Leadership, Trust, and the Human Side of system change

1. Leadership, Trust, and the Human Side of system change Scott Perry Superintendent Southern Oregon Education Service District

2. Disclaimer…

3. In any change situation… 25% is knowing what to do and 75% is the more difficult area of developing effective processes and conditions. “Leading in a Culture of Change Michael Fullan, 2001

4. Sustained Positive Change Is Generally Very Challenging Work

5. Probably the two greatest failures of leaders are: 1. Indecisiveness in times of urgent need for action2. Dead certainty that they are right in times of complexity.In either case leaders are vulnerable to silver bullets. In the one case, grasping them. In the other, relishing them.Michael Fullan, 2008

6. Why Is It Such A Challenge?

7. Nearly every organization is made up of a “PBS Pyramid” of human beings who are key to system change and sustained implementation.

8. I might be out on sick leave. Been there, done that! Maybe I could try it? Too much to expect of me! Could we get additional training? I’m a professional. I make those decisions. Sounds great! Could I be on the committee? Please??? This is ridiculous! We just need more discipline!!!

10. A Tale of Two Schools

13. Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for Improvement Bryk & Snyder, 2009 Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools Tschannen, 2009

14. Plus… Adequacy & Belonging

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16. 1. High Leadership Trust Trust = Confidence in: Integrity Ability Stephen M. R. Covey

17. The Case for Trust Trust = Speed Cost Trust = Speed Cost

18. Leadership for change requires a 'bias for action, a sense of urgency' and a mix of 'pressure and support'. Michael Fullen, 2001

19. Essential Balance: Elements of Effective Leadership High Expectations/Hard Conversations/Confront the Brutal Facts/Bias for Action Battles Won/War Lost Trust Destroying High Trust Building Behaviors Behaviors Manipulative, dishonest talk Talk Straight (note setting, timing, delivery) “I’m Right” Dishonoring Style Honoring, Respectful Style Affective Imperatives Considers All Points of View Low Information/Low Transparency High Information/High Transparency Prides Self re: Confrontational Style Seeks First t o Understand - Listens Poor Listening Honors Those Not Present Vague Expectations Clear Expectations Fail to Keep Commitments Keeps Commitments Failure to Right Wrongs Positive rebuild after difficult inter changes Leaves “walking wounded” – no repair effort Rights Wrongs No G ain, High Pain Low Gain, Moderate Pain Low Expectations/Avoid Conflict/Ignore Data

20. Become Students of the Space Between Where They Are Where We Think They Should Be

21. Relationship Bank Accounts Remember Adequacy & Belonging

22. Wisdom From “The Little Prince”

23. A few pearls of wisdom from Covey…

24. Building Trust • Build Self-Trust Keep commitments you make to you • 4:1 “Authentic” Positive/Negative Interaction Ratio (Building Relationship Bank Accounts) • Habitually Listen for Understanding • Be Habitually Honest – even in little things “Roddick Choice”

25. Building Trust • Work Toward Congruence “What Gandhi thinks, what he feels, what he says, and what he does are all the same” Mahadev Desai

26. Building Trust • Maintain Humility “Being humble does not mean being weak, reticent, or self-effacing. It means recognizing principle and putting it ahead of self. It means standing firmly for principle, even in the face of opposition…”

27. Building Trust “Humble people can negotiate intensely. They can drive hard bargains. They can express themselves firmly and clearly in intense situations in close personal relationships….”

28. Building Trust “…but they do not get caught up in arrogance, bravado, manipulation, or win-lose power plays. They recognize that there are timeless principles that govern in organizations and relationships, and they try to act in alignment with those principles. They do not seek to become a law unto themselves.”

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30. 2. Staff Cohesion

31. Information Age Management Systems

32. “Connect Peers with Purpose” “The Six Secrets of Change” Michael Fullan, 2008

33. “Show me a cohesive, creative organization, and I’ll show you peer interaction all the way down.”

34. What are the conditions that need to be in place for it to be safe, energizing, and even exciting for teachers to genuinely collaborate?

35. A Starter List… • Trust • Top-down • Bottom-up • Lateral • Time • Structure • Meeting format – “Talk but cook rice” • Data • Material organizers • Celebration

36. Leadership Expectations That Help Foster Staff Cohesion and Lateral Trust

41. Quick Quiz:

42. Essential Balance: Elements of Effective Leadership High Expectations/Hard Conversations/Confront the Brutal Facts/Bias for Action Battles Won/War Lost Trust Destroying High Trust Building Behaviors Behaviors Manipulative, dishonest talk Talk Straight (note setting, timing, delivery) “I’m Right” Dishonoring Style Honoring, Respectful Style Affective Imperatives Considers All Points of View Low Information/Low Transparency High Information/High Transparency Prides Self re: Confrontational Style Seeks First t o Understand - Listens Poor Listening Honors Those Not Present Vague Expectations Clear Expectations Fail to Keep Commitments Keeps Commitments Failure to Right Wrongs Positive rebuild after difficult inter changes Leaves “walking wounded” – no repair effort Rights Wrongs No G ain, High Pain Low Gain, Moderate Pain Low Expectations/Avoid Conflict/Ignore Data

43. Sustained Commitment • 4:1 Positive to Negative Ratio • Keep Data • Celebrate • “Get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus” • Other….

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45. Empowered Team OversightCredible CoachingData FocusStong Communication SystemsFelt NeedSavvy Political Courage