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Assignment #4 Cultivating Change by Improving Leadership and Culture

Due August 6, 2017


Michelle Rochel
What is Evidence-Based Leadership?
Evidence-Based Leadership is not a progam, rather a set of processes or guidelines to assist
leaders in creating high-performing school systems. This framework guides leaders in moving
from an episodic change to continuous change. A new mindset is now needed to work with this
continuous change. Today, we use student achievement to measure teacher evaluations. We
create national standards and testing. We have Common Core State Standards. We implement
the school report cards and have the results available to the public. We are in competition with
global assessments. It is the responsibility of our educational leaders to improve these system
changes.
Some components, or values, have stayed the same being an educator. These values include
passion, fortitude, a willingness to learn, and a desire to work that has purpose, is worthwhile,
and makes a difference. Passion is why we do what we do. It is the value of believing in people, even
when they may not believe in themselves. It is setting the stage for success and looking for the positive in
all students. Once this is established, it is critical to share this with every student. Focusing on the positive
creates a sense of trust and positive relationships. There also needs to be a focus of I Can, rather than I
Cant. When people only focus on sharing the negative with an individual, it can cause those to give up
or not feel worthy because there is a perception they are not good enough at something.
Another value that has stayed consistent is fortitude. Fortitude is the strength of character. Fortitude is
about being resilient or recovering quickly from difficulties. Change is difficult. Many times leaders
present challenging messages such as not having the funds for new resources, or having difficult
conversations with those who are low performers. It truly is getting back on the saddle each and every
day in efforts to accomplish your day to day responsibilities.
A willingness to learn is another consistent value. This shows others there is a commitment to be a better
leader. The leader then shares this information in a way to assist others become better leaders. As
mentioned in the book, a desire to learn is in a leaders DNA.
When leaders have a desire to do work that has a purpose, it is evident. Leaders want to make a difference
and want to help others who have lost sight of their own purpose. Leaders not only need to role model this
value, they need to hardwire others to keep living the school mission and values of doing what is best for
the student on a daily basis.
Educational-Based Leadership is a set of guidelines that asks the question Will this make it better?
and Then, lets make it better. This is a barrier to overcome when implementing change. Change is
difficult, but it does not have to negative. When changes are being communicated, begin with indicating
the why component first. Effective communication in why the change needs to be made to create better
compliance. Then, the what and the how are better received.
Leaders go through four different phases of individual change. The phases include: unconsciously
unskilled, consciously unskilled, consciously skilled, and unconsciously skilled. These phases help to
create a better leader in finding out what you do not know, practicing a skill to make it better, knowing
what right looks like, and completing something without any reminders. These phases are important in
understanding where they are as individuals as well as where others ar. This leads to having different
conversations and actions plans in place.
Nine Principles:
1. Commit to Excellence
A commitment to excellence is based on setting goals. It is also based on improving
accountability in efforts to achieve the goals. One looks at where they currently are and
where they want or would like to be as goals are set. Goals could be in areas of growth,
finance, service, and quality.

2. Measure the Important Things


A school setting has many components to measure and address. Student achievement is a
critical piece to measure, study, and report results. Other components include parent
satisfaction and teacher and staff retention. If we do not research what can be improved,
we do not have the data to study and make necessary changes.

3. Build a Culture Around Service


This principle deals with creating a best-place-to-work standards. It identifies clear
expectations of proper behavior of all individuals. This environment provides a place for
students to learn, staff to work, parents to send their children to a positive learning
environment and receive a top-notch education, and teachers to teach.

4. Create and Develop Leaders


An effective leader does not do all the leading independently. Being an effective leader
is not about being the brightest star in the night sky, but making sure all the stars shine.
~Orion Group
We need to coach and develop leaders so they can assist others in the workplace. This
principle aids in creating an atmosphere where all are achieving their highest potential.

5. Focus on Employee Satisfaction and Engagement


People want to feel recognized and supported. It is up to the leader to create an
atmosphere of care and concern. Leaders need to take the time to gain input and find out
what is working well. They also need to take the time to find out what can be improved
proper development opportunities or when generating new ideas. Another piece in
creating employee satisfaction is rewarding and recognizing people through handwritten
notes.

6. Build Individual Accountability


Ownership. Each person should be accountable of modeling and living the established
standards. It begins with the top leadership such as superintendents and school boards and
continues to every person in the building. Examples include interacting with each other,
achieving measurable results, reporting progress to one another, and spending money in
the most efficient and effective ways. To me, it says, I need to present myself in a
positive way when people are watching, and especially when I think no one is looking.
It also means being a team player, rather than sitting back and watching everyone else do
the work.
7. Align Behaviors with Goals and Values
Our values and behaviors have to align with the goals set. A mind-set is created when
attempting to achieve goals. A positive approach is necessary as we focus on the goals
stated.

8. Communicate at ALL levels


Communication is a vital component of leadership skills. This principle incorporates all
the other principles together. Effective communication creates an awareness of what is
happening in a building. It provides information that shares progress and where we can
make improvements.

9. Reward and Recognize Success


Do the right thing, even when no one is looking. When a person is recognized for doing
good, the behavior then is repeated. Rewarding and recognizing success is an easy piece
to incorporate throughout the day. As we recognize positive behaviors at all levels, a
culture of excellence is created. When others observe the recognition, it is a means to
encourage others to do what is right.

All of these principles are meant to be used together. Besides communication, no one
principle is more important than the other. The Nine Principles are used to create a
balanced set of results.

A change I hope to implement is to have all homeroom teachers contact parents for each
student via phone conversation two times per trimester. The positive phone conversation
would be documented on the communication log and used as a means of conversation. It
shows a commitment to excellence as a goal has been set. This goal presents an
opportunity to measure the success of a building. Through an established culture of doing
what is right, students are able to learn, and teachers are able to teach. If some teachers
need assistance in contacting parents, other teachers can coach them of what to say and
provide a script, if needed, to build that skill. I believe this change also creates a sense of
employee satisfaction. Teachers are finding the good in all students, rather than focusing
on the negative. All teachers are involved in making the phone calls. Communication
logs will help all to be accountable and be a team player in focusing on the positive.
This change would be communicated with the teachers at the beginning of the year to
explain why this is an important change being implemented. Communication would also
include sending home this information in the first Principal Page. When a parent receives
a positive phone call, they have information to start a conversation with their child. The
child has been recognized as doing what looks right. The teacher can be recognized as
doing something positive through the eyes of the child, parent, and administration.

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