Developing Professional Norms

I'm an absolute believer in the importance of working together when planning and making decisions. One of the things I've found most helpful is to have an agreed upon set of norms that will guide group operations, discussion and decision-making. A good starting point is to look at the seven norms of collaboration suggested by Garmston and Wellman (www.adaptiveschools.com). But some of the most effective norms are those identified by the faculty in a school. At Hadley Junior High School in Glen Ellyn, IL they developed their own list of "Professional Behavior Norms" they used for professional development and when meeting with one another.

1. The learning that occurs today belongs to you, and it rests largely with you.
2. Enter into the discussion enthusiastically.
3. Give freely of your experience, but don't dominate the discussion.
4. Confine your discussion to the task assigned.
5. Say what you think . . . be honest.
6. Only one person should talk at a time. Avoid private conversations while someone else is talking.
7. Listen attentively to the presentation and discussion.
8. Be patient with other participants. Appreciate their point-of-view.

The experience in Glen Ellyn was positive. Because they were mutually agreed to, the norms reflected their collective commitment to one another.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about other ways that you've worked to develop norms to guide your work.

Build a Key Communicator Network

I'm constantly reminded about the importance of both sharing and gathering information about your school. One model is the Key Communicator Network developed by the National School Public Relations Association (www.nspra.org). It reminds us that communication is a two-way street and it is important to maintain a network that can help you advocate for your school.

Here are some steps that you can use to build your own network.

1. Bring together a small group of trusted people who know your community and ask them to suggest others who are opinion leaders in your community. Many of them may not work in schools but all interact with other community members.
2. Invite these people to meet with you to discuss your successes, your challenges and your vision for your school.
3. At the meeting describe the objectives of the group. For example, to provide members with honest, object information about your school; for members to share this information with others in the community; to identify questions or concerns that emerge in the community.
4. Establish a way to maintain communication using e-mail, telephone or scheduled meetings.

I hope you enjoy these ideas about building and maintain a network of contacts. Such a group can help share the good news about your school's successes and also help alert you to any issues or concerns in the community. I'd enjoy hearing from you about other ways you've used to both share and gather information from your community.

Consensus - "Fist to Five"

Building consensus can be a challenge. While often the preferred way to make decisions, consensus can be fleeting. It doesn't mean that everyone agrees wholeheartedly with the decision, but it does mean that everyone can support the decision. At a minimum, everyone should agree they can live with the decision.

One tool I've found to be useful is "Fist to Five." It can help you seek common ground and is a quick way to assess the support among every participants. Ask every participant to indicate their level of support from a closed fist (no support) to all five fingers (enthusiastic support). Most groups I work with agree that the discussion continues until everyone holds up at least three fingers. Here's the complete set of descriptors adapted from those prepared by Adventure Associates (2009)

Fist	“I need to talk more on the proposal and require changes to support it.”
1 Finger	“I still need to discuss some issues and I will suggest changes that should be made.”
2 Fingers	“I am moderately comfortable with the idea but would like to discuss some minor things.”
3 Fingers	“I’m not in total agreement but feel comfortable to let this idea pass without further discussion.”
4 Fingers	“I think it’s a good idea and will work for it.
5 Fingers	“It’s a great idea and I will be one of those working to implement it.”

I've used "Fist to Five" many times and it is always helpful to gauge the level of support for a decision. I'm convinced that we made a better decision when we worked to build a higher level of support. I'd enjoy hearing from you about how you work with groups to reach agreement. I'd also enjoy learning about your experience using the "Fist to Five" approach.