Have a Conversation

In an effort to be more present this year, I am trying a new concept in MPS.  Each week I make myself available in each building for an hour.  Anyone - faculty, staff, facilities, food service, leadership - can stop in and sit down with me.  The goal is for me to be present and to listen.  I'm calling it office hours. 

I started this two weeks ago and thus far I have seen a nice variety of people coming by.  Some come in to say hi, some have questions about things that are going on in MPS, some have ideas about ways to move our district forward.  What is so important about this for me, is that this is happening in person.  We are having a conversation, reading each other's body language, able to hear intonation in each other's voices, making eye contact.

In one case, a teacher came to speak to me about a decision that was made that s/he needed clarification on.  First, I thanked this teacher emphatically and sincerely - I had been copied on some e-mail messages on this issue - and then I explained my thinking on this issue.  I was better able to understand this teacher's perspective and this teacher was able to understand the "why," so then was better able to understand the "what" and the "how" of this decision.  We both came away better people for having this conversation because we both left with a better understanding of the other. 

E-mail is a wonderful tool to communicate with - but it pales in comparison to a real, in-person conversation.  Even a phone call is better than relying on e-mail to convey a message, especially if it is important or involves something that someone feels strongly about.  We are all busy - make the effort if it is that important to you. 

Relationships are critical in our families, in education, and in life.  Maintaining relationships means making the time to ensure that our we understand each other.  We won't always agree, and honestly that is not critical.  What is important is hearing the other person, listening to the other person, understanding the other person.  I am committed to doing just this in person.

It is 2015 and we will continue to rely on e-mail.  So when it comes to something important, I encourage you to use e-mail; use it to set up a time to speak in person and have a conversation.