Alaska School Leadership Institute 2012
Rural Alaska Principal Preparation Project
May 31, 2012 – Communicating a Vision
Captain Cook Hotel
Anchorage, Alaska
Facilitated By
Al Bertani, Senior Design Consultant
RAPPS Program
Alaska Staff Development Network
CREATING A VISION ROADMAP
COLLABORATING
Where do good ideas
come from – How do you
involve others in creating
the vision?
STRATEGIZING
How do you build short
and long-term strategies
to help catalyze the
vision?
CLARIFYING
What is the problem you
are trying to solve?
Creating a vision
that serves as the
glue to hold things
together and
makes sense to the
mind and the heart.
VISIONING
How can the vision be
communicated simply,
motivate people, and
coordinate actions?
IMAGINING
What’s the vision or goal
that describes the new
desired state in a compelling
way?
Communicating A Vision
May 31, 2012
Al Bertani, Session Leader
Having a strong vision or goal does not
ensure that people will intentionally buy-in to
make the
change/improvement/transformation
that is required. Leaders have to examine
their communication styles, communication
patterns, and how to make the vision “sticky”
for people across the organization. Actions
speak louder than words so building buy-in
requires multiple methods and a commitment
to stay on message consistently.
COMMUNICATING THE VISION ROADMAP
INFLUENCING
How can you engage
“other influencers” in
communicating the vision
or goal?
DIAGNOSING
How do you meet people
individually in the
change/improvement/tran
sformation?
Building buy-in
requires multiple
communication
methods and a
commitment to
stay on message..
SIMPLIFYING
What makes for a
simple yet compelling
vision?
PRACTICING
How can you turn your vision
or goal into a laser speech?
MOTIVATING
How do great leaders
inspire action?
HOW LEADERS INSPIRE ACTION
TED Talk - Simon Sinek
The Golden Circle – Working from the Inside-Out
➨ Why
➨ How
➨ What
Biology of the brain – Neo-Cortex and Limbic Systems
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
Pitching a New Product
➨ Brainstorm a pitch for the CFL – Light Bulb
➨ CFL bulbs last longer than standard bulbs (7 vs. 1 years)
➨ CFL bulbs consume 75% less energy when operating
➨ CFL bulbs cost more than standard bulbs ($6 vs. $3 – 4
pack)
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
Step 1
Rejoin your partner from yesterday
Step 2
Find another duo to become a quartet
Step 3
Take 6 minutes to prepare your pitch
Step 4
Use 2 minutes each to deliver your pitch
Step 5
Nominate the best pitch from your quartet
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
➔ Simple
➔ Unexpected
➔ Concrete
➔ Credible
➔ Emotional
➔ Stories
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
SIMPLE
Simplicity is about finding your core message and
sharing it in a compact way.
 Army Battle Plans – Commander’s Intent
 Southwest Airlines – THE Low-Fare Airline
 Hollywood Pitches – Speed is Die Hard on a Bus
What is the simple message of your vision/goal?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
UNEXPECTED
Unexpectedness is about grabbing people’s attention.
 Surprise them by breaking the pattern
 Surprise them by violating their expectations
 Surprise gets their attention – Curiosity keeps it
How will you capture the attention of everyone to
engage them in the improvement agenda?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
CONCRETE
Sticky ideas are usually concrete – they are
expressed in sensory language.
 You can picture them in your head
 Velcro theory of memory – Placing hooks
 Concreteness creates common language
How can you make the ideas of your improvement
efforts more concrete?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
CREDIBLE
Credibility makes people believe in your ideas.
 Don’t use data only – Use Convincing Ideas
 Use the human-scale principle when using data
 Testable credential - Are you better off?
How can you make your improvement efforts more
credible?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
EMOTIONAL
For an idea to stick, it needs to tap into something
people care about.
 Talk about the consequences of ideas
 Appeal to Self Interest – WIIFY principle
 Consequence Models – Identity Models
How could you strengthen the emotional appeal of
your improvement efforts?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
STORY
Stories prompt people to act via simulation –
showing people how to act – a via inspiration –
providing the energy and motivation to act.
 Swapping stories is mental training - Visualization
 Stories inspire and motivate
 Stories help people springboard – see differently
What stories can be developed about your
improvement efforts?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
1. Work with Your Partner from Yesterday
2. Take 5 minutes to Write Down Your Thoughts
3. Use the Making It Stick Criteria to Shape Your Ideas
4. Deliver Your Laser Speech to Your Partner (3 minutes)
5. Have Your Partner Provide You with Feedback
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
Evaluate The Laser Speech Using the MIS Criteria
CRITERIA
COMMENTS
Simple
Unexpected
Concrete
Credible
Emotional
Story
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
MAKING IT STICK:
COMMUNICATING THE VISION
How can the vision be communicated simply,
motivate people, and coordinate actions?
➨ What makes for a simple yet compelling vision?
➨ How can you turn your vision or goal into a
laser speech?
➨ How can you engage “other influencers” in
communicating the vision or goal?
Drawn From Made to Stick; Heath and Heath; Random House; 2007
Our Learning Session…
… In Review
 How do leaders inspire action?
 What makes an idea stick when its communicated?
 How could you use your laser speech in your work?