The image that comes to mind at first thought is the sailboat. Our district has been on a journey for several years. We began by reading Conyers and Ewy’s Charting Your Course, targeting our organizational values, direction and expectations. The goal was to align the random acts to set forth in the same direction. This reference gave us a glance at one system’s lessons they learned during their journey toward continuous improvement and a model for performance excellence.
As we began the journey, the sails were ripped and torn causing us to depend on the waves in many cases, sometimes even ripples. It was not until the mainsail (Raising Achievement and Closing the Gap Model) was hoisted that the direction was clearly defined for all stakeholders.
As the journey continued, our sailboat was launched into the race amongst many other districts with their own designs of sailboats. In many cases, we came in first in the race to the top. However, in other areas we still work daily to catch up.
As referenced by Schein in Organizational Culture, our organization had become more than group norms, there was a learning climate throughout the various levels. We had moved from a teaching system to a learning system. Staff trainings were at much deeper levels than ever before in the history of the organization. The culture began to change.
Along the way, there were rocks that would bring us to a pause or cause us to tweak the height of sails. However, the mission stayed on course.
Today, our interim superintendent refers to this same course, yet is working on “trimming the sails” based on stakeholder feedback. There is uncertainty amongst the sailors and teams in specific areas. However, the ship is still in route waiting for the direction of the wind to determine the final launch.
5 comments:
I love the sailboat concept. I know that throughout our careers many of us have felt at one time or another that we are on a sailboat at sea. Sometimes we feel that we are in the midst of a storm. It is a wonderful gesture that your Associate Superintendent is seeking stakeholder input? How is he going about securing stakeholder feedback?
That is a great symbol to relate to a school district. I really like how you integrated the concept of competition within the description. I think a school's/district's culture can be improved through competition; it seems to bring people together when pursuing a common goal.
One thing the people need to remember, once you weather the stormy seas and get your sea legs, they can handle any new storms that come there way. The best thing about a storm is there will always be a calm following. So batten down the hatches and hold on. This storm will pass and all will be stronger for the nest one.
It seems that your organization has also developed a shared culture as referenced in Schein's "Organizational Culture." The sailboat is a great symbol as it encounters many waves that have varying degrees of difficulty. Also, the culture (camaraderie) that is required to work together and make the vessel perform and adapting to the changes (winds, waves, sails) in an effort to become one with the vessel and to reach a common goal.
A very good metaphor for an organization. Many of the things a sailboat crew has to do to move forward sucessfully are things an organization needs to do. There has to be good communication, coordination, timing, and skillful execution of tasks. Even something as simple as moving to the windward side to serve as ballast (as in your photo) is important - if the crew refuses to get on the right side, the ship can flounder.
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