BREAKOUT #6
LOCATION: CROSS TIMBERS 2
Practical guidance for leading program change with limited staff: how to build urgency, gain buy-in, communicate through resistance, and avoid the pitfalls that stall progress, especially during rapid, real-world change.
About This Session
Description
Small literacy nonprofits are asked to modernize constantly such as new assessments, virtual options, data demands, AI tools, and partnership models, often without extra staff capacity. This session is a field guide to the change process and the pitfalls that derail even strong leaders.
Grounded in classic change research and newer findings on change commitment and rapid, unplanned change, we’ll focus on what actually helps people move from polite agreement to real adoption: creating urgency, building the right coalition, communicating in ways that balance clarity with empathy, and designing early wins that build momentum instead of exhaustion.
What we'll cover:
Learning outcomes (participants will be able to):
- Spot the most common failure points in change efforts (especially weak urgency, thin coalitions, fuzzy vision, and under-communication) and diagnose which one is showing up in their current initiative.
- Write a “head + heart” change message that connects the why (mission and learner impact) with the stakes (what happens if we do nothing) so buy-in isn’t dependent on your personality or authority.
- Build a realistic “guiding coalition” for small organizations by engaging beyond the “usual suspects” and using volunteers and cross-functional allies as the engine of change.
- Increase commitment to change by pairing relationship-based leadership (trust, inspiration) with change-specific leadership behaviors (clear planning and implementation behaviors)—especially when the change has high personal impact on staff/volunteers.
- Communicate through rapid, real-world disruption using a balanced approach: informative communication (what’s changing/how) plus socioemotional communication (empathy, listening, trust-building), which research suggests carries extra weight during crisis-like conditions.
Planned activities:
- Overview of the elements of change and the common pain-points.
- Pitfall quick-scan: Participants identify which failure mode is most likely in their current initiative.
- Coalition mapping: “Who has influence, credibility, proximity to the work, and trust?” Build a coalition that fits a small literacy nonprofit reality.
- Communication rewrite: Convert a too-technical update into a message that includes both clarity and empathy (participants can bring a real example).
- Early-win design: Identify one visible win that builds momentum and reduces burnout.
Audience: Executive directors, program managers, volunteer coordinators, data/impact staff, and anyone leading implementation (new volunteer systems, assessments/testing routines, virtual learning, AI pilots, partnership-based wraparound services).
Topics & Focus
Primary Topic Area
Session will also cover:
Assigned by TCALL
Audience
Level
Case study?
Promotion?
Find definitions of topic areas, audiences, levels, and PD categories by clicking on any icon, or see them all on this page.
A note from the presenter:
Feel free to bring your own examples for us to workshop together.
Handouts & Materials
No handouts or materials available at this time.
“Name of Session” – session presentation slides (PDF)
Name of Document – lesson sample (PDF)
Name of Document (PDF)
Name of Document – infographic (JPG)
Presenter
Sarah Richardson
Executive Director
Literacy Council of the Ouachitas
Sarah Richardson has served as the executive director of the Literacy Council of the Ouachitas since July 2020, leading the organization to increase its impact by over 400% through expanded services, increased funding, and outreach to multiple counties. Under her leadership, the council successfully secured additional state literacy funding and launched innovative programs to bridge education and workforce development.
With a background in early childhood and special education, Sarah holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and is currently a PhD Candidate in Change Leadership at The University of Central Arkansas. A dedicated advocate for lifelong learning, she has spearheaded collaborative efforts to improve adult literacy, economic mobility, and community resilience.
In addition to her professional work, Sarah is actively engaged in her community through leadership roles in the Hot Springs Area Chamber, National Park College Foundation, and Rotary. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, kayaking, hiking, and traveling with her family.
Breakout26 – RICHARDSON
Page checked or updated: 6/10/2026
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