Unlocking Potential: Building an Internal Communications Strategy Melissa McGrath Council of Chief State School Officers July 10, 2018

Unlock Potential Across the SEA “…Inspirational leaders also institute structures and foster the freedom necessary for employees to experiment and innovate. These leaders expect clear and tracked criteria for success, but they also extend trust to employees, enabling them to pursue bold and thoughtful ideas and actions, instead of expecting employees to do only what they are told. Ultimately, inspirational leaders realize their ability to create meaningful impact hinges on the quality of their people on the ground…” - CCSSO Leadership Playbook Imperative: Unlock Potential Across the SEA

Establishing a strong internal communications system takes time, staff engagement and an agency-wide commitment to keep getting better STRENGTHEN DESIGN DELIVER

SEAs can use this framework to develop a system tailored to their needs, using a range of engagement strategies Establish and use solid structures and routines to communicate internally Create ways for employees to seek information and provide feedback Distribute decision-making across teams to build cohesion and encourage collaboration   Set goals and share with staff Create and communicate the timeline Model and reinforce the importance of internal communications and engagement Solicit feedback from staff at all levels to identify areas for improvement Use data to improve initiatives Be transparent about what’s changing and how staff input is used to improve internal communications

State Example: New Mexico Christopher Ruszkowski Secretary of Education New Mexico Public Education Department

Internal Communications in Action First, take 5 minutes individually to consider a recent external communications announcement or event and complete the worksheet at your table. Next, come together as a group at your table and spend 20 minutes discussing: What are 1 or 2 things you did well that you will continue to do in the future? What are 1 or 2 things you might do differently next time? What is 1 idea you heard from a colleague you plan to take home and adapt for your organization?

Share-Out What is 1 idea you heard from a colleague you plan to take home and adapt for your organization?

Now that you’ve used the framework and its principles, what are your reactions? How does this framework compare to the approach you’ve taken to internal communications within your SEA? Which principles work for you? What’s missing? What would you change? What further guidance or tools would be most helpful to support your internal efforts?