Communicate your leadership approach with others

Consider which audiences you’ll need to communicate your Theory of Leadership with. 

For example, if your Theory of Leadership represents a major departure from the way you have previously organized and led learning, you may need to share it with those you lead, system or organizational leaders, and other colleagues. 

If the Theory of Leadership you have captured is similar to the tacit approach you have been using, it may be helpful to consider how you will share it with outsiders (e.g., peers in other organizations) or newcomers to your organization (e.g., new hires, a new cohort in a network). 

Mark down those audiences, and keep them in mind as you develop your pitch.

Navigate to the Tell Your Leadership Story activity template, and craft responses to each of the following prompts, inspired from Dan Roam’s Show and Tell: How Everybody Can Make Extraordinary Presentations.

Roam, D. (2016). Show & tell: How everybody can make extraordinary presentations. Portfolio/Penguin.

As you discuss each prompt, capture notes under each storyboard frame. 

• The windup: What does your current system look like? When you started your Theory development process, you investigated your system, asking stakeholders to provide insight into how they currently navigate leadership and learning structures. Now is the time to share your findings. Be honest about the current landscape, emphasizing the assets and strengths that stakeholders bring to your system’s work.
  
  
• The vision: What is the beautiful future you’re pitching? Paint a compelling picture of the learning and improvement community you are looking to build, drawing from the vision you crafted in Phase 2. What will the learning community look and feel like? How will it differ from the systems that you have previously been part of? Your job is to communicate how such a system will move you toward the equity-driven outcomes you care about, including impacts for staff, students, families, and communities.
  
  
• The pitch: As a system leader, what is your role in helping realize that vision?  Here’s where the meat of your pitch comes in. Offer your audience two competing strategies for reaching your vision: one that is untenable and another that is both compelling and possible (your Theory of Leadership).
  
  One straightforward way to do this is to juxtapose a common leadership model that most staff will be familiar with—like bureaucracy—against the Leading Through Learning approach you’ve outlined. 
  
  
• The close: Why is your preferred approach the path forward? Make a case for why your approach is the more effective road toward your vision.
  
  
• The fine print and flourish: What support do you need to do to make this happen? Finally, be honest about the investment you will need to operationalize that approach and make your vision a reality. Outline how your audience can support and participate in the effort, and emphasize one final time why it is worth their time.

Review your notes and polish until there is a clear storyline.

Craft talking points for each part of your pitch.

If possible, limit your pitch to 5 minutes or less. Consider how you will need to adapt the pitch for different audiences.