One of the strategies we have developed to begin moving people through change is to examine the underlying forces of support and the roots of resistance to change.  To discover these factors, ask the staff to answer two basic questions:

• What are your hopes regarding this change (schoolwide planning)?
• What are your concerns regarding this change (schoolwide planning)?

Principals initially view these questions with skepticism.  Some common reactions are: "Maybe these questions are better left unanswered!" or "When we've got so much to do, is this a good use of our time?" or "Can't we just do it?"

What we have learned in working with schools is that not asking the questions about their concerns may result in people digging in their heels.  Also, more time and resources are spent later in dealing with resistance.  Ultimately, the worst case scenario is that the effort fails.

Looking at individuals' hopes provides powerful motivation to move them toward the future.  Their concerns are their fears--real or perceived--that inhibit staff from committing their time and energy to overcome the obstacles inherent in any change effort.  Understanding their concerns guides us in dealing with those fears and in helping them find ways to remove the obstacles to success.

What we found was that there are commonalities as hopes and concerns were discussed.  Some of the common hopes that are disclosed include:

• It will make learning interesting.
• It will improve the school.
• Parents and the community will be involved in the school.
• Positive working relationships will be fostered.
• There will be follow through during the tough times.

This list is probably not surprising; however, it can serve as a vision when the staff is looking for direction.

The most common concerns that are unveiled include:

• There is a lack of time.
• Teachers won't be committed to seeing it through.
• Support by the administration, parents, and community will not be continuous through the effort.
• The dollars and human resources are not adequate to sustain the effort.
• It's a fad among many fads that schools have endured.

Again, this list is not surprising.  It is good information for the principal and the school improvement team because the staff has now unveiled the path to ensuring the change effort is a failure.