A Plan for Influence....
During a quick conversation with a Teacher Leaders Network colleague of mine named Lori who I happened to cross paths with here in Denver---I picked up some really valuable advice about influencing change from the classroom after asking Lori how she embeds herself in the work of her school and community.
Lori described a systematic approach which I found to be simple---yet brilliant. Here it is:
1. Identify what issue is important to you: In education, there are always going to be hundreds of competing interests. Focused attention on one at a time is more likely to be a manageable task than trying to get your irons in multiple fires at once!
2. Identify who controls the decisions related to your issue of importance: This may sound obvious, but it's harder than it looks. Education is so complex that oftentimes issues will have competing interests and require shared decision-making on the parts of multiple players. Before you can be influential, you have to know who the players are that you're trying to influence!
And let's face it----those players are almost always in positions beyond the classroom. Whether we like that or not, it's the reality of the profession in which we work.
3. Identify what about your issue overlaps with the areas of interest for the decision-maker: Decision-makers have their own agendas that they are driven to pursue---and often held accountable for fulfilling. Looking carefully for areas where your interest overlaps with the agenda of the decision-maker increases your chances of being successful in influencing their decision. Remember that in this phase, it's not about what YOU value---it's about what in your project or idea will be valued by those who make the decisions.
4. Frame your issue around the issues important to the decision-maker: When making your "sales pitch," help the decision-maker to recognize the inherent connections between your area of interest and concern and their own personal areas and concerns. The more connections that you can identify when making your case, the more likely you are to be convincing.
5. Always connect your issue back to student learning: Again, this step should have been obvious, right? If your issue isn't driven by your desire to improve student learning in your classroom, school or community, then you shouldn't be spending your time--or your system's dime---on the effort! In the end, the common ground between teachers and decision-makers is a shared interest in seeing students succeed academically.
What do you think about Lori's plan? Does it resonate with you? Is it something that you recognized long ago? Would you add anything to her list?
Which step do you think is the most important? The most overlooked? The most bothersome to you as a professional?
During a quick conversation with a Teacher Leaders Network colleague of mine named Lori who I happened to cross paths with here in Denver---I picked up some really valuable advice about influencing change from the classroom after asking Lori how she embeds herself in the work of her school and community.
Lori described a systematic approach which I found to be simple---yet brilliant. Here it is:
1. Identify what issue is important to you: In education, there are always going to be hundreds of competing interests. Focused attention on one at a time is more likely to be a manageable task than trying to get your irons in multiple fires at once!
2. Identify who controls the decisions related to your issue of importance: This may sound obvious, but it's harder than it looks. Education is so complex that oftentimes issues will have competing interests and require shared decision-making on the parts of multiple players. Before you can be influential, you have to know who the players are that you're trying to influence!
And let's face it----those players are almost always in positions beyond the classroom. Whether we like that or not, it's the reality of the profession in which we work.
3. Identify what about your issue overlaps with the areas of interest for the decision-maker: Decision-makers have their own agendas that they are driven to pursue---and often held accountable for fulfilling. Looking carefully for areas where your interest overlaps with the agenda of the decision-maker increases your chances of being successful in influencing their decision. Remember that in this phase, it's not about what YOU value---it's about what in your project or idea will be valued by those who make the decisions.
4. Frame your issue around the issues important to the decision-maker: When making your "sales pitch," help the decision-maker to recognize the inherent connections between your area of interest and concern and their own personal areas and concerns. The more connections that you can identify when making your case, the more likely you are to be convincing.
5. Always connect your issue back to student learning: Again, this step should have been obvious, right? If your issue isn't driven by your desire to improve student learning in your classroom, school or community, then you shouldn't be spending your time--or your system's dime---on the effort! In the end, the common ground between teachers and decision-makers is a shared interest in seeing students succeed academically.
What do you think about Lori's plan? Does it resonate with you? Is it something that you recognized long ago? Would you add anything to her list?
Which step do you think is the most important? The most overlooked? The most bothersome to you as a professional?
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