Critical Conversations #SAVMP

Critical Conversations #SAVMP

This week's #SAVMP assignment is actually a topic that I have BLOGged about in the past! {BIG GRIN} It was a pretty good feeling to dig into to my previous posts and locate a BLOG from a year ago. The first thing I noticed is that this review of a previous post allowed me to do some reflection.

First of all, I noticed that even a full year later, I am still engaged in these critical conversations. I have many times over the course of the last year engaged in uncomfortable conversations that pushed me to grow as a leader. I am still engaged in these conversations on a weekly basis, and that leads me to believe that they are a key element of the effective leader's responsibilities.

To reflect, I pondered how much I had grown in my abilities to have these conversations. I have determined that I have grown, and I realize that I am continuing to grow. Having had one of these conversations just last week with an employee who was considerably more mature than me, I noticed that I swallowed hard and had to steel my mind before I dove into the words that I am certain were difficult to hear. In retrospect, I would say that these talks have become, on the whole, easier to perform.

Click here: Uncomfortable Conversations-- to view my posting from a year ago. This is the first time EVER that I have been able to refer to one of my own posts to discuss my growth as a leader! Hooray for me. This is truly an epiphany as a BLOGger. The blog is a journal of my learning, and for however long it endures or I persevere, it will serve to remind me of how far I have come and how much more I have to learn!

AND....as always I learned something from #SAVMP during this process. Here is the post from Week 16's Assignment: Critical Conversations. At the original posting, @8amber8 posted a video which is quite clever (based on a Harry Potter theme) and had some awesome tips for how to provide effective "critical conversations."

Here is the video:

And here are the three steps the video recommends for providing these growth-minded talks.

1. Describe the gap between the performance and the expected behavior
2. Analyze the gap source as coming from a motivation problem or an ability problem
3. Make a follow-up plan for accountability

From my friend and mentor Paul McGuire, he posted his response for this assignment, and I felt his words were profound. He explained that the conversations we have with our teachers and staff should also be the conversations that are occurring with our teachers and our students. Feedback promotes growth, and I heartily agree that the teachers should be providing growth-minded talks for their students as well. here is Paul's post: Principal Musings.

As a member of #SAVMP, I have--in this one assignment-- reviewed, reflected, learned, connected, and shared. Thanks, #SAVMP!