Your Own Sphere of Influence

In thinking some more about faculty ownership issues, I want to encourage you to think about your own sphere of influence. As with any change process, there are usually about 10% of the faculty who are right with you from the beginning. These are usually the folks who are strongly committed to students and are already thinking about ways of helping them learn most effectively. There may be some "Maximizers" in this bunch who just naturally see the world through a strengths lens, as well! Then there will probably be about 10% of the faculty who will never be with you on this issue, for a variety of reasons. Maybe they're too near retirement, maybe they're too tired or too busy, maybe what they're already doing is working great for them, maybe the way they see the world is through a lens of improving weakness--and they're highly committed to that lens. Forget about them! No need to waste your time and energy trying to win over these 10% -- unless you have Woo and just can't resist the challenge :)

But that leaves almost 80% of your faculty who will give you a chance to win them over. Some of that 80% are very close to the "early adopters" group and it won't take much to persuade them to try a strengths-based approach to teaching or advising. And let's be honest--some are nearer to the "no way" 10% that will never try this approach. They will need lots of evidence and probably will need to have a positive experience of it themselves and plenty of time to think about it before they'll give it a try with their students. The rest are somewhere in the middle--and will need to be cultivated in different ways.

The point here is that change takes time and a variety of strategies. It takes good communication with the right people at the right time. It takes a winsome appeal and persuasive evidence. You might think about those faculty with whom you already have good relationships and ask them to "pilot" this approach and give you feedback.

But the most important thing is to work within your own sphere of influence--model a strengths-based approach in your own classes or student programs, in your own personal interactions with students and other faculty and staff, in your own way of building a team in your department. As people begin to experience YOU engaging your own strengths as you relate to them and as you accomplish your goals, they may be intrigued and want to find out more. And then you can say, "I'm glad you asked!"