A clearly articulated vision and supportive organizational environment can help drive reform implementation, particularly if they enable individuals to align their own beliefs with program goals. When participants perceive that the reform objectives reflect many of their personally held beliefs about education, they are often more willing to join the effort or dedicate time to the project. Credible, highly visible advocates can serve as the seed around which reform crystallizes, and many times these individuals can identify additional resources or recruit others to join the reform effort. Nonetheless, it is not enough to secure support at high levels. Although individuals may be impressed that a recognized education or community leader is involved in a reform, it is the substance of the vision, the manner in which it is conveyed, and the way in which individuals are involved that ultimately determine how a school responds to a proposed reform.
Strong leaders secure buy-in.
Sufficient resources are seldom available to provide planning time for all participants involved in designing and implementing reforms. As such, most education reformers rely on the goodwill of teachers, administrators, and community volunteers, who donate their time and expertise for what they believe is a worthwhile cause. Paradoxically, the stronger the core leadership, the more likely it is that the reform effort can be decentralized and vested in its participants. But I don't feel like I have to be the leader of every activity. I have good people to work with, and they are capable of leadership too.