I was working on a survey for TVIs and others working with students with visual impairment when I got that call: “The project has been cancelled.” The venture that I had birthed and that was so needed in our field was terminated. The conversation went a lot like these do: It was sugar-coated with explanations and language that skirted the truth. The justification was surrounded with work-place politics and misinformation. And none of it mattered. The project, a dream I held close to my heart, was over.
I’m sure you can relate to this scenario… and if it hasn’t happened to you, it will. So the question is, what’s your best course of action when something completely out of your control happens that leaves you disappointed or worse, devastated? Not long after this particular instance, I started looking for the leadership stone that would potentially develop from this experience.
I began looking back at my years as a teacher and administrator and found many instances where a supervisor or person in power has squelched a project, a dream, or an ambition. I’m a barrel-ahead kind of gal who, when she gets an idea, puts her heart and soul into it. In my first teaching position at a rural high school, I managed to take a school newspaper that was printed on the Xerox machine and, through a partnership with the local newspaper, published a periodical that was professionally printed. When I approached administration for monetary support of the project (early issues of the paper were printed pro-bono), I got a nice letter from the board congratulating me on my innovation… and a verbal reminder that there was no money to continue the project.
Other examples: A proposal that would have implemented career-technology modules for students with visual impairment was turned down by the superintendent without remark. An incredible partnership with an organization that would have vastly increased employment opportunities for school of the blind alumni was canceled in-progress because my supervisor did not understand the details of financial support we had put in place. In both instances, I felt there was not sufficient understanding from the person in charge to make an educated decision about moving forward—and the decision-maker made no effort to gain that understanding.
Those are great stories--but what is the leadership stone, you ask?
Communication. The success or failure of implementing a dream often depends on effective communication. As I look back on the times when my ambitions were stalled or squelched entirely, I realize that both the timing and content of my communication were lacking.
Today, I am more careful about the way I communicate my professional dreams to those who have the power to “make or break” their success. I introduce ideas slowly, and I look for champions with similar ideals as I get my thoughts and plans together.
Once a plan is in place, we must communicate the specifics, including financial and human resource needs, timeline, goals and outcomes, to persons in positions of power. Consider how to best present your information to your particular audience: is the person a visual learner? Then provide charts and graphs. Is the person focused on financial issues? Then have your numbers ready. Think about how much detail is enough to communicate your project or dream. Remind the decision-maker of how the project benefits him or her, and the organization.
But the communication doesn’t stop once the project has been authorized. The project that inspired this blog? It died primarily because I did not consistently communicate with the stakeholders along the way. The decision to cancel that project was made based on limited and misinformation. When I look back, I realize I could have done a better job of sharing our progress and asking for their input.
What does one do with a dream or project that has been squelched or canceled? An important first step is to reflect. What went well? What could have gone better? Debriefing not only with your team but also with the person in power who has ended your project can help you gain valuable information you can apply now, and to future projects. These discussions will help you manage your disappointment, and you will learn from them.
And finally, consider whether you should move your project forward in a different way. It may be that it will find a home in a place and a way you had not imagined. In fact, there are two leadership stones here: how to manage your disappointment when a project is cancelled, and how to better manage a project to ensure its longevity and success.