Strategic planning with social networking tools

Source: SmartBlog on Education in partnership with GreyED Solutions

No longer are we tethered to a meeting time and place for strategic planning. New and seasoned school leaders are often asked by their communities and Boards to facilitate a strategic planning process that results in a document that guides the organizations work and deliverables. The logistics associated with bringing people together for strategic plan development and the production of static documents is an antiquated and ineffective approach to continuous improvement. The emerging needs and accelerated rates of change are rendering traditional approaches to strategic planning obsolete. Today, school districts need more dynamic, interactive, and flexible planning processes that generate support and a common mental model for the vision and mission.

Social networking tools like Twitter allow for internal and external stakeholders to become engage with ongoing strategic planning and continuous improvement efforts. The input gathering, idea generation, and learning conversations can occur in virtual environments that allow for two-way dialogue between stakeholders and school leaders. Furthermore, the dissemination and engagement around goals, priorities, and metrics is done efficiently using contemporary technology tools as well.

Think of ways your school and/or district can use social networking tools to engage stakeholders in a structured and effective strategic planning process that is transparent and enduring.

Luvelle Brown has served as superintendent of the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) in Ithaca, New York since January 2011. Prior to arriving in Ithaca, Dr. Brown served as a school CIO, Executive Director of the Division of School Improvement, teacher, assistant principal and principal. Brown has received multiple national and state recognitions including the 2014 eSchool News Tech-Savvy Superintendent Award, and was recognized by the National School Boards Association as a “20-to-Watch” in 2014. He is also co-author of ThinkTweets: 100 Transformative Tweets for Educators.