Beyond School Improvement: The Journey to Innovative Leadership Carol Commodore, Ed.D. Leadership, Learning and Assessment, LLC NAESP Conference, April 10, 2010

World Is Changing at an Incredible Speed  Digital speed and innovative technology are affecting every aspect of our lives ▫Communication ▫Economies ▫Information ▫Occupations/Professions ▫Family life ▫Learning

Today’s Elementary Students Will Retire Around the Year 2065 What will their world look like? What will their world look like? What will prepare them for a world that we cannot even imagine? What will prepare them for a world that we cannot even imagine?

WHAT WILL STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW AND DO FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY?WHAT WILL STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW AND DO FOR THE 21 ST CENTURY?

The principal goal of education is to create people who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done— people who are creative, inventive discoverers. Jean Piaget, renowned child psychologist and educator

The illiterate of the 21 st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Alvin Toffler, author and futurist

Schools for the Future? Can our schools continue to be what they have been and still prepare our students for an ever-changing world?Can our schools continue to be what they have been and still prepare our students for an ever-changing world?

More Than Just Improving Our Schools, Innovation is Also Needed to Meet Today’s and Tomorrow’s Challenges

Technical Problem Adaptive Challenge ⌘  “Redecorating” Solve problems with what you already know “Remodeling” A new way must be learned to solve problems Source: Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press CHALLENGES THAT LEADERS FACE Leading for improvement Leading for innovation

“Indeed, the single most common source of leadership failure we’ve been able to identify—in politics, community life, business, or the non- profit sector—is that people, especially those in positions of authority treat adaptive challenges like technical problems.” “Indeed, the single most common source of leadership failure we’ve been able to identify—in politics, community life, business, or the non- profit sector—is that people, especially those in positions of authority treat adaptive challenges like technical problems.” Source: Heifetz and Linsky (2002) Leadership on the Line, Harvard Business School Press

Technical Problems & Adaptive Challenges  One leader’s technical problem is another leader’s adaptive challenge and vice versa.  Leaders face both types of challenges

 Are you approaching changing yourself, your team or organization for the future as if it is a technical problem, or as if it is an adaptive challenge?  Are you hoping to help your organization get better or become different? How? Take a Moment

The important challenge facing all leaders within organizations is to realize that both improving and innovating are necessary and that both need to be a part of their leadership repertoire. The important challenge facing all leaders within organizations is to realize that both improving and innovating are necessary and that both need to be a part of their leadership repertoire. Source: Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

Improve or Innovate?  It involves knowing when to do which—when to seek solutions within existing practice and when to seek solutions beyond what is currently possible.  Redesigning is making something different than what it is now without abandoning the essence of the system in place

ATTRIBUTES OF INNOVATIVE ORGANIZATIONS  Choose to be disturbed  Self-referencing  Amplification  Engagement

 Choose to be disturbed… means that you choose to be open to an experience regardless of how uncomfortable it makes you feel trusting that it will result in something better means that you choose to be open to an experience regardless of how uncomfortable it makes you feel trusting that it will result in something better

 Self-referencing … occurs when we reference a circumstance against a vision, mission, set of beliefs, or principles to guide our thinking and creative energies occurs when we reference a circumstance against a vision, mission, set of beliefs, or principles to guide our thinking and creative energies

 Amplification… the process by which an idea gains strength and grows into something we may not have thought even possible

 Engagement… when a new idea emerges and is allowed to engage with existing ideas to see what will develop along the way

Where am I at in my ability to nurture the Attributes of Innovation? Mark which of these characteristics your leadership encourages … and to what degree. Disturbance:  Minimizing disturbances………..Moving into disturbances  Looking for quick fixes……….....Exploring deeper issues Self-referencing:  Referencing needs of self……….Referencing “big picture”  Referencing current practices….Referencing preferred state SELF-ASSESSMENT: Attributes of Innovation (To Do)

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader. John Quincy Adams Leadership

Important Distinction Leading for improvement and leading for innovation require different leadership attributes. Improvement values:  Quantitative measurement  Regulating  Stabilizing  Controlling variables  Standardization Innovation values:  Ambiguity  Uncertainty  Letting disturbances create imbalance – creating the space for renewal and adaptation

It is …easier for leaders to praise innovation in theory than to support it in practice. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, author and professor

Develop the Courage to Leap Within youWithin you ▫Courageous Conversation Within the organizationWithin the organization ▫Creating the conditions where innovative leaders can emerge from anywhere in the organization

Leadership Courage...  possessing the ability to let go of past practice when necessary, to move into the void of uncertainty, take adaptive action while at times having only minimal information, and to develop the trust that allows others to follow to the new destination.

Innovating While Also Improving  Requires a different mindset; involves innovative leadership practices ▫Embrace dissonance ▫Create context ▫Change field of perception ▫Let ideas collide Source:Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

Embrace Dissonance  Means developing sensitivity to disturbances; to notice information that is inconsistent with your current mental models ▫Yields to uncertainty/ambiguity ▫Is a humble learner who makes connections ▫Uses dissonance as a creative force ▫Chooses to be disturbed Source:Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

Create Context  Means to create a well-articulated and deeply understood shared purpose where everyone knows why they are there and they feel free to act within that purpose to better the organization. ▫Creates freedom through referencing a shared vision and purpose ▫Keeps a structure through referencing policy/procedures Source:Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

Change Field of Perception  Means changing your perception with new information and feedback; viewing information in relationship to forming new ideas and amplifying their meaning ▫Increases the flow of information in the system ▫Encourages people to interact and interpret the information for themselves, creating ownership and empowerment Source:Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

Let Ideas Collide  Is about creating the conditions for new responses to become the new norm—for the old ways to be replaced by new ways ▫Perceives order as an interactive process ▫Holds together the bouncing around of ideas through common purpose; new order comes about through structure and freedom ▫Understands that change is not linear Source:Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman and Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement., Corwin Press

ExampleExample As a team explore the following questions:  As an organization, do we view dissonance as a foe or an ally? Why or why not?  Is our organization currently committed only to stability and control or are we willing to move toward an environment of uncertainty and messiness?  What issues must we address right now? What courageous conversations must we have with ourselves and others? Team Conversation Starters

Innovation events occur when new ideas are tried; innovative culture occurs when new ideas become ingrained in the way work is done. Dave Ulrich, author and professor

Improvement Orientation Innovation Orientation Leader’s roleCreate stability Use instability to create meaning & relationships Important mindset Certainty and predictability Uncertainty and ambiguity Overarching value ControlTrust Source: Davidovich, Nikolay, Laugerman, Commodore (2010), Beyond School Improvement: The Journey to Innovative Leadership, Corwin Press

Action Planning for the Innovating the Way You Lead Where do I want to be?Where do I want to be? Where am I now?Where am I now? How do I close the gap?How do I close the gap?

LEADERSHIP “Excellence can be attained if YOU …CARE more than others think is wise …RISK more than others think is safe …DREAM more than others think is practical …EXPECT more than others think is possible.” Author Unknown

Contact Information  Pauli Nikolay   Carol Commodore   Bonnie Laugerman  Websitewww.beyondschoolimprovement.com

Shaping Leadership for Innovative Schools and Districts When: August 4-5, 2010When: August 4-5, 2010 Where: Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WIWhere: Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, WI Cost: $385 by June 15, $400 after June 15: includes cost of the seminar, continental breakfast, lunch, our book and seminar materialsCost: $385 by June 15, $400 after June 15: includes cost of the seminar, continental breakfast, lunch, our book and seminar materials For more information or to express interest: or call For more information or to express interest: or call