Communicate and Articulate the Vision

Sashkin (1988) and Deal and Peterson (1994) suggest several key ways to communicate and articulate the vision, including the following:

• Expressing the vision in an engaging, unusual, or particularly attention-grabbing way

• Communicating the vision in consistent behavior, words, and deeds

• Making all decision making and governance actions build toward the vision

• Providing activities that require some risk and buy-in to accomplish - then rewarding success

• Making daily actions communicate the hope and dream of the vision - "walking one's talk"

• Establishing traditions and school-wide ceremonies that celebrate the vision and effort towards it

• Developing school mottos, mission statements, or symbols that communicate the vision

Below are some additional actions that schools can take to articulate and communicate a shared vision:

• The vision can be placed in a mission statement, printed, and posted in the front hallway.

• In some schools, the school mission statement is reviewed before school starts every year in a ceremony during which staff sign the mission statement as a form of personal commitment.

• The school's mission should be addressed during assemblies, planning meetings, and school governance council meetings. Decisions should be made based on the mission and values of the school.

• List in a written document the "belief statements" that people hold for the school.

• Communicate the school's mission symbolically through mottos, flags, banners, and materials that are sent out from the school, such as letterheads, pencils, and so forth.