DuFour and Eaker Chapter 4 - Chapter Outline



DuFour and Eaker Chapter 5 – Clear Mission and Shared Vision (Week 4)

Mission addresses the question of why an organization exists by clarifying its essential purpose.

Vision asks, “What must we become to fulfill our purpose, what future do we hope to create for this organization?

Why a shared vision? The Benefits:

• Shared vision motivates and energizes people

• Shared vision creates a proactive orientation

• Shared vision gives direction to people within the organization

• Shared vision establishes specific standards of excellence

• Shared vision creates clear agenda for action

Building Blocks

Building Block #1 - A New Mission Requires New Actions

• There is an enormous difference between writing a mission and living a mission

• It is time for educators to move beyond the rhetoric of “learning for all” and to embrace that sentiment as the core purpose of their schools

• Align all practices, policies and procedures of your school the mission

Building Block #2 - Shared Vision

• “There is no more powerful engine driving an organization toward excellence and long-range success than an attractive, worthwhile and achievable vison of the future, widely shared.” Burt Nanus

• Shared vision is essential to a successful change process and an absolute requisite for any learning organization.

• The ability to craft and communicate a shared vision is a critical element of effective leadership.

Building Block #3 - Creating a Vision of a Professional Learning Community

• “The process you use to develop a vision is as important as the vision itself.” Ken Blanchard

• A vision will have little impact until it is understood, accepted and connects with the personal visions of those within the school or district.

• Vision should be co-created using a collaborative process to build a shared vision together.

• Creating a shared vision requires engagement and dialogue rather than a monologue, by increasing the level of influence and involvement from all stakeholders.

Building Block #4 - Building Consensus in a Professional Learning Community

Avoid these five common mistakes when building consensus.

• Mistake #1: Leaders Attempt to Go it Alone

• Mistake #2: Leaders Use a Forum That is Ill-Suited to the Dialogue Necessary for Consensus

• Mistake #3: Leaders Pool Opinions Rather than Build Shared Knowledge

• Mistake #4: Leaders Allow for Ambiguity Regarding the Standard for Moving Forward

• Mistake #5: Leaders Set an Unrealistic Standard for Moving Forward

Questions to guide the development of shared vision (Roberts and Smith)

1) What would you like to see our school become?

2) What reputation would it have?

3) What contribution would it make to our students and community?

4) What values would it embody?

5) How would people work together?

Building Block #5 - Evaluating the Vision Statement

1. Does the vision result in people throughout the organization acting in new ways that are aligned with the intended direction that has been established? The effectiveness of a vision statement is not determined by its eloquence, but rather by its ability to promote new behaviors for people throughout the organization.

2. Do people at all levels use the statement to guide their day-to-day decisions

3. Is the statement used to modify structures, processes, and procedures to better align with the intended direction of the school or district?

Final Comments

• “Shared vision or ownership is more an outcome of a quality change process than a precondition for success.” (Fullan)

• Shared vision emerges over time as a result of action, reflection and collective meaning based on collective experiences

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