The Power of Multiple Minds: Collaborative Partnerships in TTT Work facilitated by: Maggie Austin & Doug Rowe

1. The Power of Multiple Minds: Collaborative Partnerships in TTT Workfacilitated by: Maggie Austin & Doug Rowe

2. South Dakota estimated population of state is: 804,194 Mountain Time Zone Central Time Zone TIE Rapid City  Black Hills State University (Spearfish) 48 miles (45 minutes)  SinteGleska University (Mission) 182 miles (3 hours)  Oglala Lakota College (Kyle) 87 miles (1.5 hours)  SD Department of Education (Pierre) 172 miles (3 hours)  Teach For America (Mission & Pierre) 182 miles (3 hours)  High Need School Partners from 50 to 406 miles (1 to 7 hours)

3. South Dakota Indian Reservations These are South Dakota’s Indian Reservations and most of our high need schools and tribal university partners are located on or near these reservations.

4. Session Outcomes • Participants will recognize the value of using collaborative partnerships in their TTT work. • Participants will take away a deeper understanding of how to initiate, nurture, and sustain collaborative partnerships. • Participants will also consider how to use some of the identified strategies to enhance their work. “Winter Gathering” by Frank Howell

6. Collaborativepartnerships exist when two or more people or organizations work together by sharing knowledge, learning, andbuilding consensus to achieve common goals. We focus as much onrelationships as wedo on the work. “Emergence” by Frank Howell

7. MitakuyeOyasin is a Lakota phrase which translates as “all my relatives.” Kinship is the cohesive societal bond of the Lakota people and dictates all aspects of social life. Within this social structure, all people are related. The Lakota way is to avoid confrontation. It would be considered disrespectful to point out a person’s mistakes, inappropriate actions, or words. This is one reason we advocate collaborative partnerships – they build trust. “Oglala Woman” by Frank Howell

8. Why Build Collaborative Partnerships? We build collaborative partnerships because they… • Establish open and honest communication which builds trust • Create shared vision and goals which helps insure alignment • Enhance the quality of everyone’s work as they strive to reach goals • Build local capacity for sustainability • Create opportunities for the future • Make the work more enjoyable

9. Marry the right person.This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery. 21 Suggestions for Success by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Let’s agree that marriage is a collaborative partnership. What would we identify as successful indicators in marriage that would hold true for building collaborative partnership in our TTT work?

10. My spouse allows me to be me: My strengths are appreciated and my weaknesses are tolerated. TTT work: Strive to understand and honor the strengths and weaknesses of the system in which partners function. • Within our marriage, we strive for consistent, clear, communication. TTT work: We need to know what challenges our partners are facing so that we can be a resource and support. • My spouse and I have very different strengths. Most of the time they balance each other out! TTT work: SGU and OLC are strong in serving Lakota populations whereas BHSU has strong secondary content expertise.

11. Reflectand Share What would you identify as successful indicators in marriage that would hold true in your TTT work for building collaborative partnerships? “Braids” by Frank Howell

12. Resources Ten Lessons in Collaboration: Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships by Deborah Gardner

13. Ten Lessons in Collaboration: Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships by Deborah Gardner 1: Know Thyself 2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity 3: Develop Constructive Conflict Resolution Skills 4: Use Your Power to Create Win-Win Situations 5: Master Interpersonal and Process Skills 6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey 7: Leverage Multidisciplinary Forums to Increase Collaboration 8: Appreciate that Collaboration Can Occur Spontaneously 9: Balance Autonomy and Unity in Collaborative Relationships 10: Remember that Collaboration is Not Required for All Decisions

14. Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships • 1: Know Thyself • Who are we as stewards of this grant? • What are our mental models related to this work? • Mental models carry assumptions and expectations • What are our values and biases? • What is non-negotiable?

15. Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships • 2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity • Understand and honor partners’ cultures, values, and goals • Use communication skills of active listening, positive regard for differences, and the belief in multiple realities • Value diversity as a strength

16. Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships • 6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey • Recognize there’s a risk involved in not knowing where collaborationmight lead • Understand that time and effort are required to: • Establish rapport • Clarify expectations • Request feedback • Foster face-to-face interaction to build relationships

17. Reflect and Share In your partnerships, which of these competencies is your strength? 1: Know Thyself 2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity 6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey “Circle of Life” by Frank Howell

18. Strategies to Build Collaborative Partnerships Be purposeful in your partner interactions • Establish outcomes for all informal and formal meetings • Construct time-generous meetings • Begin meetings prior to a meal, continue informally during the meal, and then conclude after the meal • Pre-share agendas and contracts • Hold meetings in “home territory” of partners • Use “openers” in meetingsthat build personal connections • Document meetings with notes and share them with all partners

19. Strategies to Build Collaborative Partnerships Take the time to clarify roles and responsibilities for all partners and groups 3. Maintain a system map • Indicate communication structures • Periodically update your system map using evaluation & other data 4. Develop working relationships with financial aid and business personnel 5. Be transparent in decision-making

20. Reflect and Share What strategies would you add that promote collaborative partnerships? “The Sweetgrass Woman” by Frank Howell

21. Session Outcomes • Participants will recognize the value of using collaborative partnerships in their TTT work. • Participants will take away a deeper understanding of how to initiate, nurture, and sustain collaborative partnerships. • Participants will also consider how to use some of the identified strategies to enhance their work. “Winter Gathering” by Frank Howell

22. Maggie Austin: 605-394-1876 maggie@tie.net Doug Rowe: 605-394-1876 drowe@tie.net “Night Stories ” by Rudolph Car Gorman