At this stage in the process, it is time to return to the balcony. Without the balcony view of all three domains, it can be easy to fail to recognize the impact an initiative or change is having throughout the system. For example, enthusiasm over gains in the technical domain may dull our sensitivity to repercussions in the personal domain. Thus, during implementation of your improvement efforts, it is a good idea to revisit the specific questions you asked in Phase 2 of the process.

Implementation is shaped considerably by the action plan that was generated in the planning phase. However, the plan must be flexible enough to accommodate revisions. The Northern California Comprehensive Assistance Center's Comprehensive School Reform: Research-Based Strategies to Achieve High Standards has some excellent tips for implementation.

One of the greatest dangers of the implementation phase is the temptation to underestimate how much is needed to support the initiative and to turn our attention, instead, to a new initiative. To sustain the initiative, all school leaders need to work together to ensure that the initiative is not neglected.

In addition, it may be important to bear in mind how the various phases of the change process may affect your efforts and that ongoing professional development will most likely be needed to maintain the momentum of your improvement efforts. And to sustain your initiative, resource allocation may need to be examined.

Next: Phase 4: Evaluation / Reflection