Leaders as Collaborators and Communicators in the 21 st Century

8/13/10 ASBSD/SASD 2010

Leaders as Leaders as Collaborators and Collaborators and Communicators in Communicators in the 21the 21stst Century Century

ASBSD/SASD 2010ASBSD/SASD 2010Friday August 13, 2010Friday August 13, 2010

Sioux Falls Convention Sioux Falls Convention CenterCenter

Contact InformationContact Information

[email protected] http://rcassuperintendent.wikispaces.com/

www.rcas.org

Purposeful CommunityPurposeful Community

A purposeful community is one A purposeful community is one with the with the collective efficacy collective efficacy and and capability to develop capability to develop andand use use assets to accomplish purposeassets to accomplish purpose and and produce outcomes that produce outcomes that

mattermatter to all community to all community members through members through agreed-upon agreed-upon

processprocess

Agreed-upon ProcessesAgreed-upon Processes

Are the processes that lead to Are the processes that lead to patterns of communication, patterns of communication,

relationships among community relationships among community members, a sense of well-being, members, a sense of well-being, connections between the school connections between the school and other institutions, shared and other institutions, shared

leadership opportunities, and a leadership opportunities, and a sense of order and disciplinesense of order and discipline


““Communication leads to Communication leads to community, that is, to community, that is, to

understanding, understanding, intimacy, and mutual intimacy, and mutual

valuing.”valuing.”

Rollo MayRollo May


““The void created by the The void created by the failure to communicate failure to communicate

is soon filled with is soon filled with poison, drivel, and poison, drivel, and misinterpretation.”misinterpretation.”

C. Northcote ParkinsonC. Northcote Parkinson


““The ability to communicate The ability to communicate clearly and persuasively to clearly and persuasively to the staff, and to the public the staff, and to the public and policy makers, about and policy makers, about

what issues are and how they what issues are and how they must be handled is essential”must be handled is essential”

Paul HoustonPaul Houston


““All that goes right and all that All that goes right and all that goes wrong in a school goes wrong in a school

district ultimately can be district ultimately can be traced back to communication traced back to communication

or a lack there of”or a lack there of”

Krista ParentKrista Parent

2007 National SOY2007 National SOY

Communication PlanCommunication Plan

Decades of research shows that the Decades of research shows that the public trusts school employees as public trusts school employees as the most credible source of the most credible source of information about schoolsinformation about schools

Schools need to better inform and Schools need to better inform and engage internal audiences-Start with engage internal audiences-Start with a survey!!a survey!!


Goals:Goals:– Improve the communication system Improve the communication system

throughout the district to better throughout the district to better support student learning.support student learning.

– Enhance internal and external Enhance internal and external perceptions of our schools by perceptions of our schools by focusing communications on the focusing communications on the factual successes we are factual successes we are experiencingexperiencing


Expectations:Expectations:– TransparencyTransparency– Consistent and Clear messageConsistent and Clear message– Compelling and Factual StoriesCompelling and Factual Stories– HumorHumor– Always asking who needs to knowAlways asking who needs to know

Leaders as CollaboratorsLeaders as Collaborators

Google DocGoogle Doc

Create and share your work online Create and share your work online with Google Docswith Google Docs

Documents—Spreadsheets——Spreadsheets—PresentationsPresentations

Upload your files from your desktopUpload your files from your desktop


Google DocGoogle DocAccess anywhere:Access anywhere: Edit and view Edit and view your docs from any computer your docs from any computer

Share your work:Share your work: Real-time Real-time collaborationcollaboration

http://www.google.comhttp://www.google.com


delicious-Social Bookmarkingdelicious-Social Bookmarking

The Web is a big place, full of new The Web is a big place, full of new and interesting things to discover. and interesting things to discover. The problem is finding the good The problem is finding the good stuff and keeping track of it allstuff and keeping track of it all. . This is where delicious can help.This is where delicious can help.


delicious-Social Bookmarking delicious-Social Bookmarking delicious is a Social delicious is a Social Bookmarking service, which Bookmarking service, which means you can save all your means you can save all your bookmarks online, share them bookmarks online, share them with other people, and see what with other people, and see what other people are Bookmarking. other people are Bookmarking.

http://delicious.com/tmitchell1http://delicious.com/tmitchell1


RSS Feed-Google ReaderRSS Feed-Google ReaderHave trouble keeping up with the Have trouble keeping up with the

sites you visit? sites you visit? Read them in one place--keeping up Read them in one place--keeping up with your favorite websites is easywith your favorite websites is easy

Stay up to date--Stay up to date--check your check your favorite news sites and blogsfavorite news sites and blogs


RSS Feed-Google ReaderRSS Feed-Google ReaderShare with your colleagues--Share with your colleagues--easily easily share interesting itemsshare interesting itemsUse it anywhere—Use it anywhere—it is totally free it is totally free and works in most modern browsers, and works in most modern browsers, without any software to install. without any software to install.

http://www.google.comhttp://www.google.com


Wikispaces Wikispaces

The word Wiki is a Hawaiian word The word Wiki is a Hawaiian word which means “quick”. It was which means “quick”. It was

invented as an easy authoring tool invented as an easy authoring tool that could promote people to that could promote people to

publish. The key words are publish. The key words are “quick” “quick” and and “easy” “easy” and a Wiki is a website and a Wiki is a website where where anyone can edit anything anyone can edit anything

they want (collaboration)they want (collaboration)


WikispacesWikispacesWhat can you do with a wiki?What can you do with a wiki?

Collaborate With EaseCollaborate With EasePost text, images, files, and more on Post text, images, files, and more on your wiki. your wiki. Set Privacy Set Privacy Ensure that only your members can Ensure that only your members can access your wiki's content. access your wiki's content.


WikispacesWikispacesEmbed Media Embed Media Include video, audio, RSS, and Include video, audio, RSS, and anything else you can imagine! anything else you can imagine! Customize Your Look Customize Your Look Select from a variety of wiki themes, Select from a variety of wiki themes, pick your own colors and logo. pick your own colors and logo.

http://http://rcassuperintendent.wikispaces.com/rcassuperintendent.wikispaces.com/


Linked InLinked InLinkedIn, like Facebook, is a LinkedIn, like Facebook, is a networking site. However, unlike networking site. However, unlike Facebook, LinkedIn is specifically a Facebook, LinkedIn is specifically a professional networking site that professional networking site that connects people from 170 industries connects people from 170 industries in 200 countries, worldwide. in 200 countries, worldwide. Founded in May 2003, LinkedIn now Founded in May 2003, LinkedIn now has over 50 million membershas over 50 million members


Linked InLinked In

Its mission, according to the LinkedIn Its mission, according to the LinkedIn website, is “to connect the world’s website, is “to connect the world’s professionals to make them more professionals to make them more productive and successful,” and to productive and successful,” and to create fast and easy access to both create fast and easy access to both insight and resources that insight and resources that professionals can trust.professionals can trust.

www.linkedin.comwww.linkedin.com

Leaders as Leaders as CommunicatorsCommunicators

Listen Up: Social Media Makes it EasyListen Up: Social Media Makes it Easy

Community conversations are being held Community conversations are being held on the web on the web with or without school with or without school

leaders’ knowledgeleaders’ knowledge. In many . In many communities, listening to our communities, listening to our

stakeholders has never been easier. stakeholders has never been easier. Social Media channels provide a Social Media channels provide a

valuable assets to a leader trying to valuable assets to a leader trying to understand community values.understand community values.


Online Chatter can beOnline Chatter can be::–DishearteningDisheartening–Include second guessingInclude second guessing–Lack ContextLack Context


But also canBut also can::–Give insightGive insight–Provide an early warningProvide an early warning–Identify knowledge gapsIdentify knowledge gaps–Identify pathways to stronger Identify pathways to stronger community connectionscommunity connections


The GOOD NewsThe GOOD News::

Many school leaders who both Many school leaders who both listen and participate in social listen and participate in social

media say that online media say that online interactions are overwhelmingly interactions are overwhelmingly

positive. People exchange positive. People exchange information and send thanks for information and send thanks for getting news in a timely manner.getting news in a timely manner.


10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention 10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Social Mediato Social Media

1-It’s a new way to build 1-It’s a new way to build relationshipsrelationships

2-It’s no longer about you 2-It’s no longer about you anyway. It’s about your anyway. It’s about your customerscustomers


10 Reasons You Should Pay 10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Social MediaAttention to Social Media

3-People are already talking 3-People are already talking about youabout you

4-Your reputation is at stake4-Your reputation is at stake



5-The response most likely 5-The response most likely will be positivewill be positive

6-You don’t have to do it all 6-You don’t have to do it all at onceat once



7-Social media gives you 7-Social media gives you the chance to stay ahead of the chance to stay ahead of the curvethe curve

8-It’s not going away8-It’s not going away


10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention 10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Social Mediato Social Media

9-Social media helps you build 9-Social media helps you build community and a sense of community and a sense of ownership among your ownership among your stakeholdersstakeholders

10-It takes a whole village10-It takes a whole village


““Blogging is just one more tool for Blogging is just one more tool for communication-oriented school communication-oriented school leaders. The more avenues you leaders. The more avenues you

can provide to educate and inform can provide to educate and inform the public about the important the public about the important

issues that affect our schools and issues that affect our schools and our children, the better chance our children, the better chance

we have of sustaining and we have of sustaining and improving our public schools.’improving our public schools.’

Mark StockMark Stock


Advantages to BloggingAdvantages to Blogging::– You control the messageYou control the message– You can respond to traditional mediaYou can respond to traditional media– The message is asynchronousThe message is asynchronous– They increase coverage in traditional They increase coverage in traditional

mediamedia– They build a sense of communityThey build a sense of community

www.rcas.orgwww.rcas.org


Ways to Use BlogsWays to Use Blogs::– Spread the NewsSpread the News– Communicate during an emergencyCommunicate during an emergency– Monitor progress of ongoing eventsMonitor progress of ongoing events– Being an activistBeing an activist– Marketing & PRMarketing & PR– Letting people know about youLetting people know about you– Educating the communityEducating the community


TwitterTwitter

Twitter is part of the Internet’s many Twitter is part of the Internet’s many social networking outlets. In 2009, social networking outlets. In 2009, Nielsen Inc. ranked Twitter as the Nielsen Inc. ranked Twitter as the fastest growing site in the web’s fastest growing site in the web’s member community category.member community category.



TwitterTwitter

Twitter differs from other Web-based Twitter differs from other Web-based communications in two ways. These’s a communications in two ways. These’s a limit of 140 characters per message or limit of 140 characters per message or “tweet.” Tweets may be accessed by “tweet.” Tweets may be accessed by visiting a Twitter page or by creating visiting a Twitter page or by creating your own Twitter page and “following” your own Twitter page and “following” others, getting notices of tweets by others, getting notices of tweets by persons of your choice.persons of your choice.


Here are some tips on making your Here are some tips on making your tweets something valuable to tweets something valuable to followers:followers:

Beat the 140 character limit by linking to Beat the 140 character limit by linking to a web page with more information.a web page with more information.

Add your Twitter address to your e-mail Add your Twitter address to your e-mail signature, school district letterhead and signature, school district letterhead and website.website.


Here are some tips on making your Here are some tips on making your tweets something valuable to tweets something valuable to followers:followers:

When you issue news releases or parent When you issue news releases or parent letters, tweet with a link to your website.letters, tweet with a link to your website.

When news media outlets print or air a When news media outlets print or air a positive story about your district, tweet positive story about your district, tweet it, with a link to the story.it, with a link to the story.


Here are some tips on making your Here are some tips on making your tweets something valuable to followers: tweets something valuable to followers:

Limit the personal stuff unless you know Limit the personal stuff unless you know followers care where you go or who you followers care where you go or who you meet.meet.

Do it daily. People value online resources Do it daily. People value online resources they care about they care about and and that are regularly that are regularly updated.updated.


Here are some tips on making your Here are some tips on making your tweets something valuable to tweets something valuable to followers:followers:Focus on what’s ahead with tweets Focus on what’s ahead with tweets about upcoming events.about upcoming events.

Check your followers occasionally. Check your followers occasionally. Some Twitter users follow hoping you Some Twitter users follow hoping you will follow back. Block them so you can will follow back. Block them so you can focus on those followers who really focus on those followers who really matter.matter.


Podcasts-Multimedia Publishing Podcasts-Multimedia Publishing for the masses!!for the masses!!

One thing is certain-there is an One thing is certain-there is an explosion in the last few years of explosion in the last few years of

multimedia publishing on the web.multimedia publishing on the web.

www.sasd.orgwww.sasd.org



References:References:Listen Up: Social Media Makes it EasyListen Up: Social Media Makes it Easy

10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to 10 Reasons You Should Pay Attention to Social MediaSocial Media

Why School Communication Matters: Why School Communication Matters: Strategies from PR ProfessionalsStrategies from PR Professionals

Leaders as Communicators and DiplomatsLeaders as Communicators and Diplomats

Blog, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Blog, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for ClassroomsWeb Tools for Classrooms


The most successful and The most successful and dynamic administrators in dynamic administrators in any field have one major any field have one major

attribute in common: they attribute in common: they effectively use ever effectively use ever

platform available to platform available to communicate.communicate.

Leaders as Collaborators and Communicators in the 21 st Century

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