Blog 7.1\u00a0 Avisha<\/p>\n
\u201cCurrently, I am working as a fundraiser for an international nonprofit organization (Sapra, 2018, para1). I have personal experience as a fundraiser too however, my fundraising experience was voluntary. I was the fundraising chair for our Electoral District Association which helped to re-elect our MP. I was also part of a fundraising committee at my daughter\u2019s Christian school when she was in pre-school. At the moment I am trying to get a couple fundraising events started at our school to help the Make a Wish Foundation as well as the Toys For Kids<\/em> Vancouver Fire Fighter Charity Organization. Our entire school will get involved to support these good causes leading up to Christmas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt should be the ideal environment to work. However, conflicts and difference of opinions still occur\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para1). I know what you are saying and can totally relate. Conflict seems to come and go but when we are in the midst of it, it is not pleasant. In fact conflict in the work place is unhealthy and leads to anxiety issues and depression. \u00a0I\u2019ve been at schools where there has been conflict, especially in the public system. There was a lot of conflict when I started teaching in Langley because the Langley Teachers Association (LTA) had just been on a lengthy strike so, when I started there were many disgruntled and stupefied teachers. They were especially critical of the huge loss of pay for the lengthy period of time they did not work. Being on the picket line did not justify their normally comfortable salary. Atha (2018) notes \u201cconflict can destroy any momentum an organization hopes to accomplish\u201d (p.1, para 2).<\/p>\n Another example of conflict that is happening right now in one of my departments is between two Korean Special Education Assistants (SEA). One does not like the other and has now taken a stress leave from work. She is on the verge of moving schools. It is really unfortunate that the ladies cannot overcome their differences because I like both of them very much. This has left my English Language Learner (ELL) Head of Department (HOD) with much added stress as there is a huge shortage of teachers and SEAs, especially SEAs for the ELL department (who need to know either Chinese or Korean or even better both languages). Unresolved conflict<\/p>\n \u201cThe communication policy of the organization is well-defined and effective in constantly reminding people of their purpose and values\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para). I find your comment intriguing as I would not say that my employer (the public school) is constantly reminding me of my purpose or values. My employer reminds me of many other things pertaining to my job but never touches on my own personal purpose or values. Do you think this is helpful for you? If so, in what ways? Can you give an example?<\/p>\n \u201cWe have regular individual check-ins with the team leaders and manager. It is a half hour session once every week where we discuss the highlights of the previous days, touch base on what improvements are required and discuss our short-term and long-term goals as an employee of the organization\u201d (Sapra, 2018, 3). In my school, staff have departmental meetings once a month then there are monthly staff meetings and monthly head of department (HOD) meetings as well. I like your weekly meetings approach because then everyone can meet more frequently to dialogue over pressing matters. Do you ever think you meet too frequently? Are your meetings happening during work hours or outside work hours? In public education, all of our meetings happen outside of our work day on our free time after school is out. This is one grey area that I do not feel is right. Teachers should get paid to attend meetings that go outside of our scheduled work hours.<\/p>\n \u201cOne size fits all theory does not work if you want to generate an effective work environment. It is important to build a one-on-one relationship with the members to help them increase their productivity and excel\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para 4). This is also true in education. Relationships are key to helping students perform and do their best. Likewise, relationship building is equally fundamental for staff and for building school culture. If every student feels connected and part of the school culture they will flourish. Same is true for teachers who are connected and know the other staff. They will be more likely to get further involved and take risks. As mentioned above, a one-size-fits-all theory just does not work in school. Schools are by nature complex and diverse.<\/p>\n \u201cThe organization, therefore, wants us to be clear about the issues we are facing and what\u2019s working best for us. It gives them a ground to work on and help us build on our strengths and act on our weaknesses\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para 4). Avisha, could you give me an example of how your employer wants you to be \u201cclear about the issues you are facing\u201d?<\/p>\n \u201cThe fundraisers\u2019 job is performance-based. Constantly being below target puts an employee on a performance improvement plan (PIP) in which the person works in close relation with an appointed team whose job is to work on the obstacles they are facing and help them yield better results in a set period\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para 5). Wow, this sounds quite stressful. Being part of a union means there is no such thing as a PIP. I am not sure why this is the case, but I do know in the business world it is a lot more common to measure an employee\u2019s performance. Perhaps, in terms of public education, public schools are not trying to raise their sales margin because there is none. Thus, measuring a teacher\u2019s performance is not that useful. Is it possible that people get fired if they fail to reach their performance-goals after being on the PIP? According to Lepsinger (2010) there appears to be some merit to holding people accountable for their actions and consequences when we fail to live up to the expectations. He goes on to suggest that \u201csolutions\u201d should be sought out and it sounds like that is what your company has done by implementing the PIP (p.78). Lepsinger also notes \u201cfailing to hold others accountable reflects on you as a leader\u201d (p.79). I think this is something noteworthy to ponder.<\/p>\n \u201cThree days a week we have a briefing period where we talk about the new agendas and give shout-outs to the fundraisers who performed well in the previous week. It keeps people motivated and helps them in acknowledging the difference they are making in someone\u2019s life\u201d (Sapra, 2018, para 7). This sounds quite encouraging. In education we do not recognize teachers for their great performance in quite the same way. Our principal does write a weekly school newspaper called the Swamp News (because our school logo is the alligator). In this weekly newspaper he writes of all the wonderful events, activities, sports triumphs, drama, theater school productions, and in this way both teachers and students get recognized. Sometimes I find the newspaper can do a better job of recognizing everyone. Perhaps due to simple oversight, the principal is not cognitive to all the happenings at the school. Just this weekend, our brand new Swim Team did an outstanding job at the Fraser Valleys coming 5th overall heading into the Provincial Championships this weekend. We have not had a swim team for the last eight years so to start it up again and to be ranked 5th<\/sup> is quite an accomplishment. However, my principal missed the mark on giving my team due recognition. For myself, I get discouraged when I put in hard work or in this case my swim team and then not get any recognition. I wonder how leaders can stay on top of giving just the right recognition to their employees without allowing miscommunication and feelings of being offended to arise. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on that? Thank you for sharing your thought and personal experiences.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n References<\/p>\n Atha, D. (2018, November). Strategic leadership team project [Web log post]. Retrieved November 12, 2018, from https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/ldrs501\/unit-7\/<\/a><\/p>\n Closing the execution gap: How great leaders and their companies get results<\/em>. Jossey Bass.<\/p>\n Sapra, A. (2018, November). Advancing organization by conflict resolution [Web log post]. Retrieved November 12, 2018, from https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/ldrs501\/2018\/11\/12\/working-of-a-nonprofit-organization\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Blog 7.1\u00a0 Avisha \u201cCurrently, I am working as a fundraiser for an international nonprofit organization (Sapra, 2018, para1). I have personal experience as a fundraiser too however, my fundraising experience was voluntary. I was the fundraising chair for our Electoral District Association which helped to re-elect our MP. I was also part of a fundraising … <\/p>\n