Hello, Class of 2020!

Happy New Year! We are excited to see you in Helena in two short weeks.  Please thoroughly read through this email when you have time. 

• Attached is the agenda. Note, this document is subject to change.
  • Class will begin promptly at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, January 15, 2020.
  • Special Note: Meet at the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday. We will be on the Capitol Campus all day. Please pay close attention to the agenda. 
  • Breakfast is on your own prior to session.
  • Please plan to arrive 10 minutes early.
  • While we do some moving around this session, the majority of Thursday and Friday will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Helena (22 North Last Chance Gulch).

• Wednesday morning, There is an optional tour of the Capitol Building. Please CLICK HERE to sign up. 

Dear Class,

Our discussion in Helena will focus on communication and conflict.  

Also, I have assigned the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument for you to take.  Please complete this assessment prior to our meeting on Friday morning.  I’m looking forward to reconnecting with you in Helena. 

• Review your MBTI profile on Communication (Page 13 and 14). 
• Read the article Leadership is a Conversation
  • This will be the primary reading, please be sure to read it before our session on Friday. 
• Complete the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
• I have provided several more articles for some more specialized aspects of communication and conflict for your perusal and reference.
  • How to Repair a Damaged Professional Relationship
  • Want Collaboration?
  • How to Have Difficult Professional Conversations When You Don't Like Conflict

Journal Exercises:

• Capture:  1 instance where you consciously recognized your efforts to Invite the Stranger. “Stranger” refers to those not typically involved in the conversation; someone with a different background, perspective, skin color, gender, geographic orientation, or any other quality that may make him/her seem different. We need the “stranger” when we are considering complex and new ideas and when we need multiple perspectives to broaden our viewpoints before decision-making.
  • What was the circumstance? 
  • How do you know? What was the outcome/result? 
• Bring/Update from the last session, Preparing to Invite the Stranger; completed and filled out so that you may share how you put this concept into action. 
• Read: pages 37- 94, Gracious Space.
  • In your journal, answer the questions on page 42 and 72 
• Read: Onora O'Neill's “How to Trust Intelligently” 
• Read: HBR's "The 3 Elements of Trust" 
• Read: Center for Ethical Leadership's "Appreciative Inquiry"