"Change is the Only Constant in Life"

- Heraclitus

I've heard this quote by Heraclitus(I had to google the quote to see who it was) many times throughout my life. Change is all around us in our personal lives, work environment, our community and the great big world we live in. Sometimes change is easy... and sometimes we just down right want to give up and deny it. What is it that makes change easier or the transition not so bad? Thinking about my own personal experience, I can say that when change was easier it was because I felt trusted and supported through the process. I knew if I struggled or had questions, that there would always be someone there to catch me if I fall. I wasn't embarrassed of the possibility of failure, because I knew that they would get be right back on that horse.

Trust and support relate directly to Fullan's #1 Change Secret: Love Your Employees. I constantly  feel like my conversations and 'ah ha' moments always come back to relationships and the trust, support and communication I have with others. The relationships we form with others become the foundation on which we can build and succeed.

When taking steps to improve my digital leadership I believe it is crucial that we consider not only "Loving our Employees", but all of Fullan's Six Secrets of Change. We have to trust and support one another, allow for purposeful peer interaction, lean on one another, immerse ourselves in professional development, be transparent and willing to share, and always be open to new ideas. 

As a digital leader is it crucial that we inspire others by our actions of engagement and efforts to create a "Digital-Age Learning Culture". As administrators we must promote professional practice that directly corresponds with student learning, and we must always be looking for new ways to improve. All of this must happen while modeling and .facilitating a "Digital Citizenship" where we show an understanding of social, ethical, and legal issues and responsibilities to an evolving digital culture (ISTE, 2009). 

Long story short, our world will forever be in a state of change, but if we support one another, are passionate about what we believe in, and engage as a life-long learner... well, change might not be so bad.