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Does Change Have To Be Hard?

How to Utilize Opinion Leaders in Successful Communication of Change

Dr. David W. Vandewalker

An important leadership challenge When reviewing best selling bring about successful change. Simply
directors face is creating and clearly authors’ discussions of vision casting sending an email or a slick graphically-
communicating their vision. As part and communication, there are four designed flyer does not automatically
of the strategic planning of a one-year, key elements that are frequently stated result in successful communication.
three-year, or five-year plan for their in sharing vision to an organization In the scenario described above,
music program, directors evaluate (booster club or the director and
and diagnose the achievements of music program): Dr. Vandewalker the parents on
the current school year and begin 1) crafting a vision will present the board were
planning ways to improve areas that 2) planning “Strategic Plans already convinced
may have fallen short of their goals; 3) announcing, and for a Successful and “received the
thus, prescribing strategies for further 4) monitoring communication”
growth may create a need for change community opinion Booster Club” because of their high
in vision casting. Do you ever feel and support of the on Friday, July 26 level of investment
like some changes go smoothly while proposals. in the organization.
others create stress and make things Additionally, to complete the However, the less-engaged parents may
harder than they should be? Many communication loop there must be an not have even read the communication
valuable visions have failed due to the element to the communication plan about the vision; therefore, a large gap
lack of successful communication. that covers responding because the in the communication loop occurred.
Directors tend to effectively responsibility of clear communication We can create robust response to our
communicate their vision to students falls on the person sharing the vision initiative implementation by tapping
when they get to interact with them or the information (Alda). Often into our opinion leaders. Change is
daily; however, communicating with a times communication fails because often communicated to and through
booster organization, with infrequent nothing happens after step three, the officers of the executive team of
gatherings, can require different the “announcement”. If you’ve had a booster organization. But to effect
strategies. For instance, one director challenges implementing change, change, all influencers need to be
had an idea and the booster executive reflect on what, if anything, was done harnessed. We know this fact because
board completely bought into the regarding the additional elements after of the research regarding the Change
vision, but the program change failed step three. There is a strong likelihood Theory. The advocates of this theory
because parents-at-large were not that the organization fell short in the post that 60% of an organization
convinced. In short, the need for vision implementation, monitoring has to buy in to a change for change
the change was not communicated and response because of failure to to occur. This theory compels us to
thoroughly for parents to understand consider the process involved in the look beyond our executive committee
and more importantly, fully support understanding of the message from the and utilize the opinion leaders in our
the changes proposed. Have you musical parent community at-large. organizations. Utilizing these leaders
experienced a similar situation to this Just as a successful master teacher effectively will bring about robust
scenario? Using some simple tools, spends a significant amount of effort change in an organization. Identifying
this story will be less likely to happen to evaluate and monitor student’s these leaders is critical and they
to you. progress, evaluation is critical in the are often overlooked in a booster
success of vision casting proposals to organization regarding vision casting

Bandmasters Review • June 2019 21 Texas Bandmasters Association