Mission and Vision: Top 5 Tweets

What are educational leaders saying this week on vision and mission? It's the start of a new school year, and there's no time better than now to ensure we harness the power of a shared mission and vision for the campus. 

Here are my top five from this week on vision and mission statements for school improvement. I didn't have to travel any further than these hashtags: #atplc, #EdLeaders, and #LeadUpChat.

Mission and Vision Statements @DavidJHuber

"Mission/vision statements mean nothing unless our practices each day align to the actual words on the page."

Bam. In one sentence, it's that simple, yet it happens over and over. The implementation gap. We have ideas, plans, and purposes, but they fail to make it to the ground level. And more often, they fail to make is thoroughly at the ground level. It's not hard to fix this though.

In Leaders of Learning, Dufour & Marzano remind us, "The one thing all leaders must remember to be effective is the importance of clarity in their communication"(p.42). Clarity is about focus.

Focus on the mission and the vision. How do they tie into the limited goals and priorities for the year? How have the priorities been limited, so the mission and vision have meaning? What are the multiple methods of communicating (actions, verbal, & written) the mission and vision each day of the next 200 days?

Our action steps must be aligned with our vision and mission also. Go ahead and get a red pen. Strike-through half of the plans your committees wrote down. Not because they don't align, but because over-planning for improvement is a sure way to water down your results. Just do. Learn and live it. A focused plan will always outperform a beautifully long plan!

Compliance vs. Commitment @NatLang1

"Compliance erodes teamwork, motivation, and freedom to give your best."

If clarity in communication is necessary to put mission and vision statements into action, compliance is necessary to put them back out of action. Compliance is good. It is orderly. However, a focus on compliance is erroneous.

Look, we hired you because you're bright, talented, and plainly, awesome. Leadership that understands that will always use the vision statement and mission statement as a structure. It is the framework. The framework guides team-based goal-setting. Beyond that, we unleash the CRACKEN!

Empower, delegate, and let go! People are amazing. Within a powerful framework, we can do incredible things. When we let them go, they get involved. We communicate vision and mission daily in words and action. We follow up on goal progress.

They create. They innovate. They commit. We all win. Each student wins.

When people create the ideas and solutions, they are involved. Involvement spurs teamwork, motivation, and innovation. These are the bedrock of commitment. They are the ingredients of getting the mission and vision onto the ground level to take schools to the upper level!

Employee Morale @MelissaJLaramie

"Employee morale is an organizational issue!"

 If compliance has eroded teamwork and motivation, we have to realize the root to solve the problem. Employee morale is not an HR issue. The human resource department manages talent. Campus leadership empowers talent.

The mission and vision will fall flat, and usually become ill-perceived if we forget this. Donuts, gift cards, and smiles don't lift morale.

Real involvement lifts morale. Enthusiasm toward solutions motivates teams. Knowing that my work is meaningful, impactful, and appreciated, those lift morale.

The Safe Leader @johnjfraney

"Only 1 way 2 avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing & b nothing - Aristotle"

With so many uncertainties, one thing is certain. Leaders are watched and criticized. This forces many into the mindset, I'll just play it safe and maintain.

Read more for 5 Mindsets that End the Fear of Failure

That's the opposite of doing, learning, and living. We need brave and fearless leaders who seek to engage their staff. Who aren't threatening by ideas. Leaders that embrace innovation as a means of improvement and learning. Do, say, and be the mission of your school!

You will be criticized. But involving teachers in school improvement always works. It empowers. It allows their strengths to shine. It gives you reasons to celebrate. It puts solutions in the hands of those facing the daily challenges. 

Take the criticism. Listen to it. Then keep doing and empowering! Be fearless.

Relationships Matter @Joesanfelippofc

"...How do you intentionally build relationships with those around you?"

Sometimes the right question is better than a thousand answers. This question is a reminder. We must be intentional about relationships, even when relationships come natural to some of us. 

Relationships become the organic channels of creativity and innovation. They fuel that passion for our long-term vision. Without relationships our mission and vision are destined to remain on that wall.

Read more on seeking Involvement Rather Than Buy-In