I read something that feels important enough to share.
Transcend, is a national non-profit with deep knowledge of school design. Recently, they released a report sharing how innovative, equitable learning environments must have the “5Cs”: conviction, clarity, capacity, coalition, and culture.
Conviction: A deep and sustaining belief in the importance and potential of the work being undertaken that fuels engagement and ensures it is prioritized.
Clarity: A comprehensive and crisp understanding of the work ahead that provides direction and a path forward.
Capacity: The support of personnel, funding, and time required to successfully design and implement a transformative school design.
Coalition: The support of a committed group of stakeholders who are helping the work become a sustained success.
Culture: Values, norms, and practices that support innovation and learning in the interest of improved opportunities for young people.
If you read all of these, I think you’ll agree that they don’t just apply to education or learning design. They apply to all of us who are trying to make change in the world in some way—especially if that change is big, heavy, or scary.
I’ve reframed these 5 C’s to apply to those of you who are hard at work
It’s not good enough to know why you’re doing something. You need to have the conviction to see it through.
It’s not good enough to know how to make things happen, you need to have clarity around your expectations.
It’s not good enough to have the ability to change something, you have to have an unfair advantage or a disproportionate capacity.
It’s not good enough to have a team, you need a coalition of equally crazy people who are as invested as you.
It’s not good enough to have a set of values on the wall. Your organization must practice what they preach. Culture is really just the behavioral tendencies of a group.
I hope this helps provide some framing and reference points for your thinking as you approach big, heavy, or scary goals.