Making Plans for Advancement in a Changing World
Article written by Giles Creelman, Head of Marketing & Community, Swan Christian Education Association, and Steven Wellbeloved, Head of Advancement, Swan Christian College.
Way back in 2004, British band Keane burst onto the music scene with a nostalgic piano-based number that proclaimed:
‘Everybody’s changing, but I still feel the same…’
The singer longed for things to remain as they used to be, but the inevitable was happening all around him, and he couldn’t stop the onslaught. (And this was before smartphones and social media!)
Almost 20 years later, the sense of change in schools can lead to exhaustion, frustration, and a sense of sentimentality for the simple life we used to lead.
Sadly, our environment is disrupted regularly. It is our role to ensure that our schools and colleges run as smoothly as possible so that our college brand is maintained, and the highest level of service can be delivered to our families.
How does the world of Advancement adjust to the ongoing demands within the field of education?
As new leaders emerge in Advancement, continued growth and development must remain at the forefront of what we do. Think about the skills that will set you apart from your competition.
But wait! Before you do that, focus on developing soft skills. These are imperative as we gain the trust of our teams and create an environment where people have the autonomy to be creative and thrive.
Trust is built on five components, with empathy being the foundation. Reliability, competency, integrity, and vulnerability build on this.
Once trust is built and our teams are thriving, we should continue to create a fun work environment, set goals, delegate wisely, think about lasting solutions, communicate clearly, make time for our staff and celebrate the wins – big and small!
As we lead our teams in the post-pandemic world, maintaining a fun and productive work environment for our teams is of the highest importance, as is ensuring that succession planning is in place for all team members. We are navigating a world of low unemployment rates, where jobs are plentiful. We need to be aware of the small things that might trigger our team members to look to ‘jump ship’ for the next green pasture that looks all too promising when difficulties arise.
A focus on continual and adequate professional development is as essential as providing opportunities for our teams to network with like-minded professionals and grow through peer learning.
Where do we look for our inspiration in school marketing?
Earlier this year, we met Dr David Willows and Ms Suzette Parlevliet, formerly of The International School of Brussels, Belgium. They have launched ‘Yellowcar’ – an initiative that looks at schools as ‘experiences’ and focuses on designing these experiences for maximum impact.
The authenticity of this venture and the combined experience of these hugely knowledgeable experts makes for exciting insights and an entirely new way of looking at customer interaction.
Take Away Tips:
- Focus on developing soft skills
- Note skills that set you apart from your competition
- Five pillars of building trust: empathy, reliability, competency, integrity, and vulnerability
- Create a fun work environment
- Set goals
- Delegate wisely
- Consider lasting solutions
- Communicate clearly
- Make time for staff
- Provide continual professional development
- Seek our innovation in marketing
- Celebrate the wins
Giles Creelman, Head of Marketing & Community at Swan Christian Education Association. SCEA is a system of seven independent schools in Perth, Western Australia. Creelman has led teams in educational institutions in the United Kingdom, Qatar and Malaysia.
Steven Wellbeloved, Head of Advancement at Swan Christian College, SCEA’s largest school. Wellbeloved draws upon years of experience leading a number of prestigious schools, having worked in Australia and South Africa over the past 12 years.
