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When I was in college at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, there were several of the same large billboards located around the city. These billboards were advertisements for a State Farm insurance agent by the name of Bart. Sadly, I do not remember his last name and I really wish I could. Each billboard had a cheesy profile photo attached with a massive slogan that read, "Trust me, I'm Bart _______." One of my good friends despised these billboards. She detested them so much that every time we would drive by one, she would yell, "NO BART, I WILL NEVER TRUST YOU!" While this was a comedic response, there was some truth underneath her outbursts. There was something off-putting about these billboards. Years later, when I got my first full-time job and needed to purchase my own insurance, I definitely knew which local agent I was not going to call. Instead, I picked up the phone and called my dad, who got in contact with a friend, who referred me to a trustworthy representative. This story emphasizes what I believe is the most important source of influence: the social aspect, particularly word-of-mouth. Cricket Buchler echoes this belief in the video "Influencer," as she explains that one must harness the power of social influence in order to produce organizational change. Much like the posted signs, encouraging the kids to wash their hands, Bart's billboards had little-to-no impact when it came time for me to make a choice. Rather, I naturally gravitated to relying on my social sphere to help me make the decision.
While social motivation and social ability are significant, they only represent a third of the sources of influences. When trying to implement an organizational change, it is important to try and engage all six sources to produce the most impact. Members of an organization are different; they have different motivations, different perspectives, and different goals. While some are heavily influenced by peer pressure, others more rely on a personal or structural dynamic for motivation. It is important to engage all six sources of influence because you will be more likely to make a connection with the majority of your population.
I came away from this week's reading and viewing with a few connections that I will continue to revisit throughout the implementation of my innovation plan.
Quick-fix solutions fall short; if you want to see behaviors change and new cultures establish, you must be dedicated to the long haul. Oftentimes, we underwhelm an overwhelming problem, meaning we give up too easily. I have seen this pattern before and it is something that is easy for me to forget. Utilizing all six sources of influence will be important to do, rather than approaching this initiative with my natural tendencies of using only one or two.
We must be the first to model the behaviors we wish to see. This is such a powerful truth and one that reflects the type of leader I strive to be. I want teachers to feel supported and that I am fully invested in their growth and the education of our students.
It is imperative to spend a disproportionate amount of time with the opinion leaders of my school. This will be easier said than done, as several of the opinion leaders have helped build a culture that our administration is trying to reverse. However, it truly is plain to see, if some of these influencers are empowered and take hold of this innovation, the social norms of our school will rapidly and drastically change.
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