REFOCUSING ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS More about the “how” than the “what”

1. REFOCUSING ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPSMore about the “how” than the “what” MASPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE – NOV 30, 2012

2. REFOCUSING ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIPS • Union employees feel under continued attack due to reduced funding, concessionary contracts and continued legislative and policy changes. • Non-union employees feel under continued attack due to reduced funding, concessionary contracts and continued legislative and policy changes • We in Human Resources must find ways to re-establish or re-focus on our working relationships with our employees. • I will share some ideas on how to use our positions to strengthen those relationships.

3. LEADERSHIP STYLE • Servant Leadership – Robert Greenleaf – Effective leadership emerges from a desire to help others. • Instead of occupying a position at the top of a hierarchy, the servant leader is positioned at the center of the organization. This implies that the servant leader is in contact with all aspects of the organization & the individuals within it as opposed to interacting with a few high-level managers who also occupy positions in the upper strata of the hierarchy.

4. LEADERSHIP – What is your style? • Servant Leadership (School Leadership that Works by Marzano, Waters & McNulty) • The central dynamic of servant leadership is nurturing those within the organization. Consequently, critical skills of servant leadership include the following: • Understanding the personal needs of those within the organization • Healing wounds caused by conflict within the organization • Being a steward of the resources of the organization • Developing the skills of those within the organization • Being an effective leader

5. MORE ABOUT THE “HOW” THAN THE “WHAT” • The “WHAT” – all of the technical knowledge and skills we have • The “WHAT” – determining staffing levels & employees identified for layoff; administering FMLA; evaluating staff; managing the employee absence policy; communicating critical information to employees; training / educating staff • Be technically on top of our game – know the fundamentals of the HR game – That is the “WHAT”! We have spent the last day learning a lot about the “WHAT” , so now let’s talk about the “HOW”. • State Championship (What’s the secret?) & 1st Year Teachers

6. MORE ABOUT THE “HOW” THAN THE “WHAT” • The “HOW” – “HOW” we implement all of the technical knowledge and skills we have • The “HOW”– determining staffing levels & employees identified for layoff; terminating employees; administering FMLA; evaluating staff; managing the employee absence policy; bargaining contracts, communicating critical information to employees; training / educating staff • The “HOW” is having your heart at the center of our game – have your heart in the right place and your thoughts, words, and actions follow: That is the “HOW”!

7. IT STARTS WITH YOUR HEART • “Believe with the heart . . . .” • New York City Police Officer in Times Square • Todd Whitaker – treating all employees as if they were good • “Beware that your hearts do not become . . .” • Think about a situation that could have ended differently if your heart wasn’t in the right spot or think about a situation that ended badly that in retrospect could possibly have turned out better if your heart had been in a different spot.

8. THINK LIKE A TEACHERHow many teachers in the room? • We are all, in some way, responsible for the teacher evaluation process. One critical skill for a teacher is developing relationships with students. • Think about what you did as a teacher to develop relationships with students, what you did as a principal to help a teacher develop relationships with students, and what you have done as a human resource administrator to help a principal develop a teacher’s IDP when their deficit area is in developing relationships with students. Write / Talk

9. Thinking like a Teacher • Danielson’s Domain 2 - The Classroom Environment: 2A - Creating an Environment of Respect & Rapport DISTINGUISHED: Teacher interactions with students reflect GENUINE RESPECT & CARING for individuals as well as groups of students. Students appear to TRUST the teacher with sensitive information. Students demonstrate genuine caring for one another & monitor one another’s treatment of peers, correcting classmates respectfully when needed.

10. Thinking like an HR Administrator • HR Domain 1 - The Work Environment: 1A - Creating an Environment of Respect & Rapport DISTINGUISHED: HR Administrator’s interactions with employees reflect GENUINE RESPECT & CARING for individuals as well as groups of employees. Employees appear to TRUST the HR Administrator with sensitive information. Employees demonstrate genuine caring for one another & monitor one another’s treatment of peers, correcting peers respectfully when needed.

11. ACTIONS THAT DEMONSTRATE THIS • Teacher – Greet students at door – use students’ names; HR Administrator – Greet employees by name • Teacher – Go to the hospital if student is sick; HR Administrator – Go to the hospital is employee is sick/injured • Teacher – Go to funeral home if student has a loss in the family; HR Administrator – Go to funeral home if employee has a loss in the family • Special events, birthday, etc. • Admin - More events than anyone else – knew names

12. BUILDING TRUST • Building Trust – Following Through • Say what you’re going to do – Do It • Say what you’re going to do – Do It • Say what you’re going to do – Do It • Say what you’re going to do – Do It • Say what you’re going to do – Do It What if you realize you can’t do it? Apologize, if appropriate – explain why. Then say what you’re going to do next – then Do It

13. BUILDING TRUST • Be Open-minded • Make sure actions taken are always after getting the whole story • Don’t jump to conclusions • Find common interests and build on those • Care about people

14. COMMUNICATION • Direct – The sandwich philosophy • Open • Honest • Prompt • Appropriate for situation – email, phone, in person • Appropriate parties in the communication – don’t‘ cc, bc unless proper or purposeful

15. SPECIFIC TASKS / STRUCTURES • COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE - FORMAL • Monthly Head Secretary Meetings • S.A.C. (Superintendent’s Advisory Committee) • Purpose: For the leadership of the ECEA Teachers and ECSD Management Team to meet monthly (October-May) to discuss joint topics, issues, and information pertinent to the District. • T.A.C. (Transportation Advisory Committee) • Purpose: For the leadership of the ECSD Bus Drivers and ECSD Management Team to meet quarterly (3 times per year) to discuss current events, concerns and future projects/issues in the District.

16. SPECIFIC TASKS / STRUCTURES • COMMUNICATION STRUCTURE - Informal • Weekly meetings with ECEA President • Access to you – open door policy, not just the door open • Be visible. Plan to be at buildings at key times, i.e. drivers’ lounge at 9-9:15 • LISTEN – Be okay with hearing about the unpleasant feelings, i.e. devalued, disrespected, discouraged, frustrated, overworked – guard against getting defensive • What happens when we really listen – from the heart – like you would with a family member you love? • Common error: letting the prior meeting/appointment impact your next meeting/appointment

17. WHAT - HOW • What – Social Committee Events • HOW – Involve everyone – make it fun – listen - $ • What - Know Staff • HOW - Have an intentional way of knowing all staff • Write it in directory; Use your SmartPhone; Add their kids’ names when they’re born; etc. • What – Send Birthday Cards • HOW – personalize them – know the staff

18. IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT NOW? • We’ve talked about developing relationships. You are probably doing all of those things already. So is there anything we should do differently now – with the negative things impacting education? • Become intentionally aware of how employees are feeling. Select words thoughtfully – reduced hrs, lunch time, contribution to gifts

19. IS THERE ANYTHING DIFFERENT NOW? • Give them a little time to settle in and then keep our high expectations with support & training – custodians. • Listen to input & make changes that are possible – timely. • Employees want to feel empowered now more than ever as they feel that most of their power has been revoked.

20. We’re All in this Together • We have all been impacted by legislation, Michigan’s economy, reduced funding, etc. Bind together around a common goal – lobby Lansing, write legislators, grass roots efforts • Feeling of equity – fairness; do a critical review of equity within the District; be an advocate for justice • TEAM - Use our mission & common interests to bind us together – identify, speak it, plan it

21. DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS • GENUINE CARE • TRUST • COMMUNICATION • SUPPORT • RESPECT

22. Closing… Be very competent at the WHAT but always remember…. It’s in the HOW that employee relationships are developed.