The Elevator Pitch

One pervasive urban legend tells of a young and hungry entrepreneur who couldn’t get an interview at a large corporation.  Completely frustrated, he came up with a plan born of desperation.  He spent several weeks observing the daily routine of the CEO and preparing for just the right moment.  When he was ready, he timed his entry onto the first floor elevator to match that of the CEO and began his pitch with the closing of the elevator door.  By the time they reached the top floor thirty seconds later, the young man had convinced the CEO and was offered a job.

What can you say in 30 seconds that makes all the difference?

I couldn’t find any evidence to support the veracity of this urban legend, but true or not, the concept of the elevator pitch has become part of our lexicon.   A quick search of “elevator pitch” gets millions of hits and a whole list of resources for writing a clear, brief message about you and how you can become an asset to a company or organization.  

I suggest to you that the concept of an elevator pitch has implications for all of us in education--today more than ever.  The debate surrounding education is all around us, and if we are not prepared to make a sales pitch about who we are and the value of what we do, there are plenty of others outside of education who will be more than happy to provide words for us.

Want proof that I'm right? Check the headlines of the Indianapolis Star for the next few weeks.  I have no doubt you will find lots of people who haven't been inside a school recently with lots of opinions about Indiana schools.

We must give voice to the words of our hearts.

When You Can't Find the Right Words

How do you respond when someone from outside of education asks question like these?

• Why should I send my children to pubic schools and specifically to one of the Hamilton Southeastern Schools?
• What is HSE21, and why is it important to my child?
• Why should I give my financial support and vote to public education?

Do questions like these catch you by surprise?  Do you fumble for words?  Do you think of the great things you should have said later in the evening?

To be perfectly honest, I know I do—and I know I shouldn’t.  I should be prepared.  I should have an elevator pitch for HSE practiced and ready to go. 

Daniel Pink, the best-selling author of books about business and management, gives some good advice about an effective elevator pitch.  He is speaking about business, but it applies to us in education as well:

The pitch process, when it works well, is inherently collaborative.  In some ways, pitch is not the right word because pitch implies I’m going to throw this to you and you’re either going to catch it or not.  It’s much more interactive.  We have to think of pitching not as I’m going to sell you on this right now, but essentially, "Here is an invitation—an intriguing invitation—to have a conversation."

Pink's Drive has major implications for education.
See the link at the end of the blog to learn more.

The Challenge

The HSE Teaching and Learning Team gave ourselves the challenge of creating an elevator speech about Hamilton Southeastern Schools and HSE²¹.  How can we briefly and clearly state our beliefs?  How can we do more than simply “sell” Hamilton Southeastern Schools to someone from the outside?  How can we provide, as Pink says, an “intriguing invitation” for further conversation?

Those are tough tasks to complete well in 30 seconds.  After the holiday break I invite you to consider what we write; furthermore, I invite you to consider during the break what you might say if given the same challenge.

Even better, how about sharing your ideas in this blog?

What will you say when you get the unexpected question?

There is no time more important than now for educators to share the good things happening in HSE Schools.  Leading up to the election in May, you will undoubtedly be asked questions about our schools.  Each and every one of us must be ready to speak clearly about what we believe about public education, about the good things happening in our schools, and why continued support of our schools is so important to our children and our community.

So have a great holiday break, HSE.  Rest.  Relax.  Come back in January ready to educate our children—and ready to educate others who may have questions about the value of who we are and what we do.

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education

Bonus Video:  You might want to watch Daniel Pink’s TED Talk on what motivates people (and remember students are people, too).

Click this Link: The Puzzle of Motivation

Respond to Phil at plederach@hse.k12.in.us