Paving the Way for Change

When embarking on this journey to implement my Innovation Plan, I was naive to think that everyone would jump on board. Needless to say, I was wrong. Leading change is hard. Understanding human behavior is even more difficult. Most resist the movement toward change. Likely, this is due to habits being had to break. We avoid what makes us uncomfortable, which is usually how one feels initially when experiencing change. To create and influence change, we have to start with the heart. Sinek reminds us that people buy why you do things, not what you do (2009). If we can convey why we need change, others might be more inclined to support the desired results being sought after.

Begin with Why

My Why is guiding my learners to discover their full potential as learners. I seek to do this through my Blended Learning approach of a Flipped Classroom. Through blended learning, my learners will be offered authentic learning experiences that give them choice, ownership, and voice. With an understanding of why, how, and what is clearly conveyed, an effective leader will be more approachable and trustworthy. Relationship development is imperative throughout the process of leading change. It is through this relationship we can, as a team, implement the necessary change to reach our goals.

Influencer Strategy

After our purpose is clarified, we must determine what our desired results are. To reach those desired results, we have to look at vital behaviors that, if adopted, would move us to our results. We do this by engaging at least four of the six sources of influence (Grenny et al., 2021). These steps are the three keys necessary to create change (2021). By approaching change with the Influencer strategy, we can guide others into changing their behavior to move forward with our goals as a team. This model offers teams a virtually foolproof plan if all involved remain committed and invested.

4DX

At first glance, one might think that we are finished. Change inevitably will happen successfully. This may be the case, but we must work to ensure we reach our organizational goals. It is through the Four Disciplines of Execution that we can turn our goals into actionable steps (McChesney et al., 2022). We start by Focusing on the Wildly Important. We narrow our focus to one Wildly Important Goal or WIG. The second discipline is Act on the Lead Measures. Our WIG needs to be attainable and measurable. The Lag Measures are how we track the success of our WIG. The Lead Measures tell how likely we are to achieve our WIG. The third discipline is Keeping a Compelling Scoreboard. We all want to win. By having a visible scoreboard, we drive the motivation and morale of our team. And lastly, the fourth discipline is Creating a Cadence of Accountability. Within any team, we all have a part to play. To foster accountability, we must create opportunities for open and honest communication through regular WIG meetings. By having structured discussions about the WIG, everyone can remain focused on their part and be in a position to offer support and encouragement when other team members might reach obstacles.

Crucial Conversations

Crucial Conversations are inevitable. We encounter them in every facet of our lives. They are the discussions that revolve around high-stake issues that cause emotions to flare and opinions to vary. For someone to master Crucial Conversations will only enhance the possibility for success in leading organizational change. Being skilled in safe and open dialogue is necessary for any effective leader. How we communicate with others has real consequences for us. If we cannot clearly convey our stories or path, we will find that we are not good leaders. I know that the changes I am implementing in my classroom have not been well received by some in my community. I have been involved in Crucial Conversations I have never dealt with in my 12 years as an educator. The time we spent teaching (and learning) virtually has left a bitter taste in many people. The principles presented in Crucial Conversations have better equipped me to have those discussions and lead them to a resolution path.

Change is scary and uncomfortable. With the strategies and guidelines presented in these three books, organizational change for the better is likely, if not inevitable. Even if the skills learned from one of the books we have navigated this term, a team or individual could find traction in inspiring change. But with a plan researched and developed considering all three texts, my team and I will find success and community buy-in with my Innovation Project. Our learners will ultimately have a greater likelihood of mastering the content in the classroom. At the end of the day, it is about our learners. It is through them, and they’re reaching their full potential, that we lead them to be productive members of society. Educators have an obligation to our future. That obligation is satisfied through our learners’ finding value and ownership of their learning.

References

Crucial Learning. (2021). Influencer Book Cover. Books From Crucial Learning. https://cruciallearning.com/books/

Crucial Learning. (2022). Crucial Conversations Book Cover. Books From Crucial Learning. https://cruciallearning.com/books/

Franklin Covey. (2021). Four Disciplines of Execution Book cover. 7 Habits Store. https://7habitsstore.com/products?p=2

Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, Second Edition (2nd ed.). McGraw Hill.

Grenny, J., Patterson, K., McMillan, R., Switzler, A., & Gregory, E. (2021). Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition. McGraw-Hill Education.

McChesney, C., Covey, S., Huling, J., Thele, S., & Walker, B. (2022). The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals (2nd ed.). Simon & Schuster.

TEDx Talks. (2009, September 28). Start with why — how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA&feature=youtu.be