Emaginos - Engaging Every Child Through Customizing Education
Call us at: 571-222-7195
info@emaginos.com
Unanimity Planning
Why Do We Need It
Transforming an institution as old, large, and entrenched as K-12 public education is an undertaking on a level of size and complexity similar to the Manhattan Project or going to the moon and returning safely. But it is even more daunting given that there is not a central government acency that can simply decide to do it and make it happen. Decisions to transform schools will be made at the local school district level - and there are over 14,000 of them across the country.
Even after the decision is made to transform the schools in the district, there is still a major role for the community to play in ensuring the success of the transformed school.
Unanimity is a planning process that brings together all of the stakeholders from the community and assists them in agreeing to what needs to be done, deciding who will do it, and monitoring and supporting progress towards the agree-upon plan. What follows is a brief overview of the planning process.
It Has Always Worked
Spanning scores of engagements with a variety of organizations and types of issues, the record of user satisfaction with Unanimity Planning is unbroken. This is verifiable by references.
Often skeptical at first, participants always emerge from Summits united as a team, confident they can accomplish new-found goals, and eager to begin plan implementation.
Many times the issues had been deemed intractable or had defied solution by other methods.
Why Has It Always Worked?
What sets the Process apart is the unique way it's put together. The difference-making Process attributes are:
Empowerment - of those living the problems and reliance on them for the answers, is fundamental to the Process.
Leaders must have the courage to trust and empower the citizens or workers and resist temptations to dictate solutions, turn to outside consultants, or duck the problem.
Who Gets to The Table - inclusivity of all affected constituencies is mandatory. Carefully defining both those who can make it happen and those who may derail things if omitted, is a critical Process element.
When drawn from a suffciently representative base, Summit participants become an irresistible force for change.
Purpose Before Process - success or failure flows from carefully defining in advance the Purpose, Scope and Assumptions to guide the Summit. Drawn too broadly, you risk "boiling the ocean" - too narrowly and you lose the essence of the precipitating issues.
Setting - the Process brings together, in a neutral location and environment, constituencies that seldom have opportunities to meet and understand shared values. More often than not, "no constituency is an island." Effective resolution of issues requires involvement of the total community.
Atmospherics and Democracy - unique, time tested Process ground rules stimulate and assure the efficient exchange of all views. Passion and emotion are engendered. Process rules keep dialog focused and head off diversions. No matter what their real life station, all are equal at a Summit and all ideas are worthy of being heard.
Make the Media a Player - media are invited to the party, not avoided. Broadcast and press coverage facilitates public buy-in, and becomes a report card for accountability.
Who Is in Charge - strategy or blueprint development illuminates and drives structural, governance, or organizational decisions.
A de facto picture of "roles and responsibilities" emerges from Summit activities. Assigning responsibility for to-do's reveals, who has authority to take action.
Reward - leaders will earn credit and political capital by initiating a Summit. In return, they must agree to resource implementation and keep faith with the plan presented by the empowered participants.
Testimonials - Unanimity has a long history of assisting communities in planning and decision making. For comments from past participants in the process (including governors and CEOs), click on the "User's Comments" button on the right.
