Change can be received by others in a variety of ways.  Some people are open to it, some need to understand the purpose, and then you have some who would fight you to the very end to avoid it.  One thing that I have learned is that change is not something that can happen instantly or overnight.  While creating my innovation plan, the question that was always in the back of my head was, “How will my colleagues react?”.  

 

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I am not a person who easily accepts change.  However, if someone were to prove to me that the change is necessary and purposeful, you’ll probably grab my attention.  Sitting in staff meetings, I always tend to tune out unless something sparks an interest.  This brings me to the first step in the process of change which is identifying the “Why, How, and What”.  The idea of this process is to take a step back and focus on the reason and purpose for change.  In order to get campus leaders and staff to buy into my project, I had to create a reason for them to consider in the first place.  You may see my post on Why, How, What by clicking here.  

 

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In this strategy we take a look at how we can implement certain strategies at the Personal, Social and Structural levels.  We first begin with the Influencing Change model.  It is important to first identify your desired results.  In my case the desired result I had in mind was: Students will develop and maintain their own e-portfolio to showcase their learned skills throughout the academic year.  While keeping your desired result in mind, it is important to identify vital behaviors and organizational leaders who act as your support team throughout the process of implementation.  The next step I took was using the 6 Sources of Influence.  The 6 Sources of Influence are broken down into two columns, Motivation and Ability.  With Motivation, we are taking into consideration what plans are to increase engagement, while Ability focuses more on how we will continue to provide support for individuals.  
 

Please click here to visit my Influencing Change and 6 Sources of Influence page.

 

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A strategy that can make a big difference when implementing change is the Four Disciplines of Execution model.  The 4DX model requires you to generate a Wildly Important Goal (WIG).  Although in my innovation plan, I have several goals that I would like to reach, the 4DX model does a great job of spotlighting one important goal and finding ways to obtain it.  During this process I developed Lead and Lag measures that will be utilized to track the progress of my WIG.  Progress can be tracked through keeping a scoreboard.  My suggestion for my plan is to have a “progress check”board in all classrooms that students and teachers would update when updating and providing maintenance to their e-portfolio.  One of the last but most important steps in the 4DX model is Creating Accountability.  I believe I can achieve this with campus staff by holding bi-weekly meetings to share ideas, and hold support sessions for individuals who are in need of assistance.  You can view my 4DX strategy here. 

 

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A Crucial Conversation is a discussion in which there are high stakes involved, difference in opinions and strong emotions.  Having these conversations can be very difficult.  You have to consider how other individuals will interpret the tone of your conversation as well as showing that you are truly listening to their input and concerns.  These kinds of conversations are so important in the education field.  While keeping our students’ futures in our minds, it is important that these conversations are taken seriously as they not only have an effect on them, but our lives as well.  Many factors need to be considered when having these crucial conversations as they will have a huge impact on the success of your ultimate goal.

You may view my blog post on Crucial Conversations here.