In your school library you may well be a team of one or you may be in a vibrant team that includes a mix of staff - teachers as well as the library team. Either way, how do you get your good ideas heard? Everyone seems so busy, and time is precious.
Here's a checklist of 20 discussion starters that really work.  Using any of these you are focusing on your idea, not looking for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer that would limit feedback – and you also aren’t asking whether they ‘like’ your idea.

In approaching someone you trust, you are looking for practical, useful feedback that can help you develop your idea further.  You’re using a personal approach, and you value their time – but you’re avoiding emails and memos.

Take a look at The Heart of innovation site, and try out one or two of these techniques when you need to kick-start a great idea that you’d like to follow through in your school:

flickr image from ALA
http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/archives/2011/03/21_phrases_to_u.shtml   

Seen on Stephen Abram’s blog, Stephen’s Lighthouse.

Janet McFadden