Sentry Page Protection
Click Here for Student Login Student Login
Student Login
Welcome, (First Name)!
Forgot? Show
Log In
Enter Student Area
My Profile Not a student? Sign up. Log Out

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT * 2 HOURS * LEVEL 2

Page 10

Dream Team: Successful Teambuilding

​Respectful Communication

​Peanut butter and jelly. Peas and carrots. Sweet and sour. What do these three classic teams have in common? 
They balance each other! If your team was comprised of all “Type B” personalities that had strong creative skills but lacked in classroom management how well would you expect your center to function? ​Now, imagine that you have a well-rounded team of individuals who had very different strengths and weaknesses as well as personality types. Having a team like this would balance very well. Because of these differences, however, communication can sometimes be a problem.
Respect is earned and not given in most cases. Creating a team that values differences and collaboration and that meshes well together as soon as possible can follow a very strong path to respectful communication. Staff members with opposing ideas can work through their differences by respectfully discussing a matter as opposed to giving the silent treatment, or worse: showing passive aggression. 
Be a Role Model
It is important for the director of a center to expect respectful communication from their staff and support them in these respectful exchanges as much as possible. Perhaps the most effective way to do this is to practice it yourself and set the tone. If a director rolls their eyes behind the back of an employee after they walk away, it immediately screams a silent warning to other staff members. They lose trust in the director, begin questioning the leadership skills, and makes them worried that it is happening behind their backs as well. Not all interactions with staff members will be wonderful, however, it is imperative to remain respectful and professional.