Why choose either or if you can have both?

Colleagues,

MVP: When two important things conflict, it could be a sign of misalignment.
 
Last week we ran a series of quotes from our favorite podcast episodes. Today we’ll look at one of the other episodes that we couldn’t fit into the week.
 
This is from Episode 25: Parents and Community with Dr. Leigh Ann Alford-Keith.
 
“It is a both-and, not either-or. You don’t have to think of engaging families or supporting your teachers. You can think of ‘how will engaging families support my teachers.’”
 
When we view things in opposition to each other, we are missing the boat. Opposition and friction are signs of organizational misalignment. Schools need parents and teachers working together. A misalignment of mission, understanding of how parent and teacher roles complement each other, and even a lack of communication skills by either or both groups lead to a conflict that should not exist.
 
If you have a conflict in your organization, think about what might be causing it:

• Is everyone working towards the same purpose?
• Do organizational structures create tension or misunderstanding?
• Are groups competing with each other for resources?
• Do people have the skills they need to engage constructively?

Cheers!

​Frederick