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One Saturday we facilitated a Leadership Retreat for their school board. We assessed organizational health and included a brief introduction on how to properly Sequence messages in order to build trust and engagement.
All went as planned--and then it didn't.
48 hours after the retreat this same board learned that one of their teachers was being arrested for a very flagrant offense. This is one of the most difficult situations that a school can face and it requires wise preparation to navigate the critical communications in a manner that sustains trust and confidence.
Fortunately the leadership of the board and school took copious notes when we shared the first of the Laws of the Grapevine, demonstrating the importance of sequencing messages to build engagement through each layer of influence.
Immediately upon hearing this difficult news, they mapped out the appropriate sequence, carefully choosing specific mediums of communication that supported their goal. They worked together to create scripts for personal meetings, phone calls, and email to share this sad announcement in a purposeful manner.
Note that their primary goal wasn't damage control. That's a self-centered approach that is inconsistent with their chosen mission and culture. Instead they opted to focus on healing for their community and communicating in a manner that fosters trust.
Having used their training wisely and applied a carefully planned Sequence of communication with an appropriate level of transparency, this leadership team has sustained engagement with their faculty and families and strengthened their organizational health in the process. They acted swiftly and confidently because they were prepared.
Every school will face a situation like this eventually, with different degrees of difficult news to share with their community. Have you searched for "Teacher Arrested" lately? It's a scary reality!
Do you have a communication protocol that predetermines how you will respond? The risks are HUGE if you don't.
That's why we're launching a new webinar series, "Creating a Communication Protocol for Maximum Engagement," to get you started on the right path.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
