Influencer Strategy

As I stated in my innovation proposal Paperless Office, Paperless District (Stateler, 2021), “The ways that humans work alongside machines will continue to shift. New systems and more efficient workflows are a continuous necessity. Why do any meetings, training sessions, or departments still heavily rely on paper?” With my innovation plan – Paperless Office, Paperless District – “I intend to take a systematic approach to digitize paper processes and streamline current digital processes” (Stateler, 2021). To accomplish this, I completed the following steps to plan my Influencer Strategy:

  • First, I identified the result in the form of a SMART goal.
  • Next, I identified three vital behaviors to achieve the result.
  • Finally, I engaged the six sources of influence (Grenny et al., 2013).

As I worked through the Influencer Strategy, I shifted my focus to start with my team so that we may walk the talk regarding paperless practices and blended learning. The next step is to move to three influential departments in the administration building. Finally, the ultimate goal is to support and spread paperless, blended learning practices across the district.

Engaging Opinion Leaders

Over the course of the first year, the Digital Learning team is my focus. Over the second year, Human Resources, Payroll, and Curriculum and Instruction are my focus.

Results 

Within one year the digital learning team will be 95% paperless and model paperless practices. Within two years, paperless practices will be extended to Human Resources, Payroll, and Curriculum and Instruction at a 95% success rate.

Identifying Vital Behaviors

To achieve the desired results, I identified three vital behaviors. According to Grenny, et al. (2013) vital behaviors are single, high-leverage actions that can shift culture tremendously. Harapnuik (2016) posits that “it is important to remember that you are looking for the fewest behaviors or even that one thing that will lead to change.” Thus, identifying these high-leverage actions can seem like a difficult task. With so many possible behaviors, how can we identify the most significant behavior to instill change?

Fortunately, Granny, et al. (2013) provide a framework for finding and filtering out the most vital, actionable behaviors: 

  1. Notice the obvious.
  2. Look for crucial moments.
  3. Learn from positive deviants.
  4. Spot culture busters.
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Analysis of Vital Behaviors

Vital Behavior 1: Facilitate the creation of digital workflows in places where paper workflows still exist.

Notice the obvious:

When I considered obvious behaviors, analyzing current workflows with high paper usage was first on my list. For my team, that means changing “Learn While You Go.” LWYG is a printed poster that my team hangs in every staff bathroom on each campus and it’s updated once per month. This amounts to printing approximately 500 pieces of paper per month. We can still update the LWYG, but post a QR code in the bathroom instead. Not only will that reduce printing, it will also allow us to track data on the effectiveness of the practice. As we move forward, moving to digital W-2s and effective HR e-signature processes stood out as obvious behaviors that would be easy to shift to decrease printed paper.

Look for crucial moments:

How can we implement this behavior at a crucial moment? The Digital Learning team – a team developed on the premise of incorporating best practices of technology use in the classroom – MUST walk the talk to see success. That is to say, if we don’t model paperless practices, others will question their and our validity.

Vital Behavior 2: Model the use of devices, note-taking templates, and note-taking apps during meetings and training.

Learn from positive deviants:

Since I am a part of the Digital Learning team, this behavior stood out as an essential way to both go paperless and model practices toward a blended learning environment. According to Jotform (2019), modeling device use and digital notetaking are premier methods to incorporate paperless practices. If our team doesn’t use devices, why should anyone else?

Look for crucial moments:

How can we implement this behavior at a crucial moment? For modeling to see success, it must be consistent and explicit. My teammates hold Digital Learning PLCs with each campus quarterly. When they take the practice of digital note-taking to campuses with frequency, teachers will see best practices in use and can apply them immediately in their classrooms.

Vital Behavior 3: Employ a printing campaign to discourage printing. Put posters by printers and utilize Twitter. be sure to include imagery of a person modeling the appropriate behaviors.

Spot culture busters:

As I mentioned in my literature review, An Analysis of the Paperless Office (Stateler, 2021, p. 2), “Throughout the industrial age, paper use increased as an office staple.” This occurred as a way to manage employees, particularly via updates from subordinates (Gladwell, 2002). Paper use also offered a way to organize thought work (Gladwell, 2002). With the increase of paper use, paper pains followed. The first discussion around a paperless office was an article titled The Checkless Society (Dunne, 1968). Regardless, paper use continues to rise. 

One way to address culture busters is through a “Stop Printing” campaign. Coupled with actionable behaviors, this campaign will contribute to the success of the paperless office. In her TED Talk, Jeni Cross (2013) mentions incorporating notable people on advertisements to decrease littering. This campaign must incorporate human imagery and speak to the heart over the mind.

Look for crucial moments.

How can we implement this behavior at a crucial moment? Both Bralin (2022) and Jotform (2019) suggest cloud organization as crucial to the success of a paperless environment. I personally organize digital work files weekly on Fridays from 3:00-4:00 p.m. This campaign must explicitly model and coach drive organization and digital notes at the right moment – such as next to a printer – to exhibit success.

Measurement

The Six Sources of Influence

Engaging all six sources of influence is the primary content in the book Influencer (Grenny et al., 2013). In his video, All Washed Up, Hyrum Grenny (2009) proves that at least four of the six influences must be engaged to meaningfully influence people. In this initial round, my focus is on Year One results, therefore the six sources of influence mainly describe motivation and ability around those actions.

Final Thoughts:

As I move forward with my proposal, I intend to collect data and revise actions as I see fit. As I approach Year Two, I will make intentional plans to incorporate Year Two goals into the six sources of influence. Also, I will shift opinion leaders and measures as the paperless office comes to fruition. Finally, I will participate in the shift toward blended learning in my practices and as I support the district in doing the same. I look forward to implementing a meaningful and necessary change in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD.

References

Bralin. (2022). 7 Ways to Reduce Your Paper Usage. Bralin Technology Solutions. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.bralin.com/7-ways-to-reduce-your-paper-usage

Cross, J. (2013, March 20). Three Myths of Behavior Change – What You Think You Know That You Don’t: Jeni Cross at TEDxCSU. YouTube. Retrieved February 12, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5d8GW6GdR0

Dunne, G. T. (1968). The Checkless Society and Articles 3 and 4. The Business Lawyer, 24(1), 125-132. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40684899

Gladwell, M. (2002, March 25). The Social Life of Paper. The New Yorker. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/03/25/the-social-life-of-paper

Grenny, H. (2009, September 21). All Washed Up! YouTube. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osUwukXSd0k

Grenny, J., McMillan, R., Maxfield, D., Switzler, A., & Patterson, K. (2013). Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, Second Edition (Paperback). McGraw-Hill Education.

Harapnuik, D. (2016, January 28). 4 Effective Ways to Find and Test Vital Behaviors. It’s About Learning. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=6253

Jotform. (2019, July 2). How to Go Paperless. Jotform. Retrieved January 29, 2022, from https://www.jotform.com/how-to-go-paperless/