President’s Welcome

Achieving Wildly Important Goals

Advancement really distinguishes itself by how we focus on the difficult immediately, while the impossible seems to take a bit longer. Without exception, my colleagues in Educate Plus all seem to be in positions where the need to achieve wildly important goals.

So, in the first newsletter of the year, I wanted to share some lessons from a book that a friend in Educate Plus recently pointed me to: ‘The Four Disciplines of Execution’ by McChesney, Covey and Huling.

It is a simple (but not easy) framework for ensuring that the most important work gets done and bridges the gap between strategy and execution.

You and I know that the biggest reason that we fail to execute on goals is “the whirlwind.”. The whirlwind is the day job; it’s the things that must get done to get through the week. It destroys the execution of larger goals because it grinds you down (remember those New Year Resolutions?). But this book finds a way through the whirlwind, by recommending 4 specific disciplines.

Discipline One: Focus on the Wildly Important

Pick one critical goal (or at the most two.) This is your Wildly Important Goal or WIG. It’s very difficult for most ambitious leaders to focus on only one goal, but this concentration of forces is necessary to defeat the whirlwind. The reality is that we still need to spend 80% of our time and effort on the day-to-day, but 20% should be focused on the WIG.

Discipline Two: Act on the Lead Measures

The second discipline is to focus on the activities that drive results i.e. lead measures.

To achieve the second discipline, we have to understand that in life there are LAG measures or LEAD measures. Lag measures describe results — what you are trying to achieve (targets, reunions, enrolments). Your WIG will be a lag measure. You can’t “do” lag measures, and they arrive too late. Lead measures, on the other hand, describe activities which can be acted upon. A good lead measure predicts success on the lag measure, and the individual (or team) has direct influence over it — it’s not dependent on anyone else.

Focusing on lead measures frees you up to focus on what you can do to make a difference and so pick your lead measures by what will have the most impact on achieving the WIG. Here is an example. If I want to lose 10kgs (lag measure), I need to eat less and exercise more (my two lead measures).

Discipline Three: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard

To go the distance, you need to know, always, if you are winning…or losing. That is why you need a score card. Most people are like me – they play more seriously when keeping score. Without knowing the score, it is just too easy to be distracted by the whirlwind. Your scoreboard should be simple, visible, show both lead and lag measures (actions and results), and show at-a-glance if you are winning.

The aim is to create a winnable game; one that plays out every day. The feeling of winning, has the most powerful effect on morale and engagement — and it’s something the whirlwind does not provide well.

Discipline Four: Create a Cadence of Accountability

The first three disciplines prepare for the game; the fourth discipline is the game itself — it is execution. You must have a weekly in a WIG session for personal accountability, to clear the path ahead, to solve problems, and to commit to actions for the next week.

Like all disciplines, the urge to cheat is palpable, but through the 1,500 consulting engagements that form the basis of the framework, the authors warn us not to. They suggest that the four disciplines are a little “like the rules governing gravity: They aren’t concerned with what you think or with the details of your particular situation. They simply yield predictable consequences.”

Here is wishing you all the very best with your wildly important goals. If this resonated in any way, then watch this nice short video summary by one of the authors, Chris McChesney here. He explains it far better than I did… Then invest in getting your own copy of the book (available widely, including online). And drop me a note to let me know how you went.

Abhra Bhattacharjee
President, SA/NT
Abhra@scotch.sa.edu.au

SA/NT Workshop: Communication overload!

DO SCHOOLS CONSIDER THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT HITS A PARENT’S INBOX?  

Parents are overloaded with information from so many sources across a school and if you have ever had parents miss an email or take too long to respond to what you think is the most important correspondence in the world, you need to attend Daniel Crago’s workshop!

IT WILL TAKE A TEAM APPROACH TO MAKE A CHANGE, SO BRING YOUR IT STAFF TOO!

Event details

• Date: Wednesday 25 March 2020
• Time: 8.30am – 10.00am
• Venue: Torrens University, 88 Wakefield St, Adelaide SA 5000
• Tickets: Members: $44 + GST Non-members: $55 + GST

REGISTER NOW!

The Traditional Admissions Funnel

This article is reproduced with kind permission from Brendan Schneider. Educate Plus are currently working with Brendan with the view of bring him to Australia to conduct a series of Master Classes.

In my opinion, the traditional admission funnel is broken. I believe this for two reasons:

1. The Rise in Ghost Inquiries

Ghost inquiries are those inquiries where the first point of contact with the prospective family is when they submit their application. The implications of ghost inquiries are huge.

Sure it was great that you received the application but what about all those families that researched your school and decided not to apply. The family has made a decision about your school without you having a voice in the conversation. I often wonder how many families have considered Sewickley Academy but never completed an inquiry form.

Let that sink in for a moment.

The implications are huge.

The traditional funnel model where a family would express interest in your school by calling the admission office with the purpose of receiving your admission packet are over. When the family made their inquiry, they were, in essence, giving you permission to market to them about your school. Those days are over!

The new model, as suggested by the ghost inquiry, is that families are doing their research about your school using Google, review sites like Great Schools, viewing your school’s social media channels, and talking to families and friends about their individual opinions.

When a family completes an inquiry form now, they have already made their decision that they are interested in your school.

Are you thinking about your marketing and admission processes in this new light?

2. The Funnel Signifies an End to the Process

I often walk around the office and say that it’s easier to re-enrol a student than it is to enrol a student. Where is re-enrolment represented in the traditional admission funnel?

It’s not!

Another reason that I think the traditional admission funnel is dead is that the point of the funnel signifies an end – that once a student is enrolled their journey is complete. I think that their journey is only beginning with your school.

There has been a change in this line of thinking in recent years as evidenced in the advancement model at schools as well as admission directors assuming the title of Director of Enrolment. Schools have increasingly spent more time strategically thinking about retention and my school even has a committee where we discuss retention beginning in the early winter of the school year.

What replaces the funnel?

This is a great question and one that I’ve been struggling with for some time. While I’m honestly not sure what form the new funnel should take I have recently settled on The Enrolment Rings.

Here is the general concept – a student moves from one ring to the next based on their level of attraction or commitment to the school. The goal of the school is to move a child into the ring in the middle which signifies an Evangelist for the school.

Here are the Rings:

Ring 1: Awareness (of your school)
Ring 2: Interest (in your school)
Ring 3: Application (to your school)
Ring 4: Enrolment
Ring 5: Re-enrolment
Ring 6: Alumni
Ring 7: Evangelist

The Enrolment Rings help to address the two weaknesses above of the traditional admission funnel: 1. A school cannot simply focus upon Ring 2: Interest (or Inquiry) anymore, they must also focus on raising awareness of your school for mission appropriate families, 2. The Enrolment Rings have no end, as the funnel does, once a family reaches Ring 7: Evangelist a school will have to work hard in order to keep the family in Ring 7. There is never an end, or finish line – schools, must continue to cultivate individual families to keep them in the Evangelist ring.

International Conference Adelaide 2020

Regional Bursaries Announced for Educate Plus International Conference
Adelaide, 8 – 11 September 2020

We are excited to announce that SA/NT has five bursaries available for low fee institutions of $500 each. We also have 10 travel concessions of $500 each.

The application process is simple and short, and you’ll receive a quick response from the President. We are very keen to have as many of our regional members at the conference.

Follow the link for more information: https://www.epadelaide2020.edu.au/bursaries

Please do get in touch if you have any questions about bursaries, travel concessions or the international conference.

This is the premier event for advancement professionals across Australasia. It will provide you with significant opportunities to learn about leading practices, with over 80 leading practitioners from Australasia, USA and UK presenting. There will be plenty of opportunities to network with your peers and gain industry knowledge through discussion and building connections. You will gain insights from project leaders and industry influencers over the 3 days of workshops in 7 streams.

CONFERENCE WEBSITE

The Educate Plus 2020 International Conference provides an invaluable opportunity to:

• Learn and up-skill by attending a variety of conference sessions, including keynote presentations, concurrent sessions and workshops.
• Over 98% of delegates achieved their outcomes in attending the last Educate Plus International Conference. 
• Hear from local and international thought-leaders on emerging topics and trends.
• Network with 700+ advancement practitioners and like-minded peers.
• Discover the latest innovations, products and services on show at the exhibition.

The conference has seven concurrent streams which will cover:

• Admissions
• School Fundraising
• Advanced and Tertiary Fundraising
• School Alumni and Community engagement
• Advanced and Tertiary Alumni and Community Engagement
• Marketing and Communications
• Leadership and General Advancement

In addition to the pre-conference masterclasses and workshops on 8 September, the following 3 conference days (9-11 September) will include round-table opportunities to discuss key challenges, as well as practical sessions with the aim of providing attendees with a range of strategies to implement in their roles. There is a full social program to encourage and provide time to network. Our draft program has just been published. Please note that content and speakers are open to change.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

Don’t miss out, early bird tickets are on sale now!

Pre-Conference Masterclasses and Workshops

Our pre-conference workshops and masterclass offerings for the 2020 International Conference surpass previous years. You are welcome to register for any class/workshop you wish, there are full or half-day options.

Led by a hand-picked group of the world’s most innovative educators, combining focused, relevant information and tips, that are guaranteed to keep you engaged, delegates can immerse themselves in the day to learn the tricks of the trade.

Our Capital Campaigns Masterclass will include focused talks, interactive discussions and current trends from world experts. This workshop will be relevant to the Alumni and Fundraising staff, and will make you think, review and implement best practice.

Our iPhone & Cinematography workshop is guaranteed to get the creative juices flowing. Creative communication forms the beating heart of marketing communications/ social media/ telling your story, but not all of us feel comfortable delving into our creative brain in order to produce new and inspiring material. Our workshop will explore elements of videography, empowering you to communicate with elegance and eloquence.

This expert is an experienced presenter, writer and content developer and at #epadelaide2020, he will share the secrets to Delivering an amazing Presentation. Delegates will learn the core components of every great talk:

• The story – making sure the message has a coherent structure
• The media – enhancing the story not distracting from it
• Presentation – making sure the message is delivered with presence

This incredible handpicked lineup of experts will take you through Discovering Advancement. There will be a lot of shared knowledge from people at different stages in the Industry from those newly joined, fresh faced members to those experts who have lots of insights to help you on your journey. This unique workshop will be an unforgettable opportunity to update your Advancement knowledge, and is relevant to everyone in the Educational Advancement sector. Do not miss out.

You can get totally overwhelmed when it comes to social media, the new platform developments, algorithms, how do you keep up? In our Social Media Advertising workshop, you will come away from this session and you will be so incredibly excited and pumped that you will just want to do everything now!! DO NOT MISS THIS SESSION! You will learn from someone who has worked in the industry (MySpace, Bebo, Facebook). Want some insider tips? Register for this session.

Take advantage of our free Sponsor workshops, where you will be provided with information and training on their services and products, with Q & A session to follow.

• Synergetic: Empower Education through world-class Management Solutions.
• Charidy: Leading Nonprofits use Charidy to accelerate their growth and strengthen their communities, fundraising solutions.
• Digistorm: Apps, websites, enrolment automation and much more.
• Potentiality TBC : Provide an all-in-one solution that encompasses a powerful Fundraising Database, a social network integrated Online Community, a Website, Emailing facility, an Events Management System, inbuilt Payment Gateway, Campaign Manager and Microsoft Outlook integration.

Click on the button below to find out more and to register.

FIND OUT MORE

Main Conference

HIGHLIGHTED SPEAKERS

We have a broad range of fantastic National and International speakers to share their expert knowledge. Hover over speaker to find out more.

SOCIAL PROGRAM

Our exciting social program provides an excellent opportunity to network with colleagues and suppliers and most importantly, have fun. The networking focal point of #epadelaide2020, the Welcome Reception at one of the most picturesque sporting grounds in the world the Adelaide Oval, provides the perfect opportunity to catch up with colleagues. Included with your full registration. The exhibitors area will be open throughout the pre-conference and 3 day conference, where you can grab a coffee at one of the stations, meet with suppliers and build new business relationships in a relaxed environment. Our Fuego Gala Evening, featuring exciting entertainment, a highly anticipated event provides the perfect opportunity to network and create amazing memories with colleagues. Join us for the social highlight of the Conference, to be held at the National Wine Centre of Australia. Unwind with friends and colleagues over fabulous food and drinks while being entertained! Dress code: a touch of red!

To find out more about our social program click the button below:

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

CONFERENCE TOUR PACKAGES

While in Adelaide, don’t miss out on some of the local attractions which have been carefully selected by our local Conference Committee as must see places. Adelaide is a gateway to some of Australia’s best wine country and is home to Australia’s official best restaurant, hotel, wine, gin and beach. As Adelaide has suffered losses during the recent tragic bushfires some of these tours may be unavailable but you are encouraged to help support Adelaide tourism as much as possible as locals try to rebuild and bring their beautiful tourist destination back to its former glory. There is lots of information on some special offers, planning for your trip and also if you decide to extend your visit to enjoy everything that Adelaide has to offer.

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

CONFERENCE APP

Our Conference App is under construction at the moment and will be available end of April, start of May. This app will provide you with an up to date itinerary.

THANKS TO OUR CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Certified Advanced Practitioner Training 2020

There are many reasons to invest in your training and professional development. Upskilling and keeping up with the latest trends and industry changes are high on the list but considering new or alternative methods can also lead to greater efficiency and reduced work burdens. Educate Plus Certified Advancement Training Courses are ‘advancement-focussed’ and are developed with relevance and convenience in mind. The training programs are delivered by and grounded in the day-to-day practice of advancement professionals and our Industry Experts who have a real understanding of what staff need in their roles.

Our vision is to improve the capabilities of participants by providing courses that have an immediate positive impact on their working lives. through engaging and relevant content with maximum value in a short timeframe.

‘Brilliant! Real life presenters who currently work in the sector who added an invaluable array of information and experiences. So many options to take back to my team for consideration. I would highly recommend this course.’ Megan Henriksen – 2018 Participant

Our courses cater for those new to the education sector and those already experienced employees who need information and skills to support their growth and gain more advanced knowledge. Educate Plus provides training that is current and relevant, incorporating leading practice across our four key Advancement pillars:
+ Admissions
+ Fundraising
+ Alumni & Community Relations
+ Marketing & Communications.

The course learning materials are rich with case study scenarios, checklists and sample forms. In 2018 we introduced a new learning management system (LMS) which improved the learning experience for our 75 participants. All of us are time poor, so this course work is designed to be completed and submitted online with an on-line discussion forum so participants can get to know their classmates in advance of the face to face training.

Based on feedback from our students the content and structure of our 2020 courses has been further improved to reflect learning needs and requirements through more workshop and adult learning techniques such as peer-to-peer round table discussions. In addition, a new educational marketing resource, with an Australian focus has been specifically developed for this course. Besides improving everyday skills and knowledge, participating in the Advancement training allows for valuable networking and building of relationships with other like-minded professionals. These collaborations help to improve the learning experience. Through workshops and question and answer sessions our participants can connect, engage and discuss important problems of practice and share solutions. This networking strategy can lead you to individuals who are ready and willing to help. Also connecting with industry peers and leaders can provide unique growth and learning opportunities for participants.

Educate Plus is keen to offer this experience as part of its service delivery by bringing together diverse professionals and connecting them with each other in-person and online through the learning management system. In our experience participants offer insights based on their own experiences, discuss professional challenges and offer encouragement and support, as well as professional expertise.

Upcoming Certified Advancement Practitioner Training
The 2020 Certified Advancement Practitioner Training program will be held in Melbourne on 7/8 May. We will be running the following courses:
+ Admissions
+ Fundraising
+ Alumni & Community Relations
+ Marketing & Communications.

Each of the courses outline the basic principles underpinning contemporary practice and standards in that stream. These courses are suitable for beginner to intermediate-level Advancement practitioners.

Registrations for the Certified Advancement Practitioner Training are open now. From past experience we do anticipate that some courses will sell out. If you have any suggestions and feedback on our training programs, please do not hesitate to write to sheila@educateplus.edu.au.

Dates: 7-8 May, 2020 

Location: University of Melbourne

Registration:  OPEN here

Cost:

To find out more about the 2020 training programs click here.

REGISTER

Mentoring

One of the many benefits on offer with your Educate Plus Membership is our Mentoring program. Educate Plus recently subscribed to, what we believe to be, the world’s leading online mentoring platform.

This is an innovative, new mentoring platform enables users to take control of their own mentoring activities.

We already have 79 users, 45 mentors and 50 mentees up and running on the platform.  With 26 active mentoring partnerships in place we are receiving very positive feedback on the platform and on the relationships that have been formed:

” John has given me some ideas and thoughts about how to improve our fundraising. He has been honest and forthcoming with help.”

” I met with Mike recently for the first time and it was fantastic to talk about some of the hurdles I face at work, especially with helping my school Board understand the importance of some of the initiatives I would like to roll out. It was also great to chat to Mike about what other career paths are available to me as a fundraiser – such as in the tertiary industry, which I am not familiar with at all.”

” The meeting room on the platform has enabled me to be mentored by someone in another state.  Fantastic!”

” We have exchanged emails and I have shared a presentation I gave at the Ed Plus Dunedin conference. Sophie said that she found our meeting very helpful and has been able to put some of things we talked about into practice already.”

” Being able to meet on the platform has meant that we can fit in our catch ups more regularly.”

Joining our Mentoring network is incredibly easy: Just click here and create your profile to get started If you are already on Linkedin most of the work is done for you!  Once registered the platform will find you a match and away you go.  Alternatively, we can match for you.  Just let us know: mentoring@educateplus.edu.au

So, whether you would like to find a mentor to help you set your career goals for 2020 or if you are an experienced practitioner looking to give back to your community jump on board and kick-start the year with a new mentoring partnership. 

Here is a short webinar to help you navigate the platform too.

Get in touch if you need some help:  mentoring@educateplus.edu.au

Featured Member

Q&A with Sue Spry, F.Edplus 
Alumni and Donor Relations Manager, Concordia College

Committee Member – Professional Development & Events

Tell us something that might surprise us about you

I learned to drive in a hotted-up Holden Monaro

What lead you to your present role?

I was working at the Heart Foundation as Donor Relations Co-ordinator and was lured back to my old school.

What is your favourite aspect?

Re-connecting with so many wonderful Old Concordians

How long have you been a member of EP?

Since 2013

What has been a member done to help your career development?

The fantastic networking opportunities! I’ve made so many contacts across Australia, and New Zealand who are happy to discuss/ share/ help!

Who would you like to have lunch with and where?

With Nigella Lawson at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar in Bondi, it’s her “favourite restaurant in the world” and I’d like to find out why.

Favourite food and why?

Seafood – I grew up on the West Coast of South Australia eating whiting, crabs and snapper!

Where is your favourite travel location and why?

Rheims in France – All that French Champagne!

What does success look like to you?

Continually learning and making the most of my personal journey. Being compassionate, doing my best.

Welcome to our new members

A very warm welcome to our new members! We look forward to meeting with you at one of our 2020 SIG’s, PD or networking sessions. Please feel free to jump onto our website forum to ask a question, seek advice or listen to other hot topics. We also invite you to join our FB Group which has up to date discussions with Educate Plus members.