My first job out of college was in sales or , "business development." I heard, "time kills all deals" on a near daily basis. We also lived our day-to-day work by building relationships and making connections. We felt if the relationship was there, the business and sale would come more easily and more quickly. We worked with a sense of urgency because we knew the outcome would benefit our partners, as well as our business.
This continued in my classroom and in my schools where I felt that if I built solid, trusting relationships with my students, families, and colleagues we had a better chance of making great things happen. Today, as I continue to work in schools, we are often tasked with helping school and district leaders see WHY they need our products and programs over others. In Asker (2014), we learn that Mahatma Gandi said, "The difference between what we are doing and what we are capable of doing would solve most of the world's problems." My work efforts center around partnering with others that care deeply about literacy and solving campus or district woes. We don't start by talking data, budgets, and calendars or deadlines. We ask what pain points are present. We ask what has and has not worked in the past. We ask all stakeholders what outcomes they are reaching for. Once they know we have those same goals and mission in mind, that our WHY matches theirs, we all know our partnership can be successful.
Asacker, T. (2014). Why TED talks don’t change people's behaviors: Tom Asacker at TEDxCambridge. YouTube. Why TED Talks don't change people's behaviors: Tom Asacker at TEDxCambridge 2014
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