The Power of Influence: How to Lead When Authority Isn’t Enough *IN PERSON* facilitated by Robert Feirsen, Ed.D. and Seth Weitzman, Ed.D. – 8:30-11:30am

A wise board of education president once said, “Administrators have few sticks and even fewer carrots to move people from one level to another.” School and district leaders experience deep frustration because they operate in environments where traditional management strategies like directives and strong sanctions have limited power to effect change. Yet the research is clear: effective school leadership does not depend on power relationships but rather on the skillful use of influence to build school and district capacity and engage stakeholders in school improvement. Influence, not compliance, is the primary driver of sustainable changes in teaching, learning, and organizational culture. This workshop will enable school and district leaders to develop influence-based leadership strategies that result in deeper staff commitment and lasting change. Through research-informed frameworks and realistic case studies drawn from school and district contexts, participants will examine how leadership can facilitate improvement when formal authority is constrained and creating and sustaining positive relationships, credibility, and trust matter most. Participants will analyze common leadership dilemmas including resistance to instructional change, uneven implementation across schools, limited accountability leverage, and labor constraints and then design responses using influence strategies grounded in social psychology and educational leadership research. They will leave with actionable strategies they can apply in their own settings to build more responsive and resilient schools. Eligible for 3 hours CTLE credit. If district pays, district approval must be confirmed prior to start of session.
Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FqZEMn1_0qVk0z2D9rXP8w9F308z36Jz/view?usp=sharing
Registration: https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13208&I=5415577