Listening
Molly Yerkes
Communication:
Create a relationship and communication feedback loop with each of
the individuals and/or groups listed below. Discuss with each group
how they would prefer this to look for their group or organization. It
could be weekly, monthly, or quarterly meetings pre-arranged with the
simple objective of receiving feedback on issues that concern each
entity. A starting point with some groups could be to share the districts
Strategic Plan and ask for feedback on current district initiatives. At
the same time allow stakeholders to share their own concerns and
beliefs at to where the district should be putting its energies and
attentions.
Media:
Publicly announce a listening and learning period.
Use radio,
newspaper, web site, and any social media the local community
follows.
Share the purpose of the learning period i.e. to model being a life
long learner who values gathering facts and perceptions before
creating an action plan.
operations/programming
director, on air-staff, news director, news reporters, public relations
director, producers, and their web master.
Political Leadership:
State
the head of
constituent relations.
City
Education
Community Leadership:
Develop relationships with local organizations.
If one were to enter a community, which they were not familiar with
one might solicit recommendations for groups to contact from each
person or group they meet with.
This
might encourage the participation of disenfranchised families or groups
who are not comfortable attending meetings within a school building.
School Board:
Develop a close relationship with each individual board member.
Invite them to participate in the period of listening with you. Allow
them to attend site walk-throughs with you.
Schedule
weekly unannounced school walkthroughs. Go into classrooms and
unobtrusively speak with students. Take the time to talk to as many
members of the staff as possible.
National Leadership:
While National Leadership is something that is addressed in several
Next Steps:
Compile the qualitative data acquired during the One Hundred Days
of Listening.
Share the information you have learned with the School Board.
Incorporate the consistently heard areas of concerns/areas of
growth into the Districts Strategic Plan.