FIX THE SYSTEM! BUT WAIT, I AM THE

SYSTEM: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND

ISSUE RESOLUTION

David Silverstein

Managing Attorney, CLS/DCF, Circuit 12

WHAT ARE BARRIERS THAT IMPACT YOU?

• Policies

• Procedures

• Resources

• Training

• Other people

• Other agencies

DON’T BE

A

BARRIER!

Improve the system by improving yourself

first.

TRANSFORM YOURSELF AND THE SYSTEM THROUGH

IMPROVED COMMUNICATION

The Four Agreements

by Don Miguel Ruiz

✓Be Impeccable with Your Word

✓Don’t Take Things Personally

✓Don’t Make Assumptions

✓Always Do Your Best

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Words have meaning and power

• Words are magic – power to create, inspire, make

things better – based on love

• Everyone is a mirror – fog keeps us from seeing

our real selves – fog is caused from parents,

society

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Words can be poison – hurt others, hurt

yourself, make things worse – based on fear

• Negative or purposeless language

• Distorts reality

• Causes loss of focus

• Spinning wheels

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Impeccable = Without Sin

• Use positive language all the time – negative

language hurts you and others

• Make every word promote good

• Show appreciation

• Be accountable

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Do not judge

• Think before your speak – It is ok to wait to respond

• Be clear – do not leave blanks for others to fill

• Do not avoid communication – actively engage

• Do not communicate when there are distractions – you cannot multi-task

• Stay focused on the purpose/goal

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Choose the best method to communicate

• Face-to Face

• Phone

• E-mail

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

• Gossip and rumors

• PURE POISON!

• DO NOT PARTICIPATE!

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD

PRACTICE:

What words would you use?

• Child Protective Investigator explains to the parent that his role is to protect the child from the parent.

• Case Manager testifies in court regarding the child’s significant behavioral problems.

• Guardian Ad Litem is upset that the case manager forgot to refer the child to therapy.

DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

• Derived from sense of self-importance

• Don’t take other’s poison – misery loves

company

• Reaction is to be defensive – need to be right

• Are you going to remember this a year from

now?

DON’T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY

PRACTICE:

How would you respond to:

• Parent who did not attend any parenting classes says in court, “My case manager won’t help me. She didn’t make any referrals for me and did not give me a bus pass. She won’t return my calls.”

• (Case manager gave the parent a referral, but did not give bus pass because the parent did not complete a financial need form. The parent’s phone was turned off.)

DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

• LITSTEN!

• Try to determine what is being said – ask for clarification – active listening – look for body language

• Understand another’s point of view

• Do not assume that others know what we want or see what we see

• Figure out what is real – data, research

• Covey (7 Habits) – Subway story

DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS

PRACTICE:

How would you view this situation?

• You send an e-mail to the case manager asking

for an update on whether the child was doing

better in school. You do not receive a response

and two days have passed.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

• Your best may be different based on different situations.

• Don’t judge yourself. Accept yourself how you are.

• Don’t overdo things.

• Let go of the past – move forward.

• Following the Four Agreements is hard – KEEP ON TRYING!!!!!

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST

PRACTICE:

What is your best in the following situation?

• You have to draft three reports that will take 2 hours each to complete, attend a trial for 4 hours, attend a staffing for 2 hours, and complete 2 home visits across town that will take another 3 hours. Everything must be completed today!

HOW TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM THROUGH ISSUE RESOLUTION

PROCESS

• Japanese Model

• Identify Issue

• Determine Root Cause

• Create Solution (Brainstorm)

• Implement Solution (Pilot)

• Review and Make Adjustments

IDENTIFY ISSUE

• Is the issue real?

• Is there data or other proof that the issue is

real? Is the data accurate?

• Is it based on opinions, assumptions, rumors,

or generalizations?

• Is it just a miscommunication or

misperception?

IDENTIFY ISSUE

• How often has the issue occurred?

• Does the issue need to be resolved?

• What will happen if you do nothing?

• How quickly does the issue need to be

resolved?

IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE

• What is the root cause?

• Case specific, unique issue?

• Personnel issue?

• Policy issue?

• Procedure issue?

• Training issue?

CREATE A SOLUTION

• Identify who should help create solution – involve people who will be responsible for implementing the solution

• Brainstorm – don’t judge – just get all ideas on the board

• Synergy (Covey) - Innovate with those who have a different point of view and creative cooperation thorough teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions

• Choose a solution - Evaluate pros and cons of each proposed solution

IMPLEMENT SOLUTION

• Identify who is responsible for implementation

• Create an action plan with action steps

• Provide instructions and training for

implementation

• Ensure that everyone understands the “why” and

agrees to the need for the implementation

REVIEW ANDMAKE ADJUSTMENTS

• Determine how success of implementation will be

measured

• Create process for reviewing implementation

• Determine whether implementation resolved the

issue

• Make adjustments as necessary – revise

implementation, pause or cease implementation

HOW TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEMTHORUGH MEETINGS

• Meetings must have a purpose

• Share information

• Plan and implement goal or new process

• Resolve issues

• Training

• Team-building

• Build partnership

MEETINGS

• Meetings must have an agenda

• Purpose and goal

• Ground rules for discussion

• Issues to discuss

• Persons responsible for initiating discussion

• Time limit for each issue

• Time to review action plan and whether purpose and goal was achieved

• Schedule of next meeting or follow up

MEETINGS

• Meetings must have a facilitator

• Keep participants focused on issues

• Ensure ground rules are followed

• Ensure time periods are followed

• Help create action plan

• Help schedule next meeting or ensure follow up

MEETINGS

• Most meetings must create an action plan (and

minutes) in writing and distributed to participants

• Designate action steps to achieve goal

• Indicate how completion will be measured

• Time for actions to be completed

• Time for review of actions

QUESTIONS/

FEEDBACK?David SilversteinManaging Attorney, Circuit 12

Children’s Legal Services

Department of Children and Families

1301 6th Ave. West, Suite 101

Bradenton, FL 34205

Office: (941) 554-1753

Cell: (941) 260-7347

David.Silverstein@myflfamilies.com