not sure I grasped exactly what I was jumping in to. I felt that I never really wanted to be a principal, even though many peers encouraged me to pursue an administrative degree. I knew I wanted something different. I’m just not sure I could have put a label on it. Having built a learning philosophy, an innovation plan and influencer strategy, I have come to realize that influencing teachers combined with building motivation and ability have been driving forces in my pursuits.
4DX - Leveraging the six sources of influence is wonderful, but without a strategy in place for a winnable game, we’re missing a few pieces of the puzzle that can lead to organizational change. 4DX establishes the team goal (WIG) of the game, establishes the team rules, and posts the team scoreboard. The multiple uses of team was intentional. Unless you are playing solitaire, nearly all games require a team. The six sources of influence can help team members believe their contribution can lead toward meeting (#winning) or beating the team WIG, even amongst the whirlwind.
Crucial Conversations - Talk about a book that made me think I have spies in my walls. Somewhere along the way, as I share my innovation plan with others, I’m positive I will run into folks that have some opinions that may not align with mine, passions could flare and some high stakes decisions could be at play. In fact, I’ve shared my innovation plan with some of my stakeholders who said “yes, that sounds great” and I have some preliminary meetings set up with some of my future teammates. I’m definitely going to have some practice rounds of conversations prior to my meetings to be sure I am aware of moments that could turn crucial when people realize my ideas include some kind of change behavior on their part. How I dialogue in those moments could be the difference between silence/violence and a stalled innovation plan versus taking some next steps.
When this course started and I looked at the reading list, I didn’t quite see how all the pieces fit together. Turns out, when I looked at each reading/video through my innovation plan lens, I found the purpose behind the readings. If the head won’t go where the heart hasn’t been, I have to be able to start with the heart (a Crucial Conversations skill) and understand my why. My why becomes the force needed to establish all the sources of influence into a winnable game. Of course, I’ve also started to recognize when the puzzle pieces are being used and when they are missing in other areas of my life. Along this journey, I have often wished I had done this reading, learning and growing a decade (or more) ago. I look back on moments when understanding crucial conversations may be helped avoid a blow up with family, why many big initiatives fall flat, and that we really have no clue what motivates us. But now that I am equipped with new knowledge and understanding, I find myself being more open, reflective and on the lookout for the potential pitfalls lurking in my blind spots.
References
Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change: 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2012). The 4 disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly important goals. New York, NY: Free Press.
Patterson, K. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high. New York: McGraw-Hill.
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