Latin GLP Strategic Planning Presentation NAIS 2014

The La'n School of Chicago Randall Dunn Charlie Gofen Kirk Greer

Greenwich Leadership Partners Stephanie Rogen Liz Hardwick

AGENDA 1:00pm Welcome and Introduc'ons 1:15pm Context and Strategic Warm Up 1:30pm InflecGon Point 1/Process and Leadership 1:45pm InflecGon Point 2/Securing Buy In

2:00pm Break 10 minutes 2:10pm InflecGon Point 3/ Values Feedback 2:30pm Case Study-‐Break out Groups and Discussion 3:00pm InflecGon Point 4/Engaging Students 3:15pm Break 5 minutes 3:25pm InflecGon Point 5/Decision Making 3: 40pm Where LaGn is Now 3:50pm ReflecGons and Wrap Up 4:00pm You’re ready for planning!

2 ©greenwichleadershippartners 2014

Why We’re Here

To demysGfy strategic planning


Why We’re Here To learn from each other

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©greenwichleadershippartners 2014

Introduc'ons: Crea'ng Context Think about your school: What are you proud of?


La'n’s Context Key Ques'ons: •  Why did you decide to this when you did? •  How did you decide on the scope of planning? Key Factors: •  New Head of School •  125th Anniversary •  Narrowly Defined Scope •  Previous Plan •  Endowment Campaign


Framing the Process

What’s Ahead? Future visioning

External forces and trends What do our students need?


Framing the Process What Do We Value? What’s Missing? What Needs to Change?


Framing the Process

Who Do We Need to Talk To?

Who Makes Decisions? How Do We Communicate?


Framing the Process

What kind of change are you looking for?

TRANSFORMATIONAL? INCREMENTAL?


Let the Planning Commence

That was the easy part. Now it’s 'me to work…

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Inflec'on Point #1: Process and Leadership

Call to Ac'on: Decide how to structure your strategic planning

process – who is involved? How?

Ques'ons to Consider: •  How do you create an opGmal structure for strategic

planning? •  Who drives the process? •  Who should and should not be involved?


LATIN REVEAL: Process and Leadership

Fusion between leadership – Head of School, Board and faculty

Head of School

Board of Trustees Faculty

Commi]ees to include faculty, parents and alumni Commidees

Faculty

Parents

Alumni


KEY TAKEAWAYS: Process and Leadership

1)  The Head must be comfortable with the leaders of the strategic planning process.

2)  The Strategic Planning Commidee (SPC) should include representaGon from key consGtuencies (including faculty from each division of the school, administraGve staff, parents, alumni and trustees).

3)  SPC members should all be engaged in the work and should be individuals who can serve as ambassadors.

4)  Engage the Board early on -‐ they must have ample opportunity to weigh in on mission, vision, values, strategy and policy.

5) Use an experienced consultant to facilitate the SPC meeGngs and the Board retreat.


Inflec'on Point #2: Securing Buy-‐In Call to Ac'on: Manage the hopes, concerns and expecta;ons

of key people.

Ques'ons: •  How do you handle pushback in your school? •  What do you do when key people disagree?


LATIN REVEAL: Securing Buy-‐In We asked up front: “Please voice your concerns”. Then we asked people to trust in the process and explained why.


KEY TAKEAWAYS: Securing Buy-‐In

1)  Loop back through the process to ask “How are We Doing?”

2)  Invite people to offer soluGons to concerns or challenges they surface.

3)  Document the work; document progress.

4)  Recognize how concerns/worries and pushback strengthen the process; acknowledge those who offer it.

5)  Maximize the odds of buy-‐in for our plan by engaging all

consGtuencies in our process, acGvely listening to their ideas, and adjusGng the strategic plan in light of their input.


BREAK

Reading: Aligning Ac;on and Values by Jim Collins Break Time: 10 minutes

Or we’ll send this guy after you…


Reading Reflec'ons

•  Do you know when you’re on Mars? • Where do the values really manifest in your daily life and pracGce?

• Where do you feel that there is a gap?


Inflec'on Point #3: Values Feedback

Call to Ac'on: Ar;culate or confirm your values and define their role in strategic planning. Ques'ons: •  As you think about strategic planning, how will values drive the end result?

•  How can you take a discussion of values, which feels very lony and high level, and connect that to strategy?


LATIN REVEAL: Values Feedback

Examined alignment with mulGple stakeholders (trustees, faculty) – “Stop, Start, ConGnue” Exercise Surveyed students, parents and alumni

Where were we operaGng in alignment with values?

Where was

there work to do?


LATIN REVEAL: Values Feedback

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KEY TAKEAWAYS: Values Feedback

1)  Values drive you to innovate. Broad goals force you to see the interconnecGon of programs and pracGces. Examples: EducaGonal excellence and wellness. EducaGonal excellence and diversity.

2)  Values enhance stakeholder engagement and commitment in plan process and implementaGon.

3)  Values ground decision-‐making, enable clear communicaGon of raGonale, and enhance school confidence in face of “off-‐message” consGtuents.

4)  Value discussions inspire parGcipants to reflect on the needs of the community, not parGcular interests.


Breakout Ac'vity – Athle'cs Case Study

Read the case and discuss the following ques'ons:

1.  Given the compeGng viewpoints, what process and criteria should the Strategic Planning Commidee use to make decisions on how to handle athleGcs in the strategic plan?

2.  What role should the Head of School play in decision making? The Board of Trustees?

3.  How do you maximize buy-‐in for the strategic plan when you are invariably forced to make choices during the process that disappoint some people?


Inflec'on Point #4: Engaging Students

Call to Ac'on: Determine what role students will play in your

strategic planning process.

Ques'ons: • Why would you engage students in strategic planning?

• When would you engage students in strategic planning? When not?

•  How do you engage students in a serious reflecGon on their experience at the school?

• What type of strategies would you use? 27


LATIN REVEAL: Engaging Students

We commided to engaging students because we believed they were essenGal voices – and that our plan would not hold up without tesGng our values and prioriGes with them. We sought: •  Advisory feedback from the Upper and Middle School •  Values feedback from the Lower School using a

teacher designed survey


KEY TAKEAWAYS: Engaging Students 1)  Do not rely on a small group of students at outset to shape direcGon;

rely on the quality data you have. 2)  Student voice can be producGve grades 4-‐12; engage all divisions. Don’t

be saGsfied with self-‐selected student group. Aim for universal parGcipaGon.

3)  Appropriate Gmeslots built into your schedule already, not isolated “morning breakfasts.”

4)  Include students at a decisive mid-‐point of process. Revising “official” drans lends credibility and enables impact of student voice.

5)  Use faculty to design student feedback sessions carefully; use solid pedagogy to engage mulGple learning styles, sustain adenGon, achieve universal parGcipaGon, and avoid groupthink.

6)  Create experience of simultaneity so students don’t think in isolaGon, but are more likely to think of the enGre community.


Inflec'on Point #5: Decision Making

Call to Ac'on: Figure out how to incorporate feedback, make choices

and communicate decisions. Ques'ons: •  How do you synthesize feedback and test it with your community?

• What can you do to build consensus around the final decisions?

• What do you do when consensus isn’t possible?


LATIN REVEAL: Decision Making

Process of learning that leaned heavily on feedback loops:

Solicit Input

Test

Collect Feedback

Assess and Learn

Hypothesize

DECIDE THE COMMUNITY

THE COMMITTEES


KEY TAKEAWAYS: Decision Making 1)  Use a consultant to provide structure and expert guidance, to give

you external perspecGve, and to allow you to parGcipate in the conversaGon without having to facilitate.

2)  The Head must trust in the process and delegate responsibility to the strategic planning team instead of micromanaging.

3)  At the same Gme, the Head must determine when to step in, perhaps based on confidenGal informaGon he or she has, to make certain decisions along the way.

4)  The strategic planning team should make sure that anything included in the strategic plan has the support of the Head – this is essenGal for successful implementaGon.

5)  Seek to build support and commitment from key consGtuencies during the strategic planning process for new prioriGes and programs (such as LaGn’s wellness iniGaGve).


Where We Are Now


Thoughts on Implementa'on

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1)  Head communicates that all faculty will have opportunity to assist with implementaGon.

2)  Synthesize implementaGon with accreditaGon self study or your accreditaGon stage.

3)  ConGnue model of administraGve/faculty co-‐leadership. Example: Wellness Commidee chaired by MS director and faculty member.

4)  Expect that plan language is used in internal and external communicaGon to jusGfy decisions.

5)  Ensure the Board remains engaged; develop a mechanism for regular updates and discussion.

6)  Don’t forget feedback loops; test, learn, incorporate feedback, and adapt process and pracGce.


Thoughts on Implementa'on

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Move in two tracks:

1.   Put points on the board. •  Create confidence in plan by moving quickly on iniGaGves in

the school primed to move forward – success begets success!

2.   Tackle the BHAGs in the plan. •  IdenGfy highly moGvated community members across

grades and divisions for long term commitment. •  Begin with wide brainstorming process and don't let

assumpGons about feasibility interfere. •  Clarify decision making process so incremental, concrete

steps to achieve BHAGs are evaluated and then backed by appropriate authority.


Reflec'ons •  What were you surprised by?

•  What might you try at your school?

•  What would you like to learn more about? 38


Resources

•  Jim Collins, Aligning Ac;on and Values •  Roger MarGn, The Big Lie of Strategic Planning •  PresentaGon Key Takeaways •  LaGn’s ImplementaGon Takeaways •  Case Study on AthleGcs in the Strategic Plan •  LaGn 10th Grade Values Cloud •  LaGn Lower School Values Feedback Form •  LaGn Upper School Student ReflecGons on Values


Let Us Know How You’re Doing

Greenwich Leadership Partners •  www.greenwichleadershippartners.com •  [email protected] •  Twider: @StephanieRogen The La'n School of Chicago •  www.la'nschool.org •  [email protected] •  [email protected]


Latin GLP Strategic Planning Presentation NAIS 2014

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