Crucial conversations can help me move my innovation strategy forward by addressing issues upfront and always keeping my goal in mind and still caring for others. Here are some tools to remember when having tough, but crucial conversations:
Get unstuck: Making sure that you get everybody’s input during a conversation helps to keep you from becoming stuck in any negativity that follows a tough subject. As a leader, we need to be aware that everyone has feelings, and views on what is actually occurring.
Start with the heart: What do we really want? Self-differentiated leaders need to be clear on what their goal is. This allows them to always be focused, and return to dialog centered around their goals. In my dance classroom setting, this could be conversations between my students, administration, parents, and me. I want them to remember that the goal is to have authentic work that shows how far they have come in their learning.
Learn to look for signs: This, to me, is extremely important when working with others, but especially students. There are so many different personalities that you will come across, and as leaders, we need to really pay attention to cues when speaking with others. Some people are uncomfortable with saying when they feel uncomfortable or emotional, and if you catch these signs it’ll be easier for them to talk about it.
Make it safe: I want my students to always be comfortable with trying their best. I want them to know that their thoughts, opinions, and words matter. Creating a safe place for my students to create authentic work and speak freely is very important to me.
Master my stories: It is very easy to create stories about others in your head. When starting conversations with others, it’s important to be aware of the things that you are sharing. Make sure that those stories will help your organization.
STATE my path: As a dance director, there are many conversations and actions that need correcting. When trying to implement e-portfolios, this might look like explaining why different decisions are essential. As a self-differentiated leader, it is essential that you are assertive, yet respectful when having these conversations.
Explore other paths: As a leader, it is important that you make people feel comfortable talking about their feelings even if they are highly emotional. In order to do this, you must be empathetic when listening and really seek to understand before trying to be understood. For me, this would be listening to my students when they have concerns, but also listening to admin and parents.
Move to action: This is where self-differentiated leaders need to remain focused on what the end goal is. As a leader, it is important to encourage brainstorming -especially when trying to implement e-portfolios. One thing I definitely want to encourage is problem-solving, because many students lack this skill. I would like to focus on asking open-ended questions like, What needs to be done next to reach our goals?
I believe that if I apply these steps I will be able to effectively implement my innovation plan and help my students grow. I will be able to have tough conversations with not only them but parents and administration that will keep us all focused on the end goal of success for our students.
References:
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High" by Al Switzler, Joseph Grenny, and Ron McMillan
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