Reclaim your profession… Reclaim your POWER!

1. Reclaim your profession…Reclaim your POWER! The Oklahoma Education Association

2. Session One Connecting Self-Interest to Levels of Power

3. The pressures on families

4. The Levels of Power • CORPORATE

5. The Levels of Power • BUREAUCRACY

6. The Levels of Power • GOVERNMENT, • POLITICS, & • POLITICIANS

7. The Levels of Power • LAWYERS • AND • EXPERTS

8. The Levels of Power • The Media

9. The Levels of Power • UNIONS, • CONGREGATIONS • & • SCHOOLS

10. The Levels of Power • CITIZENS, • FAMILIES • AND • COMMUNITIES

11. The Levels of Power • POWER • RECOGNIZES • POWER!

12. Minimum requirements for power… • Must have at least 2 participants • Must have a PLAN!

13. However… Power without Love is Brutality…. And Love without Power is Sentimentality.

14. FOLLOW THE $$...THE STORY OF SANDI KRESS • The Godfather of High-stakes Testing

15. Self-interest: Latin for “interesse”—the interests among, between • The continuum of self-interest: • Selfish……….…Self-Interest………….….Selfless • All self, Balance No self, • no others all others

16. The continuum of consent: • The continuum of consent:

17. If we don’t know our own self-interests, we will be MANIPULATED!

18. Session Two Relational Power and the Power of One on One Conversations

19. RELATIONSHIPS: Private vs. Public

20. Two types of power… Unilateral: • Top down • Rugged individual • Others exist to carry out their will • Delegating • Power is a zero-sum game…there’s only so much power to go around Relational: • Power with • Others seen as potential leaders • Belief in mentoring • Exponential power…power grows through others

21. Relational Best Practices The One to One Relational Meeting: • Always face to face • Intentional • 30 minutes • Purpose? To explore the possibility of a relationship…to determine if you want a second meeting with this person!

22. One to One Relational Meetings

24. THE IRON RULE… NEVER EVER DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE THAT HE OR SHE CAN DO FOR HIM OR HERSELF! AGITATION VS. IRRITATION

25. How do you spot an organizer?Qualities to look for… • Anger To the Greeks, “meekness” meant appropriate anger at the appropriate time. They positioned meekness between two other emotions on a continuum: Rage--------meekness--------apathy

26. Other qualities to look for… • Humor • Imagination • Curiosity • The “Integrated Schizoid” • Acceptance of terminality • Ego

27. What does organizing look like? General Organizing Actions Association Actions • Develop association leaders • Move an agenda • Membership engagement • Improving teaching and learning conditions • Building membership • Develop leaders • Move an agenda • Deepen member involvement • Raise $$

28. Time management 1) Be clear about the mission…whatis most important? What are we trying to make happen? 2) Be strategic! • What can I do now that positions me for the future? This draws on imagination, creativity • Avoid one size fits all thinking…local context matters • Refusal to accept a changing world • Seeing life as one-dimensional…all things are good or everything is bad 3) Reflection

29. The cycle of reflection: “We run around as a ball of undigested happenings.” Saul Alinsky

30. There’s power in reflection! What gets in the way? What helps? • Reading—specific and targeted • Writing • Tension • Training • Mentoring • Quiet time • Sleep • Time • Fear • Lack of humor • Arrogance • Lack of ego • Technology • Fatigue

31. Make a budget… Are we filling our calendars with tasks, operations, or opportunities? Most of us work 90% operations, 10% opportunities! Strive for 50/50!

32. So now we know… • There’s no shame in self interest • There’s unselfishness in self-interest • We are currently at the BOTTOM of the levels of power • Power depends upon relationships • Power depends upon consent • Reflection is vital

33. Thank you for your time and attention!