COMMUNICATION•NEED
•PROCESS•BARRIERS
ED 517
Review of ISLLC Standards 1 & 2
A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by:
1. facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the entire community.
2. advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
Communication – “Need”
“In the area of leadership, there is no talent more essential than one’s ability to communicate” – Guarino
Communication
“Communication is the lifeblood of the school; it is a process that links the individual, the group, and the organization” – Lunenburg & Ornstein
Green
“Through effective communication, relationships are built, trust is established, and respect is gained” (p.103)
Process
“Studies indicate that school leaders spend up to 80% of their time communicating with parents, members of the community, and other members of the organization” – Kmetz et al
Non-verbal: “The leader is never in a position where communication is not occurring” - Green
Pathways
TransmitReceiveMonitorSeek
Formal & Informal
When Sending…Consider
Type of communication:Written (memo, note, e-mail, webpage, blog)Verbal (one-way, two-way)Lack of Communication/Response
E-mail Etiquette
Know and Understand
Receivers:BackgroundKnowledgeExperienceSemanticsValuesSensitivity
Upward Communication
Active Listening:See the world from the speaker’s perspective
Filters (Lewis):Risk suggestions of more workImpact future promotionHow the principal use the information
(power)
Barriers
Information OverloadStatus DifferenceSemanticsFilteringParalanguageInterpersonal Relationships
Strategies to Reduce Barriers
Build RelationshipsManage Position PowerAcquiring FeedbackBeing Active ListenersDisplaying EmpathyUnderstand the Ethics of Conversation