Professional Development workshop materials for a group of people who coach turnaround school principals.
The structure for this presentation was adapted from the webpage: http://blendedcoachingwkshp.com/recursive-listening.html
1. 1
Aspiring Principals Program Directors
Community of Practice In-Person Training
9 July 2014 | 8:30a - 5:00p | Boston University
Designed and Presented by: Nicole Williams, Sr. APPD
2. 2
Session Outcomes
By the end of the session, APPDs will have a shared understanding of:
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how to identify and practice active listening skills including identifying roadblocks to
listening, biases in listening and recognizing the implications in individual coaching
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how to identify and effectively utilize four types of feedback connected to Resident
Practice
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Improved trust and relationships amongst Directors by sharing practice around coaching
work
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our shared practice about how decisions are made regarding how and when in a Residents’
growth cycle to deliver various forms of feedback
3. 3
Norms Check
Practice active listening
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Be open and honest about how things are going
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Ask for clarity
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Keep Residents and students in mind
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Proactively share resources and best practices with the community
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Work with a sense of transparency
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Engage relevant stakeholders in critical decision-making
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4. 4
On site Norms for Intensive and SummerFun
Maintain focus on Resident Learning
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Assume positive intent and operate with generosity of spirit
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Ensure that relevant attendees give input before decisions are made; redirect
to the appropriate team members
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Maintain a solution orientation; be resolution-driven
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Honor the power of pushback
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One Team! One Goal! One Voice!
5. 5
Morning Agenda
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1. Blended Coaching Principles
2. Building our Resident Principal’s toolkit
3. Listening to Words
4. Roadblocks to Active listening
5. Guess the Roadblock - Game
6. Building a Model
7. Recursive Listening
8. Lunch
7. 7
at the
start
Applying the Skills
Think of a Resident that you
struggled with coaching in the
past year. If you could do the
year over, what would you
change to further support the
Resident.
19. 19
Development Level of the Individual
S3
Asking
S4
Observing
S1
Telling
S2
Coaching
Developing Developed
20. 20
Situational Leadership Model 11
Telling
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Tell people what to do
and how how to do it.
Coaching
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Provide information
and direction with
communication with
“followers.”
Delegating
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Pass most of the
responsibility onto
the follower or the
group.
Supporting
!
Focus more on the
relationship and
lesson direction.
22. 22
What type of listening!
and coaching feedback is !
needed for the various stages!
of Resident development?
23. 23
Active Listening
IMAGE
“To listen fully means to pay close attention to what is
being said beneath the words. You listen not only to the
‘music’, but to the essence of the person speaking. You
listen not only for what someone knows, but for what he
or she is. Ears operate at the speed of sound, which is
far slower than the speed of light the eyes take in.
Generative listening is the art of developing deeper
silences in yourself, so you can slow your mind’s hearing
to your ears’ natural speed, and hear beneath the words
to their meaning.”!
—Peter Senge
25. 25
Listening to Words
Joan’s Story
I think things are going
well overall. I do have a
bunch of older teachers
who are constantly saying
that things aren’t fair.
They want me to make the
decisions but only the
decision that they agreed
with and not the ones
they do not agree with.
They want me to be like
the last assistant principal
- a bit top down and
directive.
26. 26
Listening to Words
Joan’s Story
What do Joan’s words tell you
about her way of thinking and
interacting? "
!
Share Out!
27. 27
Listening to Words
“Joan has constructed a story about her school, a story that
is built upon a set of judgements. If she is like most people,
she has confused her interpretations with reality.”
!
“She will proceed to interact with her staff
under the illusion that her story is the story.”
Blended Coaching, pg. 35
29. 29
Listening to Words
assertions
facts that can be corroborated by a witness.
They are either true or false and are measured
by a commonly held standard.
!
They do not represent the speaker’s opinion or
judgement and describe an objective reality.
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“It is 85 degrees outside.”
30. 30
Listening to Words
assessments
Judgements and opinions that reside in the speaker.
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They are speaking acts that change our experience of reality,
shape our future actions, and impact the way in which we
behave.
!
They are the fabric from which our interpretations are
constructed.
!
“It is hot in this room!”
31. 31
IMAGEJoanJO
Joan, who are these teachers, and
what is their complaint?
“Sandy, a teacher who has been
here for a long time, told me she
and a couple of the other veteran
teachers are not happy here
because we are changing the
reading program.
She says they
invested a lot time in
developing their
literature-based
program, and they
don’t want to give it
up. #sigh
Let’s peek into Joan’s!
1:1 coaching session
Listening to Words
32. 32
IMAGE“An effective coach might
help Joan to unpack her
statement and arrive at
new interpretations.”
So we are talking about a
small group of teachers who
are hesitant to give up on a
program that they have
made a personal investment
in. Have you thought about
ways in which you can
harness their experience
w i t h a n d i n t e r e s t i n
literature-based programs to
help you to move them
t o w a r d y o u l i t e r a c y
initiative?
Blended Coaching, pg. 37
Listening to Words
33. 33
Listening to Words
• Listening for situations in which the coachee is confusing assessments with assertions.
• Helping the Resident ground and reevaluate assessments by asking three questions:
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!
!
!
!
!
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• Pointing out self-assessments the Resident may make that are not well
grounded and therefore are likely to limit possibilities
Assessment for the sake of what?
!
Assessment against what standard?
!
Assessment based on what assertions?
Coaches can guide their Residents to an awareness of assessments and assertions by:
34. 34
IMAGE
Let’s observe for this
behavior in a coach’s
practice!
!
As you watch this feedback
conversation, capture instances
in which the COACH is
confusing assessments with
assertions.
Listening to Words
36. 36
Upgrade his practice.!
With your critical friend,
help build the coach’s practice
by upgrading his assessments. IMAGE
Choose three assessments that he made
during his coaching session.
!
Reframe the assessments by crafting
questions that he could ask his coachee to
help improve her practice?
!
What data sources can he request to support
his assertions and assessments to have an
effective coaching session?
38. 38
Listening to Words
Coaching John to Action
Read the case study provided in your handouts packet. See
if you can distinguish between John’s assertions and
assessments. Divide your answers into two parts, one listing
his assertions and the other listing his assessments.
39. 39
Listening to Words
Coaching John to Action
As you read, ask yourself:
!
What do my word’s and actions tell you about my way of
thinking and interacting?
Read the case study provided in your handouts packet. See
if you can distinguish between John’s assertions and
assessments. Divide your answers into two parts, one listing
his assertions and the other listing his assessments.
40. 40
Listening to Words
Coaching John to Action
Read the following possible response for John. How does
this assist or not assist John in terms of helping him get
clarification about his next steps?
41. 41
Listening to Words
IMAGE
Connect to Practice:!
!
Where is John along the Resident Development timeline.
What does the coach need to do to move his practice to
be more effective?
!
As you reflect on your own coaching practices, how
often do you use assertions when coaching Residents?
What is one thing you can begin to implement in your
practice to leverage assertions to support Resident
leadership development?
46. 46
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
Let’s split our lovely community into
two groups and count off!
A B!
All B’s please exit stage right and wait
for the signal to re-enter the classroom.
47. 47
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
While you all are listening to your
partners, every time that your partner
says something that invokes your inner
voice* put your hand up for five seconds
and then put it back down.
!
inner voice = you want to ask a question, makes you think
of something, or you want to respond in some way.
48. 48
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
Three Rules to Abide By!
!
1. You must do this for the entire
conversation.
2. You are not allowed to interact in the
discussion with the B’s.
3. You must remain silent, only raising you
hand when your inner voice kicks in.
49. 49
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
What are some of the key behaviors and
actions you engaged in whenever you’ve
been at your own best as a leader?!
!
How has this impacted your coaching of
New Leader Resident Principals?
51. 51
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
What are some of the key behaviors and
actions you’ve demonstrated whenever
you’ve been at your own best as a leader?!
!
How has this impacted your coaching of
New Leader Resident Principals?
52. 52
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
Let’s Debrief!!
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How did the conversations feel during
the first rotation?
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What about during the second rotation?
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How do these inner thoughts impact
your active listening during coaching
during coaching conversations.
54. 5454
Roadblocks to Active Listening GUESS THE ROADBLOCK
Take about three minutes to
review the Roadblocks to
Active Listening page in your
handouts. Be prepared !
to engage in a game at the
end of your review!
55. 5555
IMAGE
Anna, let other people have their say
before you make your points - don’t
talk so much, please.
IMAGE
roadblock
one
Roadblocks to Active Listening
56. 5656
IMAGE
Why do you have to hog the
discussion so much and interrupt
everyone?
IMAGE
roadblock
eleven
Roadblocks to Active Listening
57. 5757
IMAGE
You act like a know-it-all in our
meetings.
IMAGE
roadblock
eight
Roadblocks to Active Listening
58. 5858
IMAGE
It is simple, common courtesy to let
people finish what they say before
breaking in.
IMAGE
roadblock
three
Roadblocks to Active Listening
59. 5959
IMAGE
If you keep interrupting everyone in
our meeting, Anna, you’re going to
have everyone shut you out.
IMAGE
roadblock
two
Roadblocks to Active Listening
60. 60
IMAGE
I think you’re using our meetings to
show off your vast experience.
IMAGE
roadblock
nine
Roadblocks to Active Listening
61. 61
IMAGE
Anna, you’re really discourteous in
our staff meetings.
IMAGE
roadblock
six
Roadblocks to Active Listening
62. 62
IMAGE
God gave us two ears and one mouth
so we would listen twice as much as
we talk.
IMAGE
roadblock
five
Roadblocks to Active Listening
63. 63
IMAGE
Anna, you’re going to have to do
something about your shyness in our
meetings - we never hear your
opinions.
IMAGE
roadblock
twelve
Roadblocks to Active Listening
64. 64
IMAGE
I’m sure you can curb you habit of
interrupting very easily.
IMAGE
roadblock
ten
Roadblocks to Active Listening
65. 65
IMAGE
Anna, I know you’re very bright and
you always have good ideas but give
others a break in our discussions.
IMAGE
roadblock
seven
Roadblocks to Active Listening
67. 67
Roadblocks to
Active Listening
IMAGE
Team Goal: Be the first team to create an exact
replica of a tangram picture within a given time
frame.!
!
Materials: tangram pieces
Time: 10 minutes (two rounds ea. round)
Group Size: 3 - 4 people
68. 68
Roadblocks to Active Listening
The Building Team
PERSON A!
LEADER
You will own the building blocks.
You are the only person allowed
to see the model building.
It is your job to give clear
instructions to the Runner.
!
PERSON B!
RUNNER
You listen to the leader’s
instructions and run the directions
to the builder.
It is your job to deliver, without
looking at the blocks,
instructions on how to
build the building to the Builder.
PERSON C!
BUILDER
You will listen to the runner’s
instructions and build the
object from the set of
building blocks.
It is your job to accurately
recreate the structure from
the directions given to you
by the Runner.
!
PERSON D!
OBSERVER
You observe the game and make
notes about what works, what
doesn’t work, and how the
team behaved.
It is your job to give the team
insight on how they communicate.
71. 71
Roadblocks to Active Listening
The Building Team
PERSON A!
LEADER
You will own the building blocks.
You are the only person allowed
to see the model building.
It is your job to give clear
instructions to the Runner.
!
PERSON B!
RUNNER
You listen to the leader’s
instructions and run the directions
to the builder.
It is your job to deliver, without
looking at the blocks,
instructions on how to
build the building to the Builder.
PERSON C!
BUILDER
You will listen to the runner’s
instructions and build the
object from the set of
building blocks.
It is your job to accurately
recreate the structure from
the directions given to you
by the Runner.
!
PERSON D!
OBSERVER
You observe the game and make
notes about what works, what
doesn’t work, and how the
team behaved.
It is your job to give the team
insight on how they communicate.
72. 72
Roadblocks to Active Listening
The Building Team
Let’s Debrief!
THE GAME
How well was your team able to replicate the given picture?
!
What roadblocks to effective communication did you all
encounter? How did you team navigate around these
challenges?
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What similarities do you feel this communication game has
to the communication that takes place between you, your
Residents and the Mentor Principals?
74. Recursive Listening
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From Blended Coaching:!
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Gary Bloom describes Recursive listening as “the act
of listening to listening… Coaching requires the ability
to focus completely upon the coachee and his or her
environment. As coaches, we must be fully present as
listeners and observers.”
75. Recursive Listening
In the kind of simple 1:1 coaching interaction,
the coach must ask:
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• What do I hear and observe from the Resident (a)?
• How is the Resident listening and observing me (b)?
• What can I learn from observing my own listening (c)
!
A
B
C
In listening to your own listening, you must!
ask yourself: What is my emotional reaction to !
this Resident? Does she make me like her and want !
to engage with her? If I am reacting to her in this way, !
how might others react?
76. Recursive Listening
When engaging in multi-level listening,
your listening and observing skills must
extend through five dimensions:
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• What do I hear and observe from the Resident (a)?
• What do I hear and observe from the Mentor (b)?
• What is the Resident hearing and observing from the
mentor (c)?
• What is the Mentor hearing and observing from the
Resident (d)?
• What can I learn from observing my own listening (e)?
!
E
A
C D
B
77. Recursive Listening
Future Community of Practice Work!
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Videotape (or audio record) a coaching
conversation with a Resident that who will
need additional support at the onset of the
Residency. Using the recording and reflection
questions found on the Recursive Listening
worksheet, answer questions about your own
practice. Be prepared to share your reflections
on a future CoP call.
78. 78
Afternoon Agenda
IMAGE
1. Ladder of Inference
2. Listening for Bias
3. Feedback Introduction
4. Break
5. Feedback Card Sort - Game
6. Coaching in Action videos
7. Coaching John
8. Closing the Day
94. 94
Bias in Listening
Every leadership coach brings personal points !
of view to the coaching role. Gender, culture,!
age, and experience all shape the way we perceive!
others and their contexts.
97. 97
Bias in Listening
IMAGE
!
!
!
!
Mary is very thin.
!
She walks with her head down.
!
Her hair is long and straight and she wears
it pulled back in a ponytail.
!
She has green nail polish on her toes.
!
She wears a tee shirts with spikes on them.
!
She bites her fingernails.
98. 98
Bias in Listening
IMAGE
!
!
!
!
She is in her 20s.
!
She has three children aged 5, 3, and 2.
!
She has an AA degree from a local
community college.
!
She speaks two languages.
!
She has been married twice.
!
She does not wear makeup.
99. 99
Bias in Listening
IMAGE
!
!
!
!
She sits with her legs crossed.
!
She does not make eye contact.
!
Her voice is very soft.
!
She does not smile. Ever.
103. 103
Bias in Listening
Use the Bias worksheet in your packet to
reflect on your practice. !
!
At the end of the three minutes, share with
your table instances when your life
experiences have influenced how you have
coached Residents.
107. 107
Giving Feedback
IMAGE
!
!
We need FOUR volunteers to!
leave the room.!
!
VOLUNTEER ONE
SILENT
VOLUNTEERTWO
NEGATIVE
VOLUNTEERTHREE
POSITIVE BUT
GENERAL
VOLUNTEER FOUR
SPECIFIC
112. 112
Giving Feedback
How did you feel while looking for the ball?
!
What did you think/feel as a result of the
feedback you received?
!
How did the feedback impact your performance?
!
What did the feedback you received prompt
you to think/feel about the other folk in the room
who were giving it?
113. 113
Giving Feedback
Discuss at your table!
!
•How important is it to “keep in touch” with looking at different
types of feedback, so see how it impacts the receiver? Why is it
important?
!
•What effect does frequent positive feedback have on Resident
performance?
!
•What challenges have you experienced with giving feedback to
Residents?
!
114. 114
Giving Feedback
The focus for the remainder of the session
is to look at leveraging a more powerful
form of positive feedback in our
coaching practice - pure feedback.
115. 115
Giving Feedback
If the intent of the giver
is not well informed, the
emotion of the receiver
will predominate.
Drea
Zigarmi
116. 116
Types of Feedback
PURE POORPERSONALIZED
nonjudgmental,
descriptive information
about past performance
or behavior that enables
improvement
judgmental information
(positive or negative)
about past performance
or behavior designed to
encourage or extinguish
future behavior
nonspecific, evaluative
feedback information
about performance that
creates defensiveness
rather than a
commitment to
development
118. 118
Giving Feedback
IMAGE
card sort activity
With your partner, sort the
examples of feedback given to
Residents into four piles -
how, what, praise, and
disapproval.
121. 121
Giving Feedback
!
Development Level 1 (D1)
Enthusiastic beginner—low competence,
high commitment
Development Level 2 (D2)
Disillusioned learner—some
competence, low commitment
!
Development Level 3 (D3)
Reluctant contributor—moderate to high
competence, variable commitment
Development Level 4 (D4)
Peak performer—high competence, high
commitment.
122. 122
Giving Feedback
IMAGE
match to
Resident needs
Once you’ve sorted all of
the feedback,
tape each card under the appropriate
Situational Leadership module based
on where you think the Resident’s
need are.
123. 123
Giving Feedback
Give feedback on things that can be changed - !
not traits or personalities
things you can see someone doing
or hear someone saying
Be specific and descriptive - don’t generalize
Control the context
127. 127
do
over
Applying the Skills
Based on the activities
and discussions we
engaged in today, think of
what you would have done
differently if you gave
feedback to your model
Resident again.
135. 135
Image and Video Credits
Community of Practice Logo
http://www.agilebuddha.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/community.jpg
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Situational Leadership Matrix Illustration
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2uSe5Zy6hH0/Ti8pROL1i9I/AAAAAAAAABg/iy7ykqK-
tU8/s1600/sit_apply_leadership.jpg
!
Quick Write Logo
http://stocklogos.com/sites/default/files/styles/logo-medium/public/logos/
image/1382874493-1d318afd7a48449f0984d7d84706196e.png?itok=jsRKldPD
!
Take a Break Photo
http://designyoutrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Take-a-Break-1.jpg
!
Bird Singing Cartoon
http://www.lifering.dk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/listening-cartoon1.jpg
!
Thomas Gordon Photo
http://www.gordontraining.com/wp-content/themes/gordon/images/gordon-
page.jpg
!
Ladder of Inference Youtube Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJLqOclPqis
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Modern Shoe Store
http://archinspire.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/modern-shoes-store-
interior-idea-elegant-cheerful1.png
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Questions graphic
http://www.barbara-wilson.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Question-
mark.jpg
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