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Does Change Have To Be Hard?

and affecting change. Typically, opinion leaders are booster if I were an opinion leader? And then communicate those
members that often have second or third tier positions in answers. Remembering that people draw a conclusion
the organization or are active only in a serving role or may through three key steps: 1) thinking about the matter,
not be serving at all but other parents view them as “people 2) absorbing it, and 3) considering or ruminating upon
in the know”. They wait for these parents’ reactions before it (Clampitt). Acknowledging these steps can assist in
making their own decisions. These leaders have a huge awareness and communication with opinion leaders.
influence on programs. For successful change to occur, it To garner the full support of stakeholders and opinion
is imperative to garner support from all opinion leaders. leaders always remember people respond to new messages
There are several ways to gather support from these in a variety of ways. Some only hear aural messaging others
leaders including linking all new decisions, plans, programs take action through print. Communicate through multiple
to your mission and mission statement. This strategy channels to harness the best response. Then allow time
protects the integrity of the program, undergirds the logic for rumination, discussion, and response. This time of
of the vision and reinforces the primary goals of your response will allow the opinion leaders to provide positive
organization. For instance, if your mission statement support to all stakeholders in the communication loop.
includes providing short-term goals for long-term growth So, if you are considering making a large, small, short-
in performance achievement, you may want to plan a spring term or long-term change in your organization, remember
trip performance opportunity. Consider linking that decision the key elements of vision casting:
to that fact that this trip will allow the organization an • craft a vision
opportunity to receive noteworthy national-level evaluation • plan the implementation including identification of
and assessment compared to a local or regional opportunity, opinion leaders
as well as providing a short-term goal of aiding and building • link new decisions to your mission statement
organizational health, social community and sense of family, • stress the thinking behind the decision
soft skill/life skill experiences while celebrating making- • visualize how your team will interpret the suggested
music together outside of the daily routine. changes
Another way to announce your vision is to stress the • announce the vision
thinking behind the vision. Allow your team to “get into your • monitor and evaluate the responses of all the
head” so they glimpse your heart as well as your thought stakeholders noting if the communication loop is
process. Your entire team will follow your lead when there is complete (sharing the change and stakeholders receiving
little speculation about “why” of your decisions. the information).
Finally, bear in mind that your team will interpret your Affecting change often feels like a necessary evil; however,
message. They look at things through the lens of how the change does not have to be hard when incorporating
idea affects them personally before considering the impact a communication plan that considers the perspectives
on the organization. Think through your vision regarding of all stakeholders and effectively implements a fully
outcomes for individuals and your musical organization communicated vision.
and offer rationale to meet support for both implications. Sources:
Key elements of vision implementation are: 1) the ability Alda, A. (2018). If I understood you, would I have this look on my
face?: My adventures in the art and science of relating and communicating.
to visualize how the idea will affect and impact the lives of
Random House Trade Paperbacks.
others, 2) anticipate the variety of responses to the vision Clampitt, P. G., & Williams, M. L. (2007). Decision downloading. MIT
Sloan Management Review, 48(2), 77.
and 3) strive for a deep awareness of your opinion leaders.
Vandewalker, D. (2017). Boosters to the rescue: a handbook for
Ask yourself, “Why would I care about this topic or change educators. GIA Publications.

Bandmasters Review • June 2019 22 Texas Bandmasters Association