Each time I meet with Matt, a local reverend, I come away with new ideas—and last week was no exception.
I used to drive past Matt's church, and each time I was struck by the packed parking lot. "What's going on that attracts so many people?" I wondered. So I asked the church leader to meet me for coffee. Although we differ in our jobs, backgrounds, and ages, Matt and I share an interest in engaging the members of our organizations and in facilitating people's growth. I find it helpful to exchange ideas with noneducators, and I sensed I could learn from him.
Giving Everyone a Voice
Last week, I started our coffee conversation by asking Matt to tell me about the new building his church was planning. His church has expanded since we first met, and I knew they had broken ground on a new facility. At our very first meeting, Matt had told me that older churches like his typically weren't built with a large vestibule, and that this lack of space makes it more difficult for people to gather and for a church leader to create a feeling of community.
"The planning has been great," he responded. "A wonderful way to involve everyone and build community." He talked about how he and the architects had met with focus groups to learn what people desired in a new church building. They had talked to parishioners, children in the church, volunteers who held leadership positions, and staff members.
Matt's enthusiasm grew as he talked about how everyone was engaged in the process. "We met and met and met because I knew it was important to be very public and clear about what was being said and what we were thinking. You see," he continued, "the actual design decisions were going to be made by a small group, myself and three other people. So it was essential to take time to solicit input and give everyone a voice in a transparent way."
He then told me about the cool features of the planned new building, including—not surprisingly—a vestibule that would be as large as the worship area. There would be spaces designed for young children and other groups with particular needs. Matt pulled out a small box with a virtual-reality headset attached to it, into which he inserted his smartphone. When I peered through the lens, I saw a 360-degree, 3–D rendering of how the space would look when construction was completed. "Everyone loved looking through these!" he said.
I could see why. Yet while the goggles and the views they offered were quite the technological marvel, I found myself dwelling more on what Matt had shared about how his community arrived at the decisions that were depicted through the virtual reality glasses. That process was a marvel, too!
Getting Beyond the "What"
When we plan, we often focus exclusively on the "what"—the end product. What's the goal, how will we achieve it, and how will we know whether we were successful? Those are essential questions that we certainly should ask; it's important to begin with the end in mind. But they aren't sufficient. We also need to focus on the "how," the decision-making process.
Focusing on the decision-making process begins with setting a timeline that's reasonable but also conveys a sense of urgency. It also includes deciding who will be integrally involved in making key decisions—perhaps as part of a committee or task force—as well as determining how people who are invested but not as involved will be able to give input and stay informed. Failing to consider and be transparent about who will be involved in decision-making—and how—increases the likelihood that we will have difficulties in implementing our plan.
Matt showed this understanding when he began describing his new building by explaining the process they had used to involve, engage, and inform all stakeholders. Telling me about the features of the new church (and using the cool virtual glasses) happened afterwards.
As I reflect on the decisions I made as a principal—from curriculum to carpool to construction—there was almost always a direct relationship between how many people I included in the decision-making effort and how successful the outcome was. Greater involvement meant a better decision and stronger support in implementing it. Things went better when I applied more energy to seeking input and was transparent throughout the process, including publicly sharing how I arrived at the decision and my rationale. This approach increased everyone's engagement.
This was true for personnel decisions, too. In decisions about people's lives, of course, there's a very different standard for confidentiality, so involvement must be limited to one or two other people. But precisely because this area is so important, we need to ensure that our decisions are correct, which becomes more likely when we appropriately involve others in the process. When confronted with a difficult personnel situation, for example, I always talked with my assistant principals. I was more confident when I gathered their perceptions before I made the decision.
Planning as Community Building
We need to remember that planning—whether short-term planning for a goal we must meet by the week's end or strategic planning that uses an outside facilitator and takes months—is more than a way to determine what will happen. It's also an opportunity to engage others and build community. As we plan to plan, we need to give thought as to how we can create a stronger community from the process as well as from the eventual decision and its implementation.
I'm already looking forward to my next meeting with Matt.
Author's note: I describe my first meeting with Matt in my April 2012 "Principal Connection" column.
