MASS/MASC Annual Conference NOVEMBER 5, 2014 Effective Communication for District Administrators By Gail M. Zeman, Consulting School Business Administrator, MASBO Past President 1

The Elements of Communication 2

Spoken Communication takes place in many settings  Media publication/broadcast  Large forum public meetings  School Committee meetings  Small group or team meetings  Private conferences 3

Group size matters 4 In large to medium sized groups the speaker is usually sending a message. As the group gets smaller, participation of the listeners increases.

Two-way Communication 5 As the group decreases in size, communication becomes dialogue. In dialogue, listening becomes as important as speaking.

The Speaker’s Formula Of all elements that go into effective pubic speaking… 6

10% of audience understanding is based on WHAT you say. (and I’ll bet 90% of your effort went into the content of your message…) 7

30% of audience understanding is conveyed by HOW you present your message. Are you confident or tentative? Are your words clear and well organized? Do your visuals back up, but not replicate your verbal message? Are you speaking UP, not DOWN 8

60% of understanding and engagement by the audience is based on your manner of presentation. Examples: Standing vs. sitting Familiarity with presentation media Speaking directly, not reading Involving the audience ENERGY! 9

For larger audiences Think carefully about who will be in your audience: Employees Colleagues Elected Leadership Leadership Team Students Parents or Knowledgeable Public Public – at – Large 10

What’s Their Knowledge Base? Highly informed and conversant with technical information Want to be informed; there to learn Have their own agenda; not there to listen Defensive Professional educators or ‘Numbers people’ 11

What’s your Purpose? Inform? Persuade? Gather input and information? Report – is that the same as Inform? 12

Getting Ready Do your homework well enough to feel confident Map out a strategy to convey your message Keep it Short and Simple Avoid specific details except as illustrations Use percentages, comparisons, analogies, examples, visuals 13

On Stage Stand, and stand tall, even if you aren’t. Engage the audience by involving them. Make eye contact with individuals. Avoid ‘pause’ words: uh, umm, OK, right. DO NOT READ from a script or slides. Don’t allow questioners to steal your show. SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE! 14

Perception is Reality: Second Order Communications The message your audience RECEIVES is what will be passed to a far larger audience Look through your audience’s eyes; hear through their ears Everything you write or say is filtered through the lens of the receiver What they perceive will be passed along s, texts, pictures, videos and observations are ubiquitous and fast 15

For Smaller Groups Sending and receiving are equally important You likely know your audience You may not know the AGENDA each individual is bring to the meeting Take time and pay attention as you send your message, to be aware of the visual and auditory cues from the individuals in your group Listen closely to the messages they are sending 16

The Old Story There’s a big difference between hearing and listening. LISTEN SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND MOTIVATION BEHIND WHAT IS SAID There’s a similar difference between speaking and conveying your meaning. SPEAK SO YOU LISTENERS ARE ENGAGED AND WANT TO ‘GET’ YOUR MESSAGE. 17

What is Listening Hearing is not listening Framing a response is not listening Putting up defenses is not listening Preparing a response is not listening Opening your mind to the words, feelings and intent the speaker is trying to convey…. IS Listening 18

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most Authors: Stone, Patton and Heen Themes: The three conversations The three stories Fix the problem, not the blame Feelings matter Also by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen Thanks for the Feedback (Sheila Heen is the Keynote speaker tomorrow) 19

Three Conversations The ‘What Happened?’ Conversation… Which involves disagreement about what happened The Feelings Conversation… Which are not addressed directly but are present The Identity Conversation… Which we have with ourselves about the meaning of the situation. 20

Three Stories Three Stories Your story The other person’s story The story as viewed by an objective outsider When conflict seems imminent, try to begin dialogue from The Third Story as a mediator would. Include both perspectives and invite joint exploration for a solution. 21

Worthwhile Quotes “Difficult conversations are almost never about getting the facts right. They are about conflicting perceptions, interpretations, and values.” “Talking about blame distracts us from exploring why things went wrong and how we might correct them going forward.” 22

A Key Note Educational leaders are in the midst of a sea- change in assessing the progress of students and the contribution (or lack thereof) of teachers in that process. Difficult Conversations addresses this issue. 23

Questions? What’s your “Take Away”? Thank you for coming and engaging in this workshop Gail M. Zeman, Consulting School Business Administrator 24