School Leaders As Agents of Change In The

“Turnaround Process” of Any School Organization

Denise Michelle GambleDr. Kimberly A. McNeal

Retired Turnaround Specialists/Education Consultants

IPA Education Leaders Summer ConferenceJune 12, 2015

Lisle IL

University of Virginia

• Partnership for Leaders in Education – Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and Curry School of Education

• Improving Low-Performing Schools - Virginia School Turnaround Specialist Program (UVA-STSP)

• Strategically combine the most advanced thinking in business and education to meet the unique demands of managing and governing schools and schools systems, proving that by engaging leadership at all levels and aligning those efforts, all students can learn at high levels

Getting the right people in the right seats on the bus…

• Brutal Facts – staff, curriculum, students, parents and community

• What is your current reality?

• How can we improve student achievement and staff capacity?

7 Components of Strategic Planning

1. Building Partnerships

2. Turnaround/Comer Model

3. Teambuilding

4. Data Analysis

5. Performance Targets

6. Professional Development

7. Balanced Scorecard

Principal Coaching/Mentoring

• Support in Leadership

• Reflection

• Networking

• Guidance

• Morale Support

• Building Capacity

Coach versus Mentor

• Collaborative and starts from coaches strengths

• Coach targets specific areas of concern

• Coaches asks open-ended questions in order to strategize solutions and facilitate problem solving

• Coaches do not give advice; provide encouragement and promote continuous improvement

• Coaches hold protégé accountable for using innovation and using their strengths to get results

• Coaches offer objective perspective and support protégé’s efforts to try innovation

• Experienced helping the less experienced

• Mentors are role models• Focus on political skills and

encourage self-development• Provide advice on career next steps• Mentor-protégé relationship works

well in a new career or new role

Adapted from Talent Management Magazine, Valerie Pelan, February 2012

Temperament Survey

DIRT Temperament Survey

The DIRT temperament Survey is designed to help collaborative partnerships work better by identifying strengths, weaknesses and motivators.

Utilize the Temperament Survey with Staff

• Promote collaboration

• Identify staff strengths and weaknesses

• Identify extrinsic and intrinsic motivators

• Promote staff/team effectiveness

• Promote effective communication between staff

• Decrease resistant/toxic behaviors

• Develop an action plan for promoting school/ team goals

Why Is Coaching/Mentoring Important?

• Being at the top is lonely

• Everyone needs guidance

• You don’t know everything

• Time management

• Development of your personal vision

• Leadership is not a self directed activity

What Is The Role Of A Coach/Mentor?

• Role Model• Advisor• Colleague• Friend• Motivator• Teacher/Coach• Mentor• Strategy Advisor• Influencer

Coach/Mentor Match

• Accomplished/Experienced• Credentialed• Motivational• Connected• Respected• Good Listener• Dependable• Supportive• Thoughtful• Honest

Coaching/Mentoring Attributes

• Life long learner• High level of Integrity• Committed• Resourceful• Focused• Level Headed• Reflective• Ethical• Personable• Savvy• Positive Mindset

Attributes of the Protege

• Positive Mindset

• Life long learner

• Good listening skills

• Open to feedback

• Reflective

• Risk taker

• Honest

• Strong leadership foundation

Vision/ Activities/Goals

Timeline Plans Completion/Outcomes

Obstacles/ Notes

Mentor/Protégé Action Plan

Temperament Survey June 2015 Online Survey June 2015 Discuss with Mentor

Complete Baseline Survey June 20, 2015 June 25, 2015 Review with Mentor

Leadership Team Meeting July 1, 2015 Designated Staff Reps July 7, 2015

90 Day Entry Plan July 6, 2015 District Supports/School August 2015 Discuss with Mentor

Staff

School PD Calendar July 10, 2015

Data Team Meeting July 15, 2015 District Reports July 20, 2015 Present to Staff

Plan First Staff Meeting July 20, 2015 Leadership Team July 25, 2015

Create School Teams July 20, 2015 School Staff July 25, 2015

Good To Great

• Good is the enemy of Great!• 90 Day Plan• New Vision/Mission• Strategic Planning at a high level• Significant change in how we operate and achieve

goals!• The time is NOW!• Collaboration!• Teambuilding!• We must have an unwavering faith that we can and will

prevail in the end!!!

First 90 Days

• Assess our strengths and weaknesses

• Analyze brutual facts – challenges/opportunities

• Negotiate for Success

• Secure early wins that establish our credibility to build our team

• Continue to build our team and connect with influential support coalitions –

Michael Watkins

10 Elements of Turnaround Leadership

1. Define the gap as the overarching goal

2. Attend initially to the three basics – literacy, numeracy and student’s well being

3. Tap into people’s dignity and sense of respect

4. Ensure that the best people are working on the problem

5. Recognize that all successful strategies are socially-based and action oriented – change by doing rather than elaborate planning

10 Elements of Turnaround

6. Assume that the lack of capacity is the initial problem and then work on it continually

7. Stay the course through continuity of good direction by leveraging leadership

8. Build internal accountability linked to external accountability

9. Establish conditions for the evolution of positive pressure

10. Use the previous nine strategies to build public confidence –Michael Fullan

Strategies for Change

• Communicate Vision and Mission

• Communicate a Sense of Urgency

• Building Professional Learning Network

• Increase expectations for all Stakeholders

• Accountability for All

• Motivate All Staff through the Change Process

Eight Step Process of Successful Change

• Create a Sense of Urgency

• Pull Together the Guiding Team

• Develop the Change Vision and strategy

• Communicate for Understanding and Buy In

• Empower Others to Act

• Produce Short-Term Wins

• Don’t Let Up

• Create a New Culture – John Kotter

Changing the Culture

• New Attitude – think different; change behavior

• Walk the Talk

• Inspect What We Expect

• Believe IT!!!

• Achieve IT!!!

CHANGE IS…..

• A process – not an event

• Accomplished by individuals – not institutions

• A highly personalizes experience

• Involves developmental growth –Michael Fullan

Obstacles

• Time

• Funding

• Staffing issues

• Resistance to change

• District Reorganization

• District shift in priorities

• School closings

Built to Last…Your Charge!

• Highlight a continual sense of urgency!

• Create momentum!

• Sustain momentum!

• Sustain results…increase student achievement!

• Continual reflection!

• Continuous improvement for everyone –administration, teachers, students, parents and community!

Words of Wisdom

• To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but dream; not only plan, but also believe. – Anatole France

• What gets measured gets done. – Tom Peters

• Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. – Andrew Carnegie

Words of Wisdom

• What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve. –W. Clement Stone

• I don’t believe anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it. – Mike Ditka