How to change things when change is hard

Let’s say your kid comes home one day and shows you his report card. Anything jump out at you? Well, if you’re like most parents, all you really see are the bad grades. And you’d hire a tutor, and your kid would be grounded, and they can kiss their Wii game goodbye. This thought experiment comes from the author Marcus Buckingham, and what it reveals is that we’re wired to focus on problems rather than strengths. *

Sometimes we need to focus on the problems and solve them but when you are trying to change things, problem focus may not be the most productive approach. In times of change, think about focusing on Bright Spots. That is, you need to look for the early glimmers that something is going right. And when you find a bright spot, your mission is to study it, clone it and celebrate it.

The WesTen District has plenty of challenges but there is more than meets the eye here and that is why we are going to celebrate our Bright Spots.  Be looking to learn and celebrate some of those Bright Spots in the months to come.

*Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath