Teach. Tech. Math.
Installing 4DX with Your Organization
In education, we seek the latest and most promising initiatives as the new school year commences. We seek the one initiative to transform our school, raise student achievement, and increase campus engagement. While these are good intentions, we need more time to put these initiatives to work when the whirlwind of day-to-day tasks picks up. We need to change behaviors with these initiatives, which presents many challenges. The problem isn't with the people in our organization but with the systems we have in place to reach these goals (McChesney et al., 2012).
The 4 Disciplines of Execution provide the framework needed to make an initiative successful. These disciplines offer a systematic approach to achieving goals amid day-to-day challenges. By focusing on specific actions, keeping a compelling scoreboard, creating a cadence of accountability, and maintaining a relentless focus on the wildly important goal, educators can effectively implement initiatives to transform schools, improve student achievement, and enhance campus engagement. This framework empowers educators to address the root causes of challenges, emphasizing systemic change rather than placing blame on individuals within the organization (McChesney et al., 2012). Through applying these disciplines, educators can navigate the complexities of behavior change and effectively drive progress towards overarching goals, ensuring sustained success in education initiatives.
The 4 Disiplines of Execution
Discipline #1: Focus on the Wildly Important Goals
We need to identify the one or two wildly important goals, or WIGs, for our organization that go beyond the daily whirlwind. Narrowing down our attention to one primary goal amidst the multitude of essential tasks allows us to prioritize effectively. While other goals may demand attention, this singular focus ensures we direct our efforts where they matter most. “All WIGs must have a finish line in the form of from X to Y by when” underscoring the importance of setting measurable goals with clear deadlines for achievement (McChesney et al., 2012, p. 37).
Discipline #2: Act on the Lead Measures
Measuring aspects of our work that we can directly influence and improve daily or weekly is crucial. Tracking these lead behaviors provides tangible feedback and encourages continuous improvement, fostering engagement and productivity.
Discipline #3: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
Transparency breeds accountability. We create a shared understanding of where we stand and where we are headed by displaying our progress on a visible scoreboard that includes our WIG, lead measures, and lag results. This visibility motivates efforts and encourages collective success.
Discipline #4: Create a Cadence of Accountability
Regular check-ins as a team provide opportunities to discuss progress, challenges, and strategies for improvement. By holding each other accountable and openly addressing areas for growth, we enhance our execution and drive toward our goals.
5 Stages of Change
4DX does not create change overnight. There are five critical stages of behavior change that most organizations go through (McChesney et al., 2012, p. 107). If we create a theme of consistency with these four disciplines and go through the five stages, we can effectively create change.
Stage 1: Getting Clear
The first stage is to set the tone, putting all four disciplines of execution into practice at your organization. The primary focus is on the WIG, identifying lead measures, creating a scoreboard, and scheduling weekly WIG accountability meetings.
WIG, Lag Measures, Lead Measures, Scoreboard, Weekly WIG Meetings
Stage 2: Launch
Now, we put our hard work into action, and our team must be focused and energized to stay consistent with the plan. This is a “trust the process” time in implementing 4DX (McChesney et al., 2012, p. 109). The team needs a strong leader to hold them together through this stage.
Focus & Energy, Trust the Process, Identify team motivations
Stage 3: Adoption
As the team gains a deeper understanding of the process of 4DX with their WIG, we go into the adoption stage. Once this stage is reached, the team will be able to see results on the scoreboard and believe that the process is working; adjustments can be made as the team takes accountability for each other.
Focus on the process, Make commitments, Hold each other accountable, clear the path for the resisters, track results, and make adjustments.
Stage 4: Optimization
During this stage, the team is fully engulfed in 4DX, and teammates take the initiative and encourage each other. Leaders must recognize excellent follow-through and celebrate success (McChesney et al., 2012, p. 112).
Encourage, Recognize, celebrate
Stage 5: Habits
4DX is now a habit and has created a culture of excellent execution, and the team has met its wildly important goal. Emphasise needs to be placed on 4DX as a new operating standard, and focus should be given to the lead measures. We will determine a new WIG from here, and the process will continue.
Celebrate, Set new goals, move the middle
4DX + Influencer
The 4 Disciplines of Execution and the Influencer Strategy complement each other seamlessly in pursuing organizational goals. Both frameworks emphasize the importance of behavior change in achieving desired outcomes and offer valuable insights into how to drive and sustain such changes effectively. 4DX provides a systematic approach to goal achievement, focusing on specific actions and leading measures to progress toward the WIG. Meanwhile, the Influencer Strategy dives into the science behind organizational change. This includes the six sources of influence that can bring about meaningful, lasting change. By combining these strategies, organizations can leverage the strengths of each to build an approach to help attain their goals. 4DX provides the structure and discipline, while Influencer offers insights into behavioral dynamics that can influence change. These two strategies can work together with effort and integration to create robust organizational growth and success.
References
McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2012). The 4 Disciplines of Execution. Simon and Schuster.