Education Law

Rubber ... meet Road: Leadership Day 2010

It's leadership day again, something that is quickly becoming a CASTLE tradition. My previous leadership day posts are here and here. This year, I thought I would keep it simple and just reflect on a year's worth of statewide reform efforts here in Kentucky and some lessons learned and challenges ahead. 

I've not posted much about it here on the blog, but for the last year I have been dedicating a TON of my time to a new reform effort in Kentucky. It's sort of hard to put a name on it, but over time we have been branding it as the 

1. People are most important. In Austin a few months back when we were working with the Stupski and CCSSO folks they asked us to really narrow down the issues we were facing in Kentucky and potential roadblocks that we needed to address. After some tense conversation (see point 5) we really and unequivocally honed in on the fact that everything was either possible or impossible based on people. Not money, not time, not partners, not laws ... people and people by a longshot. Everything else can be negotiated with the right people. 
2. People need a plan. A real one, with the right other people involved. In the first 9 months or so of this P20 project, I spent almost all of my time building real plans that existing folks in the system could understand and participate in. It is an intellectual battle more than anything else to first convince people big time change is possible (don't underestimate the number of folks that have simply given up on such change) and second convince them that working together down a common path makes sense. To do this kind of very hard persuasion, you need a real plan and then you need other people to vouch for that plan. This is hard and takes time, but you must maintain patience through this phase. Meetings after meetings after meetings, most of which don't move the needle all that much. But, when a critical mass of people start to develop around a plan, they begin to vouch for it amongst themselves and jump on board. 
3. Big can be better. People like big ideas and naturally seem to gravitate to them. An statewide reform idea has to be big by nature or I don't think it will work. The idea has to be big enough that everyone can see themselves in it, from teachers to state leaders. Plus, the bigger the plan, the more the credit for it can be shared. We benefited greatly so far because our idea has been bigger than UK alone. Other universities can find a role in this plan and take leadership roles, even getting credit for components of it. Sure, big is harder to manage and harder to deliver, but just like gravity, the bigger the idea and plan, the more people that can naturally gravitate toward it.   
4. Time works against you. Just accept it, there is not going to be enough time to get even 1/4 of what you want to or think you can get done. As statewide reform unfolds, some people are going to wind up disappointed, but make sure you at least complete some projects. There has to be something to point to, even if that something does not please everybody. So, build in enough time to at least get a few projects finished.  
5. Tense conversations are usually good conversations. So, coming out of law school I was quite used to tense conversations. One (generally) learns how to disagree without being too disagreeable. But, educators are not at all used to tense conversations. After some of the tense conversations in the past year, the educators in the room came out thinking I was some sort of jerk. But, avoiding the tense conversations just prolongs the agony and wastes time (see point 4 above). 
6. Branding is critical. My nemisis on campus here is UK PR and we butt heads most frequently over branding issues. Branding is as much political as anything else because it is a statement of ownership - and people feel like they need to own things or at least feel comfortable with their 5 second analysis. I don't exclude myself from this feeling as I have consistently fought for independent branding from UK, which, of course, annoys UK PR. Just be aware that branding 
7. Want to know what's going on ... build a website. I'm convinced that there is not a healthier process for organizations, especially start up organizations, than building a website. The categories, the colors, the clarity ... it's all there. You have to know who you are before you can tell others who you are. I'm not happy with the current P20 website (or our story), so for the last few months I have been working on a new website (and a new story). For instance, initially I used yellow based colors with smattering of blue. But, this gave an impression that P20 was too distinct from the COE, which uses a distint style of blue. So, we switched and learned something about ourselves in the process. This will happen a lot as you build your movement's website.  
8. Sacrifice and Bravery (or Stupidity). Every time you want to do something different and keep your job, it is going to involve risk. Something is going to have to be sacrificed and to do so it is going to take bravery on the part of the reformer. For me, this has translated to neglecting traditional tenure requirements. Now, I'm not an total idiot so I am planning to clear the tenure bar, be it traditional or not. But, rest assured, my levels of traditional productivity could be much higher. This neglect might cost me money and it might eventually cost me my job. But, it is a risk I am willing to take. And, you must be to. At least 1 person has to roll the dice. Some people are going to call you stupid under their breath and in rumors ... that's when you know you are in the right zone. When people tell you that you are stupid to your face ... pull back a little. 

Full post as published by Edjurist on July 30, 2010 (boomark / email).