You do what you want; we are sitting here but we will not implement this in the classroom. Many like you have come and gone, but we are still here. Neither you guys understand the classroom nor can really help. All you think is you know it better than us and come and preach your philosophy to us,” a teacher fiercely stated during a meeting in Haryana. To my surprise, most teachers agreed, looking back at their phones. It was a humbling experience.
Reflecting on the drive back, I realized they were right. My time at HCL Technologies had taught me that without addressing “What’s in it for me?”, buy-in is rare, no matter how relevant the solution.
Then, listening led to a breakthrough. A teacher explained, “I have to teach a multi-grade class with limited resources, and my teaching time is just about 20% as other tasks are thrust on me.” It was clear that to gain acceptance, we needed to reduce their workload, not increase it.
This experience sparked a pivotal shift in our approach. What if, like at HCL, we put teachers at the center of our efforts instead of children? By empowering and enabling teachers with what they need, we could create a more effective and nurturing learning environment.
Once we clarified our approach—“Teachers First, Children Second”—we promised not to add to their burden unless it reduced their workload by 30% and simplified their tasks. This principle led almost 500,000 teachers to join our program and transform their classrooms.
The principle of "Employee First, Customer Second" and now "Teachers First, Children Second" highlights the importance of inspiring change as an influencer, not as the change maker. Living this truth daily allows us to create magic with those who walk with us.
For more insights, watch the 7-minute video I recorded, inspiring teachers to embrace these changes and attempt the impossible.