For Professional Learning Team LeadersNorthern Metropolitan Region

DEECDJoe Corbett

Session twoEffective communication

Challenging conversations

Strategies for working one to one

Effective communicationAbility to engage and interact with different

people/audiences in various contexts for a range of purposes resulting in positive outcomes

Various contexts; one to one, small group, large group, presentations, formal and informal settings

A range of purposes; professional learning, providing feedback, problem solving, providing information, mediation, ......

It is not easy to really listenHandout; How to listen activelyWhat gets in the way of effective listening? a poor relationship base a history of conflict one’s state of well-being time pressure/competing demands pre-conceptions/making assumptions clash of values/beliefs

As a leader you need highly developed listening and speaking skillsListening skills; active listening, ability to

empathise, ability to focus ,ability to process and integrate, skills at clarifying

Speaking skills; clarity of purpose/intention, ability to be clear and concise, responsiveness to one’s audience, skills at initiating conversation

Challenging conversationsWhat makes them so challenging? Is it the person/the people? Is it the content? Is it the setting? Is it the outcomes we expect? Is it the consequences we fear?

What are your challenging conversations?From the past; why were they challenging

and how did you handle it, outcomes

For the future; conversations you need to have

So many conversationsYou will have conversations where it is your

role to challenge people about how they are doing things in order to foster a focus on continuous improvement in outcomes for students

You will have conversations that are difficult to have because some things are hard to talk about and some people are hard to talk to

Difficult conversationsA difficult conversation is anything you find

hard to talk aboutAnytime we feel vulnerable or our self esteem

is implicated, when the issues at stake are important and the outcome uncertain, when we care deeply about what is being discussed or about the people with whom we are discussing it, there is potential for us to experience the conversation as difficult

Most of us have conversations we dread and find unpleasant, that we avoid or face up to

The first dilemmaAvoid or confrontIf we avoid; feel taken advantage of, feelings

will fester, miss opportunity to improve things

If we confront; things could get worse, may be rejected, attacked, hurt other person, damage relationship

Is it important enough to act; try to reframe it as a learning conversation

Need to manage fear and anxiety

Each difficult conversation has three featuresThe what happened; what I/you did and didn’t

do Avoid truth assumption; I’m right, you’re

wrong; difficult conversations are about differing perceptions, interpretations and values, different stories

Avoid the blame game; how did we each contribute to the problem

Intentions; we assume we know the other person’s intentions when we don’t, we use the impact on us to judge intentions

The feelings; often at the core of difficult conversations, you need to express them and tune into the other person’s feelings

The identity conversation; conversation with ourselves about what the situation means to us and its impact on our self-esteem and self image, its about who we are and how we see ourselves

Need to maintain your balance you will make mistakes; your intentions

are complex; you are competent; you are a person of

integrity

Moving to a learning conversationInstead of working to persuade and get your

way, you want to understand what has happened from the other person’s point of view, explain your point of view, share and understand feelings, and work together to figure out a way to manage the problem going forward. In doing so, you make it more likely that the other person will be open to be persuaded and that you will learn something that significantly changes the way you understand the problem and see the solutions

Planning for a learning conversationA model described in ‘Difficult Conversations’

by Stone, Patton and Heen

Handout and review

A model from Viviane Robinson ‘Open to learning conversations’

Planning for a strategic conversationHandout; discussion

A tool I use for preparing for a one to one conversation that may be difficult or challenging

One to one coachingDiscussion of experience to date

Some guidelines; handout

Constructive feedbackConstructive feedback is information that

calls attention to a practice or a problem or a potential problem

Constructive feedback opens a door to learning, problem solving or other follow up action

The key to giving and receiving constructive feedback is maintaining a spirit of mutual respect and learning

Purpose of giving constructive feedbackTwo key purposes;

To improve teaching practice and build teacher capacity

To build high performing teams and positive working relationships

AimsTo assist a person in their learning journeyTo bring about change in behaviourTo increase some behaviours and decrease

othersTo promote new patterns of behaviourTo solve a problemTo improve work performanceTo foster teamwork

ActivityAt your tables brainstorm what you think are

the important characteristics of constructive feedback

Agree on the 3 most important of these

Share these with the whole group

Effective feedbackIs done in a way which is respectful and

builds positive relationshipsIs timely and put in contextIs private and confidentialIs constructive and provides a way forwardIs clear and focussedIs solution oriented

BeliefsPeople have a need to believe that they are

okayPeople have the capacity to learn from their

experiencesMost people want to contribute and to be

acknowledgedMost people want to get better and better at

what they doPeople benefit from a values driven workplacePeople thrive in an environment of high but

achievable standards and expectations

Stages of skill developmentUnconsciously unskilled; unaware of lack of skill

or knowledge

Consciously unskilled; aware of need for learning of skill

Consciously skilled; practice, feedback, learning phase

Unconsciously skilled; mastery, part of skill repertoire

Guidelines for giving constructive feedbackPrepare for the feedback discussionFocus the feedback on the performance/behaviour

of the person not on personality issuesBase the feedback on actual

observations/experiences not on assumptions or inferences

Use description rather than evaluationBe specific and concrete rather than general and

abstractFocus feedback on the present or recent not the

past

continuedShare information rather than give adviceStay focussed and specific, don’t try to

provide feedback on everythingTry to provide alternatives/options rather

than one best pathwayEnsure suggestions are within the

capabilities of the person, incremental changes, not huge leaps

Get the person to summarise the main points of what you have said

Giving constructive feedback Pro-forma A framework for planning a one to one

conversation with the purpose of giving constructive feedback

Could be to do with teaching practice or

professional standards or behaviour

A model for negotiationHandout and discussion

Guidelines for mediationHandout and discussion

Concluding comments