| This post was inspired by the Not So Boring Newsletter that is linked below. Although the newsletter is not about education, I adapted some of the content for the education sphere. Have you seen something like this happen (or has this happened to you)? You get a great idea that would be the best thing that ever happened to schooling in America. You are so excited that you feel the adrenaline running through your body as you picture the future possibilities of your idea. You are so excited that you share the idea with some close confidants and they love the idea. They think your idea is the best thing since sliced bread, which sends more excitement through your body! You go back to your office and instantly start implementing the changes. After all, if you don’t do something, how will people benefit from your best idea ever? Fast forward two weeks, and your “best idea ever” is giving you and everyone around you a gigantic headache. You want to go back in time and tell your past self that your idea is not as great as you think, and you just want to give up. What went wrong? I was being tongue-in-cheek in the description I started this post with. I don’t want to give the impression that I think getting excited over an idea is bad. On the contrary, I think it is essential for school leaders to get “fired up” over an idea and try to implement it. What you can do to help you successfully implement your idea is to walk into the planning stage of your great idea with eyes wide open and plan accordingly using these six ideas for strategy planning. 1. Align aspirations and capabilities. Great school leaders take a realistic view of the capabilities of their school and align their expectations with reality. Too often, school leaders will assume that the staff is as excited about their idea as they are, has the same skills as you do, and sees reality through the same context. Do not make this mistake. Before you do much planning, think of the new skills, knowledge, and mindsets necessary to make your idea come to fruition. Now, think about whether your staff has all of those attributes. If they don’t, you have some work to do to ensure they can get them. The best way to determine what your staff will need is to talk to them about your idea. Make a communication plan that allows your staff to understand your idea, and you can get feedback about what they need. 2. Maintain sociological sensitivity. Here is where culture is important. The saying “culture eats strategy for breakfast” should stay top of mind. If you are embedded in a system that values the traditional way of instruction, where the heroes of the staff are those who are recognized for being great at the traditional way of doing things, and you want to throw all of that away overnight, then you will run into problems. Do not give up on implementing your idea. Just recognize that it is going to take longer under these circumstances than in others. 3. Allow yourself to hold two opposing thoughts. When we are excited about an idea, we often overlook the barriers that must be overcome to make implementation successful. Specifically, we can’t demonize people or ideas that do not align perfectly with our own. Giving yourself the grace to hold opposing thoughts in your brain will help you see your situation more clearly. 4. Balance theory and practice. School leaders are inundated with theories on how schools should work. We are also plagued by theories that disguise themselves as “best practices.” In the best of all possible worlds, practice helps mold and adjust theory. Go into any implementation activity knowing that things are not going to go as planned. Being flexible and adjusting your theory with the reality on the ground will help make implementing your idea successful. 5. Know why you want to do what you want to do. This goes back to the school’s goals, your vision, and the alignment between the two. Be honest with yourself about why you are getting excited about the idea. As you discuss your idea with people, listen to what they say about it, and look for alignment in what you hear and where you want to go. Remember that the magic lies in the areas where there is no alignment. Understanding the tension between your idea and how other people react to your idea allows you to incorporate all perspectives into your strategy. 6. Expect the unexpected. Go into your implementation with your eyes wide open. No, not everyone will like your idea…even those that liked it the first time you talked to them! Not all systems will run smoothly the first time they are used. Finally, the fabulous future you saw when you first for excited about your idea is still valid, but there will be many twists and turns before you get there. As the graphic below implies, there is no straight line between idea and implementation.  I hope all of you get so fired up over an idea that you can’t wait to start! Considering these six essential items will help you with your implementation strategy. The link to the Not So Boring post is here. |
