All coaches and anyone in positions of influence face resistance in their work. We are trying to make a positive change in our organizations. Some educators embrace it, some need more time and support, and a few are too comfortable with the status quo.
One would think that the burden for improvement lies with the resistant party. Yet as leaders we accept some of that responsibility. Too often I have taken on the mental work of trying to figure out what’s holding a person back from continuous improvement. The stress sits with us instead of where it belongs.
What if we could instead support our colleagues in developing their capacity for “response-ability”1: the ability to respond to new ideas in constructive ways that lead to professional growth?
The benefits are many:
The coachee is empowered to address their own obstacles.
You feel like you are genuinely supporting this person in becoming more self-directed.
Both parties find coaching to be a more positive experience.
In addition to the success we experience at work, I feel more mentally free at home. I am not harboring as much frustration in the evenings and on weekends for my perceived lack of efficacy.
In this newsletter, I will share with you a simple protocol you can use to help manage resistance to whatever improvement effort your school seeks.
A.C.E.: Acknowledge, Clarify, Extend
This strategy originated through a conversation with other instructional leaders. We all had experienced some form of resistance in our work. We also knew that our typical responses – sharing research about the effectiveness of a new approach, mandating the change – usually led to compliance at best, at least in isolation.
A.C.E. is an acronym that stands for the three moves to make during a coaching conversation:
Acknowledge the other person’s concerns, efforts, and intentions.
Clarify what their experience is like for them.
Extend an invitation for reflection or to take action when ready.
Next is an example of a coaching conversation in which I recently demonstrated this strategy during a coaching practice session.
The Challenge: A teacher doesn’t want to commit to a new literacy curriculum resource.
I selected this scenario as I believe it is a common one in schools.
The coachee (another coach playing the role of the resistant teacher) and I started the coaching conversation with small talk.: “How are you doing?” and “What’s new in your world?”
Then I asked the coachee how the implementation of the new resource is going.
“Well, I really did like the old resource. It was so nicely laid out. I could turn the page and the next day’s lesson was there for me to read and teach.”
This is the point where I felt agitated. Many thoughts came swirling into my head.
“The curriculum should be a guide, not a script.”
“We teach readers first, reading second.”
“I bet the students are starting to hate reading.”
I paused, noted my own judgmental and unhelpful thinking, and then pivoted to acknowledging what they shared.
“I can appreciate the structured way that the old resource lays instruction out. It certainly can make planning easier for teachers.”
The coachee nodded, and then went on.
“Yes, I agree. I have three kids when I come home, and I simply don’t have the time to read all the directions in the teacher’s manual for the new resource.”
I could have countered that this teacher did have common planning time every day with teammates. But I felt now was not the time to get into a debate. Instead, I again acknowledged the reasonable expectation of being a parent as well as a teacher.
During our conversation, I took a few notes to document what the coachee was saying and to show that I was actively listening. At one point, I noticed a recurring theme in the responses.
At this point, I decided to clarify a pattern I was observing.
“Do you mind if I share something I have noticed during our conversation?” (the coachee nodded) “You really value your time away from school, maybe to a point where you might resent any requests outside your contracted work day. What are your thoughts?”
“Yes!” This clarification also served as an acknowledgment. It also released some stress from the situation. I could even see it physically: their shoulders and face relaxed almost instantly.
Feeling like we were at a good point to take a next step, I asked if I could extend an idea for moving forward with the new literacy curriculum.
“What are your thoughts about getting you a substitute teacher for a half day to unpack this new literacy curriculum? That way we are not asking you to devote more time out of the school day if not necessary. Even though we have had some professional development while implementing it, I realize that more personalized support is probably helpful for many of us as we navigate this big change. I would be happy to sit down with you to do some co-planning, or it could be with your team.”
The coachee agreed.
Wrapping Things Up…
Here is a summary of how I used A.C.E. to understand what was holding the teacher back and to reduce the resistance they were feeling to continuous improvement.
I acknowledged their experience and who they were outside of education – the whole person.
I clarified and confirmed what I was noticing as a deeper reason for their resistance.
I extended an invitation to engage in professional learning, offering choice to support teacher empowerment.
Of course, every coaching conversation will not be successful. Sometimes it takes multiple interactions. I also believe there is a small percentage of educators who are resistant to all forms of professional support and likely need some type of improvement plan.
Acknowledging this reality, by:
taking the time to build trust through active listening,
keeping conversations focused on priorities, and
affirming teachers’ strengths before communicating feedback,
we provide a pathway to real and lasting instructional improvement.2
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This dissertation by Dr. Aviva Goelman Rice is accessible and relevant: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1506/. Full subscribers can access my summary of her research here.
The process laid out here is described more comprehensively in my book Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H.: Five Strategies for Supporting Teaching and Learning (Corwin, 2022).