Conversations That Count — Using Interview Inventories to Make Meaningful Change

If you’ve been following along with our "Beyond the Box" series, you know we’re not about surface-level change. We believe real transformation starts with people, not programs. And if you want to lead well, here’s the secret:

You have to listen first.

Not to the loudest voices in the room. Not to the data dashboard. To the people. The ones closest to the work.

Please listen to the deep dive; they do a great job sharing the insights from our article, and hopefully, one day we will be able to do a podcast just like them!

Last time, we talked about the Portrait of a Graduate and the many new shifts coming to New York this year:

• The Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations

• Early Literacy and Numeracy Briefs

• Full implementation of the P-12 Science Standards

It’s a lot. And yet—it’s also an opportunity.

But here’s the thing: before we act, we have to listen.

Not just to data dashboards or policy updates.
To the people. The ones closest to the work.

And to do that well, we return to two foundational tools:

• The Gameboard of Change makes the shared vision visible

• The Interview Inventory helps us understand what matters most

Together, these tools do more than check a box:

They help us make sense of the moment we’re in—and chart a thoughtful, human-centered path forward.

Why Interview Inventories Matter

An Interview Inventory isn’t a survey or a checklist.
It’s a chance to pause, get curious, and ask:

What’s working?
What’s confusing?
What would make your life easier?

You’re not fixing everything on the spot—you’re creating a space to surface the truths that rarely show up in formal reports. It’s leadership at its most human: listening to understand, not just to respond.

And when done well, it becomes a superpower.

What It Looks Like in Action (Through the Literacy Lens)

Here’s how this worked during a recent literacy transformation:

• We talked to everyone—teachers, teaching assistants, AIS providers, building leaders.

• We listened for interests, not just positions. When someone said “We need a new curriculum,” we didn’t jump to solutions. We asked, “What would that give you?”

• Most often, the answer wasn’t a program—it was clarity, time, or consistency.

One powerful theme we heard?

Overlapping assessments were overwhelming. Not because teachers were resistant, but because they were trying to protect instructional time and do right by kids.

That’s not resistance. That’s dedication.

What We Learned

• Positions are a starting point. Interests are where the insight lives.

• Listening builds trust. And trust builds momentum.

• When people feel heard, they lean in.

These are the same muscles we built in Post 5 when we practiced interest-based problem solving, and in Post 4 when we reframed complaints into clues. This work builds—and it builds toward culture.

Your Next Step

Before you launch your next project—curriculum, MTSS, interdisciplinary units, or beyond—pause, ask questions—lots of them.

Revisit your Gameboard of Change.

Sit in the tension between where you are and where you want to go.

Then layer in an Interview Inventory to bring voices into the room that may otherwise go unheard.

We promise—you’ll find clarity. You’ll discover strengths you forgot were there. And most importantly, you’ll find a way forward that includes your people, rather than just informing them.

Because when we listen first, the path forward becomes clear.

Subscribe for Free! We love sharing our experiences!