In this issue of HUE News:

• Message From our Team
• Pro Tip: Conditions for Change
• People Making a Difference: Sarah Boone
• Featured Program: HUE Conversation
• Upcoming Courses
• Partner in Action: Fusion Learning Partners
• Mission Update: Thank You From YouLEAD 2023 Students

Message From Our Team

With the end of the year quickly approaching, many of us sense the duality of reflecting on the past year while looking ahead to the changes coming our way. We understand rationally that change is inevitable, yet emotionally, we often resist change, and many of us spend a lot of energy and focus trying to avoid its inevitability. Talk about a paradox – “Change is coming, and resistance to change never changes!” Considering the rapid changes that AI (artificial intelligence), demographic shifts, and social justice will bring to our lives and organizations, it is necessary to consider how the people in your organization will respond.  

Harvard Business Review research shows that when a change initiative is introduced, 15% of the workforce embraces it immediately, 60% are uncertain, and 25% are heavily resistant to change—using your experience as a guide, which part of the workforce makes the most noise? Who will soak up the most management time and energy? There are some proven dos and don’ts that help to improve outcomes and alleviate the stress that are outlined in this month's Pro Tip.  

Pro Tip

Conditions for Strategic Change & Change Formula

When approaching a ‘significant’ change in your organization, consider starting with a few dos and don’ts  

Do! 

• Involve those impacted from the beginning: Frontline employees taking the initiative to drive change elevates the success of transformations to a whopping 71%. (McKinsey) 
• Provide a compelling reason for the change: A transformation is 5.8 times more likely to be successful at organizations where CEOs communicate a compelling, high-level change story (McKinsey) 
• Nurture and empower change champions across the various departments and let them communicate: 70% of employees choose their supervisors as their preferred senders of personal messages during change (Prosci) 

Don’t!  

• Over-indulge the resisters: Instead, use the 80/20 rule for your attention. You already have the early adaptors who can’t wait to help; let them! Spend 80% of your change management time on the ‘uncertain’ majority. (HueLife) 
• Be surprised if some people leave: 18% of employees would consider leaving their jobs if a big organizational change occurred (Oak Change Report).  
• Worry about making everyone happy: Instead, think about solid results. Never presume that you must have buy-in from everyone before you move forward. For a good percentage of people, buy-in will only come later—if at all—after the results are in, proving that the change was appropriate and successful. (Price Pritchett, Ph.D.) 

So, what do you do when there is resistance to change? Resistance to change is often perceived as a negative attitude or inability. Whereas it is a simple formula! Resistance could be minimized if we could provide the following: 

1.    D - the reason for the needed change (dissatisfaction) 
2.    V - a clear vision of what it looks like on the other side of the change 
3.    F - the first step that one can take toward that vision

However, the truth is that it's easier said than done. It is not enough to "provide" those three elements; it is critical to engage people we are trying to change in the process of discovering what they are dissatisfied about, then what they envision as a result of the change, and just as critical what first step is going to get them there. 

Beckhard and Harris invented the change formula D x V x F > R in the 70s! And we are still learning how to apply all that academic wisdom to our personal and organizational life. Download our change formula information sheet and learn how it can be applied in, for example, strategic planning in combination with ToP® Strategic Planning.

Featured HueLife Program

HUE Conversations | December 13 | Bloomington, MN

A framework for inclusive participation and heightened engagement.

HUE™ Conversations is a one-day workshop that teaches participants a way to engage all thinking styles. Although we all have the ability to think in many ways, most of us find it easiest and most comfortable to approach situations from our own perspective.

Challenge your own thought process and develop a greater awareness of the way others think. Learn how to implement our DEVCA framework for inclusive conversations that encourage participation from every group member and naturally move the collective from inquiry to informed action.

This transformational course supports the conditions for change in this month's Pro Tip. Recent participants have wondered, "where has HUE Conversations been my whole life?" Click on the video below or download the course flier to learn more!

Session Information*



Date: December 13, 2023

Schedule: 9AM – 4PM (CST)

Location: Bloomington, MN

*Additional course dates can be found on our website.

People Making A Difference

Sarah Boone

Sarah Boone is an Administrative Coach for Academics and instruction (ACAI) with Geneseo Community Unit School District #228 in Illinois. She has 18 years of experience as an educator, having taught 3rd grade and 6th grade for seven years before transitioning to administration. She also served as an elementary building principal for eight years and is currently in her third year in a district-level support position where she serves as the district's Administrative Coach for Academics and Instruction (ACAI). During her years as a teacher leader, she learned the fundamental principles and power of the Focused Conversation - a skill acquired through HueLife's ToP Facilitation Methods course. She immediately used these practices in her classroom to orchestrate deeper thinking and better conversations. Once she transitioned to an administrative role, she found herself regularly using focused conversations and consensus-building techniques to build shared understanding and commitments and define the next steps with her team. These tools have moved teams through emotionally charged conversations, made transformative changes, and developed better student learning and assessment data discussions.

Most recently, she has deployed the methods she learned through HueLife to facilitate focused conversations and consensus on building math units of instruction based on the Common Core State Standards with grade levels from Kindergarten through 5th grade with an intentional focus on what educators want students to know and do. These methods also helped shift the mindset that textbooks are not curricula - educational standards are the curriculum.

Sarah and her team used sticky walls to analyze data, organize standards, associate them with textbooks, and then color-coded them based on priorities, supporting standards, and if/time standards. Teachers holistically visualized their textbooks and saw standards in the context of resources (textbook). There were so many a-ha moments in the process! Teachers expressed that the process felt engaging and safe, and they were ultimately proud of their accomplishments. The team then thought about how to organize their units to teach standards in a way that provides a more authentic experience and conversations with students.

The work facilitated by Sarah and developed collectively by the talented staff at Geneseo Schools will be fully implemented at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.

"The skills I learned gave me a powerful way to lead the team through a safe process that led to action and next steps. It brought everything (data, standards, resources) to life so that teachers felt empowered to do something with it."

-Sarah Boone

Improve Your Facilitation Skills at our Upcoming Courses

Partners in Action Toward the Greater Good

Fusion Learning Partners

Fusion Learning Partners believes learning is the origin of change and transformation, and we believe learning never stops – it’s a lifelong endeavor that continues beyond the classrooms of our youth.

Fusion is a nonprofit organization committed to creating environments that promote learning for individuals, organizations, and the communities they serve. From conferences and convenings to supporting collaborative initiatives and organizations, Fusion exists to strengthen and transform the communities where they work, live, and thrive. Their mission:

To serve the public and civic sector with events, programs, and services that inspire innovation for the greater good.

Since 1976, Fusion Learning Partners (fka GTS Educational Events) has served a diverse set of public and private partners, ensuring they have the knowledge, skills, and relationships needed to make positive changes for themselves and the organizations and communities they serve.

Mission Update

Thank you from YouLEAD 2023 Students

This year, the purpose of YouLEAD was to provide 30 Ukrainian teens with the opportunity to participate in development activities and continue the tradition of sharing views, culture, and learning from one another as we all continue to grow as individuals and leaders.

Watch the video above to hear their gratitude, what they learned, the impact YouLEAD had on their life, and what they are up to now!

Website Refresh

We are excited to announce that our website has undergone a full remodel and is now live!

It is now easier to find our services and courses, register for programs, and contact us.

CLICK HERE to take a look and let us know what you think using the poll below.

Your feedback is so valuable - we wouldn't be here without you.

THANK YOU!

In Case You Missed It

Have you seen what's new with HueLife? In case you missed it, check out our October newsletter and be updated on what's happening!

• Message from HueLife's Founders
• Pro Tip: Living in the Present
• People Making a Difference: Dr. Scott Kuffel
• Featured Program: Mastering Technology of Participation (MToP)
• Partner in Action: Envisio
• Mission Update: Generosity & Partnership at ICMA 2023

ToP Facilitation Methods and ToP Strategic Planning are eligible for 14 CEHs from the following boards:

BOSA, PMI, APA, AICP, CHES-MCHES, NAICS

CEUs are also offered from Normandale Community College for any ToP course offered at their university.

HueLife | www.hue.life | 651.204.0441 | info@hue.life