Have you ever had the joy of attending a conference or workshop and been so energized by the content that you couldn’t wait to get back to the office or the classroom to start making changes? I hope everyone has had the opportunity to experience the joy that learning offers, as well the reward of creating positive change.
We don’t, however, always have this experience. Sometimes it happens that we have a fantastic learning experience but our intention to implement a new plan dissolves with a tsunami of demands as we return to everyday life.
In recent conversations, I see a recurring theme that points to a solution for solidifying our resolve. However, it is so deceptively simple that it might easily be overlooked.
• Carri Schneider, Director of Storytelling and Engagement for XQ Institute publishes a newsletter that identifies five “must see” resources every other week. A recent Give Me 5 publication included Jennifer Gonazalez’s keynote at SXSW EDU. Jennifer noted that enacting learning and change after the conference required, among other things, “finding allies.”
• Michelle McQuaid, best-selling author and senior fellow at Melbourne University’s Graduate School of Education analyzed survey responses from 1,026 US workers and found that change success was related to the opportunity for meaningful conversations. In the report summarizing the analysis, Michelle asserts that “Change is created by the words we use, the conversations we share, and the knowledge that we generate through our interactions with each other.” (Look for Michelle’s next report, available this spring!)
• For a recent blog post, we asked leaders around the world what makes change stick. We summarized their ideas in three categories: Culture, Context and Time. Across the categories, leaders agreed that a “community of positive transformers was essential.”
It is clear that if we want to create change, we can’t go it alone. It is a simple but powerful realization. As we design learning experiences, we must encourage the cultivation of sharing and community if we want learning to translate to action. Exemplars of this understanding are emerging, as is the case with the Embodied Positive Psychology Summit presented by The (WBI) at Kripalu Center in June. This June, WBI will integrate the RISE leadership model, which encourages leaders to “invite others in” throughout the 3-day gathering. If you are interested in learning AND making a positive change in education at all levels—K–12, higher education, adult learning, and coaching , register here!
