Vision Statement

2. Vision Statement All Washington School Directors effectively govern to ensure all students' success. Mission Statement WSSDA provides leadership and advocacy, and empowers its members with knowledge and skills to govern with excellence.

4. What are the chances? Elected Officials Different Intent Assumptions Shared Understanding Role of governance and board Representative or Delegate Always Individual or Team

5. However….. Adults enter the job force and develop collaborative teams. Before they build trust traditionally, teams can build trust based on their procedures. Challenging relational dynamics occur upon occasion for any team and they do work through the issues move forward.

6. How the board does its work: Operating Protocols • Clarity of procedure itself • Shared understanding of procedure Discussion through review process • Discussion applying protocols to multiple events beyond the board session such as school event, public forum, or committee work. • Recognize this takes time

7. Responsibility • the state of being the person who caused something to happen • a duty or task that you are required or expected to do • something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required, etc.

8. Responsibility • Each board member participated in the formation, revision and adoption of the operating protocols or agreements. What is the responsibility of each school director regarding the operating protocols at this point?

9. Opportunity: Trust Am I demonstrating the capacity to enact the operating protocols as a member of the board? I committed to using the protocols, am I consistently making that effort? (integrity) By honoring my commitment, I demonstrate abenevolent intent toward the effectiveness of this board.

10. Challenge: Board Operating Protocols are not followed Benefit of the doubt Pattern of behavior Trust betrayal Incapable ? Lack of integrity ? Intent is not benevolent ? Result: Mistrust and obstruction of collaboration, open deliberation and efficiency of the board.

11. Pattern begins • Propensity to offer trust diminishes • Separation from group • Marginalization by the group • Person marginalized attempts to gain control or power in multiple ways

12. Cycle continues until

13. Proactive Orientation: Following the protocols builds the team’s trust and your credibility. Watch experienced board members for models of constructive deliberation Ask the board chair when, where and how deliberation occurs State your opinion with room for others Sarcastic criticism does not foster deliberation AT ALL

14. If it is not too late • Identify the elephant in the room • Work towards a solution • Identify what individuals need to be safe in the conversation • All voices heard • Emotional statements or states often escalate when met with • an analytical response • Attempt to identify one or two action steps for improvement • Be intentional and monitor implementation • Keep this in front of you • When there are “rollbacks” the board chair works with individuals • If appropriate • Outside facilitator

15. Tip from Neuroscience A heightened emotional state does not allow Someone to hear an analytic perspective. Recognize and validate their current emotional reaction It sounds like you’re pretty frustrated with this. Could you tell me more about it? Help me understand. Begin analyzing the issue when the person has reached a less emotional state.

16. Trust Repair: the person feeling betrayed This is an emotional event Emotion is connected to memory and will take time to change

17. Trust repair: Person who betrayed the trust • Be accepting of the other’s emotions about the event, validate them • Regardless of whether your actions were intentional, take responsibility • What do you need from me to begin to rebuild trust

18. This is not what I thought it would be?!

19. 7 Stages of a Commitment Cycle Stage 1 • You got elected/appointed! • You are excited about it. • You celebrate victories. • New contacts & relationships

20. Stage 2: Frustration • This position is complex • It takes time. • The others don’t think the way I do. • Change is harder than I thought

21. Stage 3: Shock • You can’t make changes by yourself. • There seems to be so many rules like • the protocols, parliamentary procedure, • policies, RCW and legislation! • The superintendent is your employee and • education expert who makes recommendations • to the board? What relationship is this? • Your family is surprised at how much time this takes.

22. Stage 4: Denial • You start to withdraw. • You avoid meetings or refuse to participate when you are there. • You become negative and critical. • You procrastinate on board work. • Change is needed but you don’t change

23. Stage 5: Fear • “I can’t do this anymore.” • “Maybe this isn’t for me” • “They didn’t tell me” • You blame others.

24. Stage 6: Anger • You are angry with yourself and/or others. • You look for ways to undermine, embarrass and oppose others, covertly or covertly. • You badmouth the object of your anger publicly and privately. • You quit or forgot about the things you wanted to accomplish for kids.

25. Stage 7: Recommitment • You accept personal responsibility. • You admit and recognize your feelings. • You may need to grieve. • You remember why you ran for office. • You try to figure out what changes you need to make to get back on track. • You remember you are not one to give up or get discouraged

26. Reflection for board members Take a moment to think about what stage you currently find yourself.

27. Strategies for Recommitment • Discuss with a partner and share one strategy • that could help a board director to recommit • to the work? • They could think back to a similar time and recall • How they handled that situation, how did you move on • in a positive manner. • Recognize three things that went well and why it did. • What are your top 5 strengths as a board member and how can you apply them • In the future.

28. Board- Superintendent Recommitment Review roles and responsibilities Review Operating Procedures Set performance goals for your board Do a self-evaluation Develop a vision of how your board-superintendent team works together and build your capacity. Build a shared understanding of your work together and what you are striving for as a team.

29. Tips from Neuroscience • Power Differential • Dialogue regarding a conflict differs • depending on whether you have power • over the other or they have power over you. • If you are the one who is in power (board chair) • Do a great job of listening • Take their perspective • Develop empathy for their position • Any other considerations? • Rebecca Saxe, Associate Professor MIT • McGovern Institute of Brain Research • Neural Basis of Social Cognition

30. Representative Delegate

32. Reach Collaboration Guiding questions Where are you on the continuum? What do we have in common? How do we take our attributes and use them as strengths?

33. Most Challenged A pattern of persistent behavior that disrupts, impedes or does contribute to the work of the board. There may be destructive or hostile behavior.

34. Some boards: The majority of board members move ahead utilizing their protocols and systems to advance the mission and vision of the school district.

35. Possible Consequences • Censure the individual • Have they broken Ethics Laws? • Are they attending meetings as required by law?

36. WSSDA Looking Ahead Colleen is meeting with Stacy Gillette of the Governor’s Ombudsman office to discuss resources for school boards.

37. At the end of each board session we’d like you to: be content with your team’s good work, have a smile and look forward to the next meeting!

38. Thank you for attending!