by Dinos Aristidou

The Reflection Card of the month reads ‘How will you measure success?’ and it’s one of those cards that initially inspires more questions rather than answers. 

First, how to define success and what does this mean to us? 

Defining success is key. 

Success is fundamentally about our mission and whether we are fulfilling it. Being mission led is something that has always been important to ISTA. Our mission is the passion that drives us and the heart that keeps us alive. We return to it, week after week, consistently interrogating who we are and what we do and why we do it.

Success is about what we offer our community. It’s about powerful events and experiences that impact on the lives of educators and learners. It’s about offering the very best in artistic and educational global learning events, services and resources.

Success is about going beyond our community and engaging with a diverse range of communities. The only way to be global is to be of the world and to look outwards, to consider what the world needs and how we, in some small way, can address this need. It’s about engaging with the best artists and inviting in new communities and partners.

As for measuring success, well for me it’s about two things: reflecting and listening, looking in and looking out, grasping the nettle and facing the challenges. 

We’re about to begin work on developing a rigorous and robust evaluation system that will allow us not only to celebrate our successes but also to develop our work further. Success can only come by scrutinising and listening to what we need to address, change and do better. Evaluation can be a key to unlock success. So we’re planning to take time and research different systems of evaluation and feedback to make sure what we put in place leads us to further success. 

Want to get your hands on your own set of Reflection cards? Head over to the ISTA Shop for a great 20% off deal this August!