Communication by Design

Here are some unconventional communication strategies I'd love to see administrators try:

1. Reverse Q&A: Host a session where staff or students ask you questions, but with a twist - you're not allowed to give direct answers. Instead, you respond with more questions, encouraging them to think critically and find their own solutions.
2. Storytelling Sessions: Use narrative techniques to convey important messages or policies. Share personal anecdotes, case studies, or fictional stories that illustrate key points, making them more relatable and memorable.
3. Visual Journaling: Create a visual journal or graphic novel that chronicles important events, milestones, or challenges faced by the institution. This can be a unique way to reflect on progress and share experiences.
   
4. "Day-in-the-Life" Shadowing: Invite staff or students to shadow you for a day, and vice versa. This can foster empathy and understanding between different roles and departments.
5. Gamified Feedback: Develop a game or interactive platform where staff or students can provide feedback and suggestions. This can make the process more engaging and encourage participation.
6. "What If?" Scenarios: Present hypothetical scenarios that challenge conventional thinking and encourage creative problem-solving. This can help build a culture of innovation and forward thinking.
7. Art-Based Expression: Use art, music, or other creative mediums to convey messages or gather feedback. This can be a powerful way to tap into emotions and imagination.
8. "Behind-the-Scenes" Tours: Offer guided tours of administrative offices or departments, showcasing the work that goes on behind the scenes. This can help build transparency and trust.
9. "Lunch and Learn" Series: Host informal sessions where staff or students can share their expertise or interests. This can foster a sense of community and cross-functional learning.
10. Experimental Prototyping: Develop prototypes or pilot projects that test new communication strategies or technologies. This can help identify effective approaches and iterate on improvements.

These ideas can help administrators think outside the box and find innovative ways to connect with their audience. I truly believe with this unconventional communication strategies, faculty members will feel more comfortable communicating with administration. Also, it might allow administration to become more more open minded and approachable. Especially, if administration has been following the same protocol year after year. 

Appealing to my creative side, I would like to try using some non traditional message strategies to build comminity input and gain authentic feedback from our community. It will be important to maintain consistency in messages and define a "brand" to maximize the strengths within our School. Delivery methods need to be unique to the style and buy in of our population. Examples would be video clips, candid photos with captions, studfents speaking at local events.
We annually update a brochure to be used at our Art show and Open House events. Within this document , I would like to see a section that includes testimonial style personal experience stories from students, staff, teachers, parents, parishioners, alumni. This would allow us to develop an eye catching way to showcase our strengths. 
Along with our regular communications, I would develop a graphic design that serves as a calendar to display for reminders as well as promotional materials for upcoming activities or events. Break out of the "boxes" found in calendars by using different graphic organizers.  We currently have social media shout outs about our teachers and accompishments of our students. The stories can be an extension of those platforms. Sharing a story speaks of our unique impact on the lives of those we serve. It enhances our authenticity and genuineness. Letting others know that what we say we do and who we say we are actually happens! 
Another idea is to have coffee with the Admisitrator or Pastor. Especially helpful for our Pre-School and younger families to get to know one another. Give them a time and place to be in the building , show support for one another and be heard. It would be less formal than structured conference times but lead to valuable insights into the expectations or questions they may have. It could surface needs or lead to volunteer opportunities as a means for continued improvement. Our older students could watch yoinger students with other adult supervisors if this were not held  during the normal school day. 
Ultimately creating a "brand" that defines us and when people see them it brings to mind our School and that we truly are a family of families!

Here are some unique communication tools I would like to integrate within my school:

1. Pop-Up Office Hours: Hold spontaneous, unannounced office hours in different locations around campus or the workplace to increase accessibility and visibility.
2. Gamified Staff Challenges: Use apps or internal social networks to run communication-based games or trivia to boost morale and encourage engagement with important updates.
3. Admin Takeovers: Let different administrators "take over" the school’s or organization’s social media or internal newsletter for a day, offering behind-the-scenes insights or personal stories.
4. Walking Meetings or "Walk & Talk" Wednesdays: Combine communication with wellness by holding walking meetings with staff to encourage open dialogue in a relaxed environment.
5. "Coffee with the Admin" Livestreams: Host monthly live Q&A sessions (on Zoom or social media) where anyone can ask questions informally.

Some ideas for 'out of the box' communication strategies that I would like to try as an administrator are:

• Have students create and record weekly video announcements that include updates, upcoming events, and a scripture reflection.  This can increase student voice and ownership while improving school-wide communication in an engaging way.  These videos can be posted on the school's social media page.
• Each week, make 2–3 surprise positive phone calls home to families celebrating a student’s small achievement—academic, behavioral, or spiritual.  This unexpected praise strengthens family partnerships and reframes the principal’s role as relational, not just disciplinary.
• Drop short handwritten notes in teachers’ mailboxes with positive observations from classroom visits.