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In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
Smart Planning During Times of Complexity and Uncertainty
Attempting to plan efficiently and effectively during times of complexity and uncertainty can be an incredible challenge. Very few aspects of what will be reality in the fall are clear right now. Yet, we need to do all that we can to be prepared for whatever may come and be expected of us. Nevertheless, we do not have to be paralyzed, or adopt a wait and watch stance—nor do we have to have endless plans to cover every eventuality.
The key to planning during this time is to match our planning approach to the circumstances and environment we face. As examples, if we knew the conditions we will face in the fall and all the variables were clear, we could develop a single plan with a sequential set of steps to take us from where we are to where we need to be. Even if we faced a challenge with a couple of unknown variables and relatively stable conditions, we might develop a Plan A and Plan B to cover the options and implement the plan that best fits what develops.
Now in the face of greater complexity and uncertainty, many school leaders are developing multiple plans based on a set of alternative scenarios. The hope is that at least one of the plans will match the circumstances and expectations that emerge in the coming weeks. Obviously, this approach provides more options and increases the chances of being prepared. However, development of multiple plans requires time, effort, and resources when all these are scarce. Further, even with the development of multiple plans, at best only one plan is likely to be implemented. Thus, much of the time, effort, and resources will be wasted.
Consider taking a more flexible planning approach that will allow adjustments as conditions become clearer and variables begin to narrow. We can focus on what is known while developing a variety of ideas, options, strategies, and tactics that can be combined as needed to formulate our approach when we are ready. In this approach, start by clarifying what will likely be the outside parameters of what lies ahead, or what will not happen. For example, it is unlikely that school will open in the fall with full face-to-face instruction as was common before the pandemic. On the other hand, we can assume that learning and instruction will take place in some coordinated form. These two outside parameters define the boundaries. Between them lies the potential to offer online, blended, some modified in-person instruction, some community-based learning, and other forms of learning support. Our staff may have developed some additional innovative practices to draw upon. It may even be that some parents who had a good experience this past spring will want to remain involved even though they do not want to engage in home schooling. Use your skills, imagination, experiences, and network to identify even more potential components. The key is to identify a range of options and possibilities on which you can draw when needed.
By considering a robust set of options that might be integrated into your ultimate approach to school in the fall, you will have full flexibility to quickly select components and craft a strategy that will serve the needs of students. Meanwhile, you will not have to abandon or radically change plans that no longer fit the circumstances you face. Further, you and your team will be better able to make real-time adjustments and switch out components as conditions continue to change and realignment is necessary.
In Your Corner, Student Learning
Positioning, Promises, and Positive Ideas for Success
Decision #1: How will you position yourself?
There are three decisions you must make in order to build an image of trust and confidence for you and your schools. It is vital that you make these decisions now. They will become the rock-solid pillars you need to lead during this time of uncertainty.
The first decision you must make is to choose how you are going to position your school or district in the community. This means deciding that you will purposely build the image of your school or district instead of just “letting things take their own course.” How you position yourself and your school is vital. For instance, during this crisis you can position you, your school, or your district as one who will do everything possible to ensure the safety and continuous learning of your students and staff, or choose to lie low and bend in one direction and then the other depending on who is applying the pressure.
One thing is certain: A superintendent, principal, or teacher who isn’t positioned to build trust will never acquire the freedom necessary to give the best possible education for students. Often, because we haven’t decided how we wish to position ourselves, we send mixed messages to those we lead. One day our decisions appear student-centered, the next day they appear teacher-centered, or administrator-centered. When this is the case, those we lead are confused—consciously or subconsciously—and can’t support our actions because they can’t follow them.
The most professional position we can choose to take is to create and maintain a student-centered philosophy. As long as every decision has the welfare of students as its foundation, we’re on defensible ground—even when we err. A close look will reveal that its only when we are not student-centered that we don’t have a valid defense.
Once we are positioned appropriately, we need to consider our second most important decision: making a promise.
Decision #2: Make your students, staff, parents, and community a promise. Emphasize delivery make sure they know you are delivering.
The second most important thing we can do to establish an image of trust and confidence is to make our publics a promise—and then deliver. The most desirable promise we can make is that we will give each and every child a great education—even despite current circumstances. It’s the best promise we can make to gain and keep a position of trust, respect, influence, and leadership. But without a plan for continuous communication of our promise to our communities, we must realize that people will never know we are making any promises, much less keeping any.
There is a management law called the Law of Positive Reinforcement. This law relates: In the absence of positive reinforcement from appointed leaders, negative human attitudes and behaviors are most likely to emerge from the group being led. In a nutshell, this means that not only do we have to make our students and our communities positive promises, but we have to repeat those promises over and over again in a variety of ways to prevent the negative from emerging and dominating.
The question now is: “What can you promise in a time of fear and uncertainty?” The truth is, there are many promises you can make. You can promise that you will do everything in your power to keep students and staff safe. You can promise that you will support teachers to deliver creative and rigorous lessons whether in-person or online. And you can promise that as soon as you have information that is useful to your various publics you will deliver factually.
The central issue is this: You have the opportunity every day to take some of the worry, concern, and fear out of people’s lives and to create the positive focus we want and need to function effectively—just by making promises you intend to keep. We should never make promises we can’t fulfill. However, there are promises we can make for those things we are already doing or know we are going to do. Remember, teachers, educators, and leaders who position themselves and their organizations as worry relievers and helpers are always considered valuable and enjoy the best reputations.
Decision #3: Build your image on positive ideas.
Unless we build our image on positive ideas for helping students and teachers find success, what we are saying about the merits of our school or district is unlikely to match reality. It takes positive and enthusiastic ideas to make people notice what we are doing for children—and to cause them to develop good feelings about us as well as take the action we want them to take to support us.
The fact is this: Many of the positive ideas we need are already in place. We’re doing fantastic things with and for children. But if these methods, techniques, and successes are not common knowledge to your publics, they have little value in building an atmosphere of trust, confidence, and support.
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
In Your Corner, Student Learning
Communication, In Your Corner
In Your Corner, Leadership and Change Management
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Share your story and the tips you have for getting through this challenging time. It can remind a fellow school leader of something they forgot, or your example can make a difficult task much easier and allow them to get more done in less time. We may publish your comments.
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