Empowered or Compliant-What's the difference?

“Replace the word can’t with can. Know that you can, believe that you can, and know with ALL of your heart that you will. You will succeed in spite of any obstacles that may try to hinder you! There’s so much power in having a positive attitude, positive mindset, and positive outlook.”
― Stephanie Lahart

So, what does it take to get to the point where you "know you can, believe you can, and know that you will succeed despite any obstacles?"  I actually thought a lot about this over the holiday.  I pondered why we doubt, why we choose behaviors that hinder progress, why we demonstrate reluctance to ideas, suggestions, initiatives, and practices that we know will improve our lives and/or the lives and opportunities for others? We could get technical and reference the change process that we all go through and how to overcome it, but what I think it really comes down to is the idea of feeling "empowered"!  Now, you have seen this word a lot this year, (hopefully), as it is one of our four pillars and visible in every building. But was does it really mean?

The dictionary definition: make someone stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life; give someone the authority or power to do something

In our strategic plan to empower educators to be instructional leaders is defined as: support educators in delivering a rigorous and robust curriculum to our students with the tools and resources to be instructional leaders

Think about the difference if everyone in the district (students, administrators, educators, support staff, volunteers, etc..) was feeling empowered to achieve our mission and vision as well as progress, grow and succeed personally and professionally rather than just demonstrating compliance (conformity to meet official requirements).

Student message to Mr. Foley at Walnut!  I wonder if this student is feeling empowered ?

George Couros recently posted the following chart in his blog providing examples of the difference of a compliant response, an engaged response and an empowered response.  I thought about how this applies to our priorities and the impact it could have on students.  Think about the next time you are in a meeting (PLC, Staff meeting, Professional learning).  What do you need to feel empowered, how might you empower others? How are you responding to professional learning opportunities? What does this look like in the classroom?  Are students empowered to take risks, express ideas, demonstrate learning in different ways? Achieving our mission and vision will take all of us to #RISE Up and be #Better Together!

https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/7853

This is our goal to become:  

“An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.” ~unknown