Update 10/24/2008: I’ve updated and added some links where appropriate to cite sources and acknowledge feedback. I’ve also included a screenshot of the original email announcing the leadership change. I have not received this email yet, but 2 others did send it to me…again, thanks to the power of networked learning and sharing.

TCEA Members received an email from President Kari Rhame, announcing a change in leadership:

Texas Computer Education Association is undergoing a change in leadership. Dr. Ron Cravey will be pursuing other career opportunities. The Board of Directors thanks Dr. Cravey for his years of service and contributions to the success of TCEA. We wish him the best in his new ventures.

TCEA is fortunate to have Joan Gore step in as interim executive director as we make this transition.

And, since TCEA is undergoing a leadership change, I’d like to make some additional suggestions for a new leadership vision…for the Board. Reflecting on the role of an executive director over the last few years, I’ve had my share of criticisms. Based on those reflections, here is what I see as the key roles of Executive Director:

1. Carry out the strategic plans and policies of the Board.
2. Encourages change relevant to the organization and the stakeholders (e.g. membership, Board members, financial sponsors)
3. Visionary that looks at the future for change opportunities
4. Interfaces between organization and community
5. Ensures staff and Board have sufficient and up-to-date information
6. Formulates policies and planning recommendations to the Board
7. Manages human resources of organization
8. Manages financial and physical resources

In considering TCEA over the last 8-10 years that I played a leadership role in–as a Board member (2 years), SIG Officer (4 years), Convention Steering Committee member–I’d like to offer some suggestions as to where I want to see TCEA go. My interest in this is as a member who is passionately committed to what TCEA can accomplish over the next few years, hopeful that this move will initiate a cascade of change.

Remember, these are my reflections typed up fairly quickly; as I re-read them from when I first wrote them, I find some of the next steps need more detail.

For example:
1) Carry out the strategic plans and policies of the Board. One of the frightening things about the last few years has been how little the Board’s will has been known. It’s not that they weren’t doing things at the regular meetings, but that as a member I felt I hadn’t heard what they were doing. At a time when communication tools are readily available–blogs and podcasts–there’s no reason why each Board member couldn’t do MORE than engage in one-way communication.

The same is true of our SIGs at TCEA. We need to engage technology for powerful conversations, and positive communication. Silence is not an option for an organization our size. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing if we fail to be transparent and share it with our membership. Being a member means being part of a network of learners and a network doesn’t work when information and ideas are blocked.

Next Step: At the end of each Board meeting, clearly identify what strategies will be used to achieve Board goals, and share them with the membership via a summative blog entry, reporting on progress–or lack of it–periodically, transparently and openly as possible.

2) Encourages change relevant to the organization and the stakeholders (e.g. membership, Board members, financial sponsors). As the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) moves forward, it will be critical that new leadership encourage change that is relevant to the work we do in schools. We have such GREAT potential for facilitating change. In the past, organizing winning conventions was perfect, and that needs to continue. Yet, TCEA can only remain on the cutting edge provided it facilitates it’s stakeholders achievement of their goals and needs. No longer can TCEA rest on its laurels of being the largest conference organizer in Texas…I would challenge TCEA’s leadership to focus on being Texas’ largest stakeholder need satisfier. And the Executive Director’s role is to challenge the Board to embrace changes that meet the needs of the Membership and then execute those strategies and plans that the Board comes up with.

Although we’ve all seen that blogs, wikis, podcasting, Read/Write web (Web 2.0) tools are prevalent, we need to also consider Web 3.0, immersive technologies (e.g. Second Life) and consider how these will play into K-16 education…then we need to take the lead in facilitating schools in adopting and accepting these. For too long, educators have had to fight on their own to bring technologies into the mainstream; and TCEA has played the role of supporting what is accepted. By embracing organizational change, by being committed to our children by envisioning a tomorrow different from yesterday, TCEA’s leadership can completely change the conversation in Texas.

Furthermore, take a hard look at current projects and initiatives (e.g. Thinkfinity) and ask how those can be put on the front-burner of conversation Texas-wide and kept there week after week, rather than every once in awhile. How can TCEA become a common, household name and amplify the voices of its members? How about also bringing NEW voices to the virtual table?

One of the other challenges that TCEA has faced includes its slow consideration of new Read/Write Web technologies for its Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to share information and ideas. If TCEA’s goal is professional learning, then it should use tools that allow its membership to share ideas quickly, creating vibrant communities of practice and learning.

Next Step: Reviews what the Organization is doing and works to streamline management and makes recommendations for improvement–such as the adoption of free, open source software solutions like Moodle and other RSS friendly tools–to the Board.

3) Visionary that looks at the future for change opportunities. Being a visionary isn’t easy but it’s not brain surgery either. It means being in touch with the latest changes, what your past is, and then making every effort to identify trends for the future. Often, what is visionary to the masses is simply hard work on the part of the leadership. I would encourage TCEA’s Board to hire a leader who can respond to the question, “Where do you think this is all going next, what could we do to use technology to get there in K-16, and how will that meet the needs of our membership?’

One of the most exciting opportunities available to TCEA is finding a way to Celebrate Texas Voices! and serve as the largest repository of ed-tech success videos, audio and storytelling in Texas.

Next Step: Have the Executive Director report on 5 trends affecting K-16 education based on research and stakeholder needs, then align them the mission and goals of the Organization with action steps for implementation.

4) Interfaces between organization and community. Again, TCEA must use technology to engage the organization and community…the goal isn’t to use technology to lock-in people to one perspective but rather, to find a way to bridge the divide between vision and reality, between perceived and actual needs. A grassroots membership like what TCEA is composed of has so much to offer; how do you capitalize on the learning of adults committed to K-16 education using Read/Write Web tools, as well as face to face approaches? That is the question that the new leadership must take into account, and quickly work with others to formulate a response that is flexible and that adapts to new technologies.

Next Step: Establish a wiki–with trusted content moderators–that enables the Community to contribute their knowledge and skills around core mission of TCEA, a mission founded on the needs of stakeholders and the vision of the leadership. Some have suggested something similar to Florida’s Clearinghouse (thanks to Joel Adkins and Patsy Lanclos for the suggestion, one that’s been around for several years without TCEA action…but now, members CAN take action without the organization).

5) Ensures staff and Board have sufficient and up-to-date information. While the Board meets periodically, the Internet has made it possible to move beyond simple information sharing. A Board meets to make decisions, and the Executive Director actualizes them. How can we move beyond meeting to share information, and re-inject some drama–as Patrick Lencioni likes to say–back into meetings? How can we build trust between TCEA Board and new leadership? With the Membership?

Next Step: Create an active discussion board that allows for sharing information online PRIOR to meetings, and enables decision-making and future planning to dominate the face to face time at Board meetings.

6) Formulates policies and planning recommendations to the Board. One of the lessons I learned as a director is that the role of a director IS to offer recommendations. You offer those recommendations based on what you know and then provide everything the Board needs to make a decision that all can commit to–even after passionate disagreement.

Next Step: Develop policy and share those as recommendations to the Board for their review, revision and approval. Keep on it until it gets done to the benefit of the Membership.

7) Manages human resources of organization. TCEA has a small organization, a small staff. One would hope the new leadership would help identify their strengths, weaknesses, and leverage each to the benefit of the organization.

Next Step: Assess staff operations, relationships, and interactions–customer service–and then make adjustments as needed.

8) Manages financial and physical resources. One of my favorite examples of problems TCEA encountered was when they moved from the old building to the new one, nearly going into serious debt and having to deal with building contractor problems that left the new site (which is still beautiful) incomplete. It’s critical that this kind of work be done.

Next Step: Re-build a team after the change in leadership, re-examine what is being done to ensure it’s aligned to achieving Board vision and mission.

Why did I just spend 30 minutes typing all this up? Simple. I want TCEA to be the BEST organization possible, to empower its members to achieve what they didn’t think they could do alone. Clay Shirky points out that the membership can now organize without all the cost of an organization. And, while that’s true now with the new technologies available to us, TCEA should be our rallying point, a standard that we can all carry as we advocate for the transformative power of technology in teaching, learning and leadership.

When a new Executive Director is chosen at the end of the interim period–probably after Convention in February–I hope that the new Board chooses a leader that will challenge them, push them to re-align with their membership, that will work to amplify the voices of teachers, librarians, leaders in Texas schools, to a crescendo that even the Texas legislature will hear.

TCEA–A vibrant community that uses technology to unite our passionate efforts to improve K-16 teaching, learning and leading without diminishing our diversity.

Thoughts? What is YOUR vision for TCEA?

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