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People-Centered Leadership for Schools and Nonprofits

Leader listening to stakeholders and encouraging perspective-sharing

People-Centered Leadership for Schools and Nonprofits 

The idea of People-Centered Leadership has become a ray of hope in the constantly changing field of nonprofit and educational leadership, providing creative answers to the intricate problems that face organizations.  This article will discuss how People-Centered Design can herald a new era of effective, equitable, and collaborative leadership for schools and nonprofits. So, let’s get started.  

The Current Leadership Landscape 

Both educational and nonprofit leaders grapple with multifaceted issues, from systemic inequities and disparities to dwindling staff morale and the ubiquitous menace of burnout. 

Distrust among stakeholders can often be traced back to traditional, top-down, deficit-based leadership models that leave little room for collaboration or inclusivity.

The status quo is no longer sustainable, and the need for a more holistic approach is paramount. 

How is people-centered leadership different from traditional leadership approaches? 

People-centered leadership starkly contrasts with traditional leadership approaches in several fundamental ways. Here’s a breakdown of how these two approaches differ: 

Focus on People vs. Hierarchy

People-Centered Leadership: This approach prioritizes individuals within the organization—students, families, staff, community members, or funders. It acknowledges that every individual’s unique needs, ideas, and perspectives contribute to the organization’s success. The focus is on creating a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative environment. 

Traditional Leadership: Traditional leadership often adheres to a hierarchical structure where decisions flow from the top down. It can sometimes be more focused on maintaining the status quo and adhering to established processes, with less emphasis on stakeholders’ individual needs and contributions. 

Listening and Empathy vs. Authoritarianism

People-Centered Leadership: Active listening and empathy are cornerstones of this approach. Leaders take the time to genuinely hear and understand their stakeholders’ concerns, ideas, emotions, and lived experiences. They use this understanding to inform decision-making, creating a more compassionate and responsive leadership style. 

Traditional Leadership: Traditional leadership tends to be more authoritative, with leaders making decisions based on their own perspectives and assumptions or the organization’s established culture and norms. The emphasis is on the leader’s authority rather than building relationships and understanding the diverse viewpoints of stakeholders. 

Collaboration vs. Top-Down Decision-Making

People-Centered Leadership: Collaboration is at the heart of this approach. Leaders actively involve stakeholders in decision-making, recognizing that diverse perspectives lead to better, more innovative solutions. This promotes collective ownership and shared accountability. 

Traditional Leadership: Traditional leaders often make decisions independently or within a small, closed circle of decision-makers. This top-down approach can lead to resistance from stakeholders who feel excluded from the decision-making process. 

Continuous Learning vs. Rigid Structures

People-Centered Leadership: In a dynamic world, people-centered leadership promotes continuous learning. Leaders are open to adapting, evolving, and embracing change. They see themselves as learners alongside their team and value ongoing professional development. 

Traditional Leadership: Traditional leadership may cling to rigid structures and established practices, sometimes resisting change or adaptation. This can hinder the organization’s ability to respond to new challenges effectively. 

Transparency and Trust vs. Secrecy

People-Centered Leadership: Transparency and accountability are key principles of leaders who embrace people-centered principles. Leaders openly communicate their decisions and actions, building trust among stakeholders. This transparency fosters trust and credibility. 

Traditional Leadership: Traditional leadership may sometimes operate with a degree of secrecy, delaying communication about decisions that impact stakeholders, or worse yet, waiting until stakeholders hear from other sources. This lack of transparency leads to distrust.

The Impact of People-Centered Leadership 

Now, you might wonder how adopting a people-centered leadership approach could impact your organization positively. Let’s delve into some compelling reasons why embracing people-centered leadership can make a significant difference, not only with the people you serve, but also for your organization’s mission. 

Enhanced Problem Solving 

People-centered leadership involves including stakeholders in problem-solving, ensuring that diverse perspectives are not only considered but also contribute to solutions. Welcoming this approach leads to innovative and practical solutions to complex problems. This results in developing more innovative and efficient solutions.

For example, a school that adopts people-centered leadership involves teachers, social workers, counselors, students, and families in problem-solving around chronic absenteeism. Together, they develop creative strategies based not only on research and evidence-based practices but also based on their students’ and families’ perspectives and lived experiences.

Improved Stakeholder Engagement 

When individuals feel heard and valued, they become more engaged, for the benefit of the organization and community. This boosts morale and leads to a stronger sense of community. Imagine a nonprofit board making the shift to people-centered leadership. Instead of brainstorming solutions they think will work based on assumptions, they succeed in improving engagement by actively involving staff, volunteers, funders, and community members, in shaping or reshaping programs and service offerings based on their community’s actual needs, concerns, and aspirations. 

Reduced Burnout 

By acknowledging the needs and well-being of stakeholders, leaders can proactively address issues that contribute to burnout. Rather than coming up with programs they think will motivate employees to prioritize their wellbeing, a school district might make it safe enough for staff to challenge the status quo by naming organizational barriers that contribute to stress and burnout and sharing potential solutions to remove those barriers. A supportive and caring environment created through people-centered leadership can significantly reduce stress and improve employee retention.  

Equitable Experiences and Outcomes 

In nonprofit organizations, people-centered leadership can help promote a safer, more equitable environment, for marginalized communities. Instead of clinging to “how we started” and “what we’ve always done,” organizations could engage in the hard work of intentionally listening to the communities they serve to understand the true impact of their policies and practices and make real changes based on stakeholders’ perspectives and lived experiences. This can lead to more equitable experiences and outcomes for the communities served by the organization. 

Trustworthiness and Credibility 

Leaders who practice people-centered leadership are seen as trustworthy and credible by their stakeholders. This trust is invaluable in building strong, lasting relationships.  Take, for instance, a charitable organization who is struggling to grow in a post-pandemic environment. The leadership’s decision to take a transparent approach to resource allocation goes a long way to building trust among donors and partners, leading to increased support and collaboration. 

People–Centered Design: The Way Forward

People-centered design is the way forward for leaders in education and nonprofit organizations who recognize the limitations and negative impact of the traditional approach to leadership; and who want to solve complex challenges while caring for the people they serve. It provides a single framework and road map for creating a collaborative, empathetic, and solution-oriented leadership approach.  

People-centered design in leadership is a holistic approach that places individuals’ needs, perspectives, and experiences front and center in decision-making and problem-solving.  

The time for change is now, and people-centered design is your compass to navigate the unprecedented complexities of the world in which we now live. 

By cultivating people-centered leadership, you have the potential to create a transformative impact on your organization and, ultimately, on the lives of those you serve. The future is people-centered; together, we can lead the way to a better tomorrow.  

Visit our website at Jonlieu to discover more resources, tools, and leadership stories that will inspire and guide your journey toward a brighter, more inclusive future. 

Categories
K12 Nonprofits

People-Centered Design in Learning: Revolutionizing Education

Educational leader listening and learning about students' experiences at school

People-Centered Design in Learning: Revolutionizing Education

The conventional methods for creating learning experiences have frequently fallen short in a society where education and learning are essential for children and adults. 

The generic nature of these traditional approaches makes it difficult for them to relate to each learner’s unique interests and goals. 

Disengagement occurs because they need to take learner input and feedback into account or adapt to it. 

Here, “People-centered Design in Learning” (PCD) emerges as a game-changer, giving education a new lease on life. So, let’s dive deep into it. 

The Power of People-Centered Design in Learning 

What is People-Centered Design? 

People-centered Design in education (PCD) is an innovative approach to creating learning experiences that prioritize the learner’s perspective, interests, and needs.  

It goes beyond the traditional one-size-fits-all model of education and emphasizes empathy and engagement throughout the development of learning experiences. 

Educational leaders in K-12 and nonprofit leaders who offer learning opportunities for youth and adults need to understand the potential of PCD in reshaping education. 

Breaking Free From Cookie-Cutter Learning

The problem with conventional learning experiences is their cookie-cutter nature. They are often created with a standard curriculum, disregarding the unique qualities of each learner. This disconnect results in disengaged learners and limited retention of information. PCD, on the other hand, ensures that every learning experience is tailor-made, aligning with the learner’s interests, goals, and preferences. 

People-centered Design in learning is all about understanding the individual. It recognizes that every learner has unique interests and personal goals. 

By aligning the content and structure of educational experiences with these individual factors, PCD ensures that learners are engaged and motivated to learn. It allows them to see the relevance of what they’re studying in their own lives. 

For example, a learner passionate about environmental sustainability embarks on projects that tackle real-world problems. A budding artist incorporates their passion into history lessons, creating an engaging visual representation of historical events. 

This is the potential of People-centered Design in learning. Traditional education tends to confine learners to a rigid structure, but PCD reimagines the learning context, allowing each learner to thrive by integrating their individuality into the learning experience. This shift from uniformity to personalization is at the heart of the revolution in education that PCD offers. 

Why Shift To People-Centered Design in Learning?

Traditional design approaches, which have been the norm for years, now face increased scrutiny due to their limitations. Shifting to People-centered Design (PCD) in learning offers many compelling reasons to transition from conventional methods. Let’s explore why it’s imperative to move away from traditional approaches and embrace PCD: 

Addressing Individuality 

Traditional approaches often treat learners as a collective, ignoring each student’s unique needs and interests. People-centered design for better learning acknowledges that every learner is distinct and that their educational experiences should reflect that individuality. This recognition of diversity and individual needs is vital for effective learning. 

Fostering Engagement 

Traditional designs frequently result in disengagement because they are disconnected from life experiences, leading to boredom and apathy. Learners need to see the relevance of what they’re taught to their lives. PCD, on the other hand, captures and sustains learner interest by connecting educational content to personal goals and interests. 

Enhancing Retention 

One of the primary goals of education is to ensure that knowledge is retained and can be applied effectively. Traditional methods often need to improve, as they fail to establish a strong connection between what is taught and how it can be practically used. PCD’s emphasis on relevance and personalization significantly improves retention rates. 

Empowering Learners 

Traditional approaches tend to be top-down, with educators or instructors making most decisions. Learners may feel disempowered and disconnected from their education. PCD actively involves learners in designing and improving their learning experiences, fostering a sense of ownership, agency, and empowerment. 

Nurturing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills 

The capacity to think critically and solve problems is more vital than ever in a rapidly changing society. PCD encourages learners to actively participate in the design process, making them more adept at problem-solving and critical thinking. This goes beyond just academic knowledge and equips them for real-life challenges. 

The Phases of People-Centered Design in Learning 

To fully appreciate the potential of PCD, educational leaders and nonprofit leaders should understand how this approach works in practice. PCD encompasses three primary phases that collectively revolutionize the learning experiences offered: 

Phase 1: Empathy and Understanding 

PCD starts with a deep dive into understanding the learners. This phase involves conducting interviews, surveys, and observations to grasp each learner’s unique needs, interests, and motivations. Empathizing with the learner makes the design process more aligned with their requirements. 

Phase 2: Ideation and Collaboration 

The next step is creativity, where educators, designers, and learners collaborate to generate creative solutions to learning challenges. This collaborative approach ensures that all stakeholders have a say in shaping the learning experience. The result is content that resonates with the learners. 

Phase 3: Prototyping and Testing 

In PCD, rapid prototyping creates preliminary versions of learning materials and experiences. These prototypes are then tested with actual learners, and feedback is actively collected. Based on this feedback, adjustments are made, making the learning experience more engaging and effective. 

PCD doesn’t stop here; it emphasizes the need for continuous improvement. Feedback loops and data collection mechanisms are embedded throughout implementation to ensure that the learning experience evolves with the changing needs and preferences of the learners. 

Adopting People-Centered Design in Education 

The Design of learning experiences for children and adults is at a critical juncture, and traditional methods must be revised. A potent and revolutionary alternative has developed in learning: people-centered Design. 

It’s time to embrace People-centered Design in education and transform how we learn and teach in this era of rapid change and growing diversity in educational settings. By enabling personalized, interesting, and successful learning experiences, we can build a more promising and inclusive future for learners of all ages. 

To get your PCD sessions off to the perfect start, contact a “PCD expert” through Jonlieu’s website. Jonlieu has the expertise to help you navigate the PCD process and ensure your educational offerings are learner-centric. You can revolutionize how you teach and learn by embracing PCD and working with Jonlieu’s design specialists, paving the way for a better future for your learners, staff, and community. 

With Jonlieu, your entryway to changing education, you can unleash the boundless potential of People-centered Design in learning. Start now and transform the way you teach and learn. 

Categories
K12

Designing Better Learning: People-Centered Design in K-12 Schools

Principal in discussion with two colleagues about student engagement

Designing Better Learning: People-Centered Design in K-12 Schools

School Principals don’t have it easy. The hundreds of students in your care rely on you and your workforce to prepare them for life in the real world, and you’re under an immense amount of pressure to shape them into the leaders of the future. Improving learning outcomes is crucial, but it’s only half the story.  

 

True education success lies in creating a CULTURE where everyone feels valued, included, safe to contribute, and brave enough to challenge the status quo, all in a world plagued by unpredictability and disruption at every turn. 

That’s where people-centered design comes in, a problem-solving tactic that puts your people at the heart of the learning and development (L&D) process. From developing curriculum to shaping your school’s unique culture, human-centric design is about taking the time to understand exactly what your students and educators need, and designing your learning & engagement processes from there. 

Dr. Prabhjot Singh once said that we spend so much of our time designing the bridge, but not enough time thinking about the people who will be crossing it. This is the essence of people-centered design, especially in education – the bridge needs to be built with their needs in mind.

To help learners thrive, human-centered designers typically ask three key questions: 

1: Why aren’t learners engaged? 

2: What problems do we need to solve? 

3: How can we meet the needs of the learners we’re solving these problems for? 

Why People-Centered Design? 

Human-centric design is the best way to turn bored students into engaged and enthusiastic learners. That’s why your people must be a key part of the curriculum- and culture-development process. Education design that keeps people at the core helps you:

Create learning material and EXPERIENCES that meet students where they are

Leverage the ancient power of storytelling to humanize L&D

Stop wasting money, time, and resources on wasteful guesswork

Create a learning & engagement framework that staff can learn and improve upon with time

Use learners’ unique challenges to inform learning & engagement experiences

Use data to understand what’s working (and what’s not) and make relevant changes

Help students learn more effectively and retain knowledge with more ease

Fuel pupils’ curiosity and make learning FUN, without making it distracting

Cater to their unique motivations, challenges, and learning styles

Encourage learners to give their best and avoid boredom and burn-out

Tap into students’ untapped academic, emotional, and social potential

Bring the authenticity of human interaction into the educational arena

Reimagine Learning & Engagement at School

Create Empowering Education Experiences With Jonlieu 

When it comes to education, placing humans at the heart of all you do makes all the difference. While many other approaches focus on objectives and milestones, we focus on the experience to help learners thrive beyond the classroom. To learn how Jonlieu can help you bring people-centered design into your school or nonprofit to start improving learning outcomes, start a conversation with our team today. 

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