 | Suppose you land a new dream job leading a district's EdTech team. You worked many years to prepare yourself. You couldn't sleep the night before because your heart is pounding with anticipation. You have a well-crafted presentation, so you think you are ready. You arrive on your first day and stand at the head of the conference table, looking around at the faces of your new team. |
The room is filled with tired eyes and half-hearted nods; most stare at their phones, others exchanging glances as if to say, here we go again.
You are hired to turn things around and get the team fired up about seeking a new bond to overhaul the district's technology program. Performance is lagging, morale is low, and most people are counting the minutes until the end of the day or looking for other jobs. The school system has changed direction so many times that no one knows where it is heading. No one trusts that any new leader will stick around and be successful. You stand there, clearing your throat. Everything you were going to talk about fits differently from this team. So, there you pause. It feels like an hour. You think, how am I going to reframe this meeting?
Get over yourself. No one cares about your background. The team wants to know how you plan to change things and where you will take them personally in their careers and the school district in the future. They want to see how you will add value. They want to make a connection with you. They want to believe in you!
I might consider this. Why not cast your vision first thing before anything else? They already know who you are. Would everyone on the team perk up if you crafted and communicated a clear, inspiring vision that aligns them toward a shared goal? What do you envision their response to be? Influence is when they think, "I don't know where she is going, but I'm ready to pack my bags and go!" A compelling vision can inspire and motivate a team like nothing else.
All that might sound easy, but as EdTech leaders, crafting and communicating a vision takes research and acute articulation. That's where savviness comes in.
A savvy leader has keen insight, practical intelligence, and strategic awareness. They see more than others. And they see it before others. That is why they grasp the big picture and the finer details, enabling them to identify opportunities and get results. For example, has anyone been involved with CoSN's Driving K-12 Innovation project? What a great place to find out what is on the horizon! And there are so many more resources across the EdTech leadership landscape.
But really, think about it. What will you prepare yourself for before that first day on a new job of your dreams? Can you paint a picture of the educational technology landscape, and can you make that picture come alive with zeal? Are you attending CoSN, ISTE, FETC conferences, or state and regional technology clinics? These are events and opportunities to network and connect with the most influential leaders in our field.
What is your current vision or a new vision you are working on? What strategies are you using to craft a new or updated vision? Share your experiences and strategies in the comments below to inspire and learn from your peers.
You are hired to turn things around and get the team fired up about seeking a new bond to overhaul the district's technology program. Performance is lagging, morale is low, and most people are counting the minutes until the end of the day or looking for other jobs. The school system has changed direction so many times that no one knows where it is heading. No one trusts that any new leader will stick around and be successful. You stand there, clearing your throat. Everything you were going to talk about fits differently from this team. So, there you pause. It feels like an hour. You think, how am I going to reframe this meeting?
Get over yourself. No one cares about your background. The team wants to know how you plan to change things and where you will take them personally in their careers and the school district in the future. They want to see how you will add value. They want to make a connection with you. They want to believe in you!
I might consider this. Why not cast your vision first thing before anything else? They already know who you are. Would everyone on the team perk up if you crafted and communicated a clear, inspiring vision that aligns them toward a shared goal? What do you envision their response to be? Influence is when they think, "I don't know where she is going, but I'm ready to pack my bags and go!" A compelling vision can inspire and motivate a team like nothing else.
All that might sound easy, but as EdTech leaders, crafting and communicating a vision takes research and acute articulation. That's where savviness comes in.
A savvy leader has keen insight, practical intelligence, and strategic awareness. They see more than others. And they see it before others. That is why they grasp the big picture and the finer details, enabling them to identify opportunities and get results. For example, has anyone been involved with CoSN's Driving K-12 Innovation project? What a great place to find out what is on the horizon! And there are so many more resources across the EdTech leadership landscape.
But really, think about it. What will you prepare yourself for before that first day on a new job of your dreams? Can you paint a picture of the educational technology landscape, and can you make that picture come alive with zeal? Are you attending CoSN, ISTE, FETC conferences, or state and regional technology clinics? These are events and opportunities to network and connect with the most influential leaders in our field.
What is your current vision or a new vision you are working on? What strategies are you using to craft a new or updated vision? Share your experiences and strategies in the comments below to inspire and learn from your peers.
*To see more blog posts from The Savvy EdTech Leader authors or purchase the book, visit our website at https://www.savvyedtechleader.com/. The first chapter is Beyond Vision Statements, and it contains specific strategies for crafting and communicating your vision!