The Installation

The Four Disciplines of Execution are an easy, proven formula for achieving new goals within your organization. The thing that most undermines the ability to execute goals is what Covey calls the Whirlwind: those urgent tasks that must be done simply to keep an organization alive. As he shows, the only way to execute new, important goals is to separate those goals from the Whirlwind. Following Covey’s lead I have designed an implementation strategy that will allow educators on my campus to execute a change in behaviors that limit student growth and productivity, ensuring that everyone on the team understands the goal, knows what to do to reach it, and visually see whether progress is being made.

In developing an implementation strategy that I and my team/colleagues will eventually apply, it was crucial to identify what I needed in order for the strategy to be successful. That one thing is openness.

Being open to change, the process, the accountability, the communication. Openness. We as educators have to be open to focus on one goal at a time. Many people dislike change and would rather continue to do what they’re already familiar with and openness allows us all the freedom to explore better ways to serve our students. Take a look at the way openness will happen in our organization.

The Disciplines

• Focus on the wildly important (WIG)

- For our organization, the WIG it is to have blended learning in every ELAR classroom go from 2% to 98% by August 2019.

• Act on the lead measures - blended learning in ELAR classes to differentiate learning - separate small outcomes vs. leveraged behaviors - swap traditional lessons for online/digital learning - collaborate on blended learning techniques using google drive for tracking & documentation

• Keep a compelling scoreboard - as teachers successfully implement blended learning score will be kept by the IC (instructional coach) - as a team incentives will be determined wholly and individually

• Create a cadence of accountability - praise the scoreboard - look at moral & motivation boasters for those who did not reach the target “YET” - make declarations for the upcoming week (leaving room to adjust the current week if necessary)

The Stages

Stage 1: Clarity

Everyone must be clear on what we are doing and the goal attached. Clarify the WIG

• streamline if needed

• discuss lead measures - blended learning in ELAR classes to differentiate learning

• discuss lag measures - the number of students who perform better as a result of blended learning

• loop in admin. to get their thoughts and additional approval if necessary

Stage 2: Launch

As we launch blended learning in each ELAR classroom teachers will attend a PD session during in-service days to clear any misconceptions and to drive their independent motivating factors. We will:

• realistically dissect where we want students to go & what we want them to achieve

• look at ways blended learning is already being used on campus

• go over the “why” if teachers are still not as engaged as they could be

• look at what was not working and how blended learning can take us there

Stage 3: Adoption

Once blended learning has been introduced in each ELAR classroom the focus will be on:

• productive moves to impact the scoreboard

• refocus on lead measures

• teacher accountability to ensure blended learning is taking place and being utilized effectively

• help teachers who are struggling to manage the WIG

• use the Influencer Model to help motivate and support teachers through the whirlwind

• keep the scoreboard accurately updated & have incentives in place

Stage 4: Optimization

Keeping in mind the success and failures of each other will help us grow and execute better we will:

• ensure the team is fully on board

• taking ownership of the process

• encourages team members to clear a path for each other

• recognize potential failures and successes before modeling

Stage 5: Habits

Defined as a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. The goal is to create habits that:

• are met

• allow teachers to be comfortable and confident

• openly share

The 4 Disciplines in action.

Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change: 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.

McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2012). The 4 disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly important goals. New York, NY: Free Press.