Fostering Resilient Working Relationships: Keys to Innovative Title V Project

Management & Collaboration

Lisa DiDonato Susie Haynes (via FaceTime)

Lisa Rodriguez Emily Versace

A note on resources mentioned in this presentation

If you don’t have the QR code reader app, Go to Apple iTunes store or Play store for Android

Web address: http://www.mtsac.edu/titlev/ahsie2016.html

Lisa Rodriguez, Ph.D., Director, Title V Grant “Building Pathways to Persistence & Completion” (2013-2018)

★ Key best practices:

★ Project Management: Website, Google Drive, Shared Drive, Old

Fashioned To Do List and Post-It Boards/Sheets ○  Communication: Newsletter, Briefing Deans/VP’s, Drop-In Events,

Research Day, Minimal Meetings ○  Documentation: http://www.mtsac.edu/titlev/ &

https://goo.gl/photos/kt1dmcPr568vWaT5A

StrengthsQuest

The color code

Everyone’s office looks like this, right?

One of our five component books, APR

manual, and year 1 annual research reports

Are in the back of the room, for you to peruse.

Newsletter goodness

We all love the APR! Some best practices in tackling “battleship”

http://www.mtsac.edu/titlev/

Susie Haynes, Administrative Specialist IV

Managing (Juggling/Wrangling)

Title V Budgets

Video in...4, 3, 2, 1...

Lisa DiDonato Educational Researcher

●  Professional roles at Mt. SAC

●  Background on grants

●  Re-designing our objectives to fit reality

●  Comments on resilient working relationships

Grant Goals and Objectives Measured

Communication/Collaboration

Meet with all involved in the project Grant Director Project Director/Coordinator Data Collectors

Why? 1.  Demonstrate to the funder that the project is meeting

its goals and/or beneficial. 2.  Understand areas of improvement.

Grant Goals and Objectives Measured

Communication/Collaboration

Project Management

Develop ways to measure what you need to measure Data collection methods

Surveys (online and paper) Data Analysis (collected by college or user) Focus Groups

Grant Goals and Objectives Measured

Communication/Collaboration

Project Management

Follow-Through

Before each term review what needs to be collected and produced. Communicate progress and pitfalls.

Grant Goals and Objectives Measured

Communication/Collaboration

Project Management

Follow-Through

Documentation

AHSIE (Anita Bringas, pictured left,

designed the outcomes tracking template we showed and is

willing to share with permission to modify)

Emily Versace Title V Counselor

Emily Versace Title V Counselor

●  #Techsanity - for special groups

●  JITAS (Just in Time Advising)

●  GE Pathways Proactive (Intrusive)

Counseling

●  Early Alert

●  Collaboration with colleague

Counselors

●  STEP PLUS

●  Honors College

●  CTE Brochures

●  Career Assessment for Orientation

Keys to Building Good Relationships ●  Recognize partners

on campus as experts ●  Have friendly moments with colleagues say hello, smile,

ask about their day. ●  Have clear and open communication

Difficult Conversations: ❏  Some you can prepare for ❏  Some are a surprise

Difficult People: ★  Try to see them as more than the

conflict you are having with them ★  What are good things they bring to the table

How to Improve Communication:

➢  Keep good records of meetings, share notes via email ➢  Examine emails before sending for tone ➢  Consider the best method to use for sensitive topics

(email, phone, or face to face) ➢  Use active listening techniques

Active Listening 1)   Listen to understand

○  Decide your goal is to understand the other person's point of view ○  Use body language and eye contact to show you are listening

2)   Clear your mind and remain silent

○  Focus on what is being said ○  Don’t interrupt ○  Don’t try to formulate your response

3)   Ask the person to expand or clarify

○  Tell me more ○  Can you expand on that? ○  Could you give me an example?

4)   Reflect the other person's thoughts and feelings

○  Don’t assume you understand, instead, repeat back what you heard to verify your understanding

○  Don’t add your ideas to the conversation yet, make sure you understand their point of use. ○  Watch their body language, sometimes they will say you got it right even if you didn’t.

*Adapted from On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life, by Skip Downing

Reflecting Information: Statement: “We need to rethink this whole plan. The math department should be the one heading this up, not tutoring because we need their buy in to make this work. Right now they aren’t cooperating. We should talk to their Dean.” Response: “Ok, so what you want is to approach the Dean and ask if there is Math faculty member who would like to head this project? Then tutoring will partner will that person to create and implement a plan?” Reflecting Emotions: Statement: “This is ridiculous! Who wrote this grant anyway? I wasn’t consulted and now my workload is packed. Can’t someone else do it? This is so unfair.” Response: “It sounds like you are feeling overwhelmed. It seems like you are upset that you have more work to do, and that you weren't consulted earlier about the role your department plays in the grant. Notice: You are not adding your point of view to the conversation yet. Wait until after you have confirmed understanding.

(Fictitious scenarios)

Activity: Active Listening

Statement: “She just has it out for me. I did everything correctly and yet she finds fault in every project I complete. I can’t win.” Statement: “At our meeting last month I suggested the solution that we are now pursuing but no one seems to remember that I am the one who came up with idea. Instead they think he was the one who thought of it. He is always taking credit for my work.”

Statement: “She claims she sent me the email last week, but I only received it today and now I am being blamed for the all the delays.” Statement: “This isn’t going to work. No one in that department wants to change even if it is in the students’ best interest. They think what worked 20 years ago will always work.”

Q & A