The Whirlwind and The WIG…

It has been a whirlwind like no other for the start of 2018-19. I have experienced it and seen my teachers push through it.

One thing I began reading at the start of my new position, as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Virtual Arkansas, was The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Covey, Huling, and McChesney. This was for a lot of reasons, but mostly because I know myself. I always bite off more than I can chew and end up accomplishing very little and feeling very defeated.

I had bought the book in February, heard how amazing it was for focusing your goals, and how powerful it could be for an organization. I just wasn’t ready, yet.

In the meantime, I discovered the beauty of audiobooks. Yes, I know, I am way late to this party! I read several other books via audiobooks. Then in late June, I felt the “nudge” to revisit “4DX.”

I downloaded the audiobook and partnered it with the actual book. I devoured it. It hit the very area that is my greatest weakness. I am the person who always sets too many goals. I am the person that has ten New Year’s Resolutions every year (and I usually keep/reach three of the resolutions).

I shared the ideas with my Director and started to find ways to implement some of the strategies of “4DX” with myself and Virtual Arkansas.

I will be honest. I came in late to the game on this one with the teachers. Most of them already had their personal growth goals related to the teacher evaluation system set before they had left in May, prior to my arrival. However, most have jumped on board. The Wildly Important Goal we have for our organization is flexible enough that their own personal growth goals still apply with minor tweaks.

I have had moments that I have had to have one on one sessions to explain the process. I even created a power point to better explain the structure of the WIG in relation to the organization, their PLCs and them personally. I think we are getting there.

The other piece is the cadence of accountability. It has become part of the structure of our PLCs and at the end of every PLC meeting, people meet with an accountability partner to make commitments or plan steps that work toward their personal growth goal(s) or WIGS (and they only have 1 personal growth goal and 1 PLC goal).

How are we doing? I am not sure I can measure it, yet. However, when I am in PLCs and talking to teachers they are mindful of their goal in a way I have not heard teachers talk about goals before.

I realize the implementation is far from perfect. I am eager for this to possibly become a book study/club reading for our organization at some point. I know it is making a difference in how I lead and the way I lead. I am hopeful that in the same way it is making a difference in me, it is making a difference in my teachers and as a result, our students are reaping the benefits!

How are you and your teachers embracing the whirlwind and moving forward with their WIGs?