The Power of Multiple Minds: Collaborative Partnerships in TTT

Workfacilitated by: Maggie Austin & Doug Rowe

South Dakota

Rapid City Black Hills State University (Spearfish) 48 miles (45 minutes) Sinte Gleska University (Mission) 182 miles (3 hours) Oglala Lakota College (Kyle) 87 miles (1.5 hours) SD Department of Education (Pierre) 172 miles (3 hours) Teach For America (Mission & Pierre) 182 miles (3 hours) High Need School Partners from 50 to 406 miles (1 to 7 hours)

TIE

estimated population of state is: 804,194

Mountain Time Zone

Central Time Zone

South Dakota Indian Reservations

These are South Dakota’s Indian Reservations and most of our high need schools and tribal university partners are located on or near these reservations.

Session Outcomes• Participants will recognize the value of using collaborative

partnerships in their TTT work. • Participants will take away a deeper understanding of how to

initiate, nurture, and sustain collaborative partnerships.• Participants will also consider how to use some of the identified

strategies to enhance their work.

“Winter Gathering” by Frank Howell

Collaborative partnerships exist when two or more people or organizations work together by sharing knowledge, learning, andbuilding consensus to achieve common goals.We focus as much onrelationships as wedo on the work.

“Emergence” by Frank Howell

Mitakuye Oyasin is a Lakota phrase which translates as “all my relatives.”

Kinship is the cohesive societal bond of the Lakota people and dictates all aspects of social life. Within this social structure, all people are related.

The Lakota way is to avoid confrontation. It would be considered disrespectful to point out a person’s mistakes, inappropriate actions, or words.

This is one reason we advocate collaborative partnerships – they build trust.

“Oglala Woman” by Frank Howell

• Establish open and honest communication which builds trust • Create shared vision and goals which helps insure alignment• Enhance the quality of everyone’s work as they strive to reach

goals• Build local capacity for sustainability• Create opportunities for the future• Make the work more enjoyable• •

Why Build Collaborative Partnerships?

We build collaborative partnerships because they…

Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

21 Suggestions for Success by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Let’s agree that marriage is a collaborative partnership. What would we identify as successful indicators in marriage that would hold true for building collaborative partnership in our TTT work?

• My spouse allows me to be me: My strengths are appreciated and my weaknesses are tolerated. TTT work: Strive to understand and honor the strengths and weaknesses of the system in which partners function.• Within our marriage, we strive for consistent, clear,

communication. TTT work: We need to know what challenges our partners are facing so that we can be a resource and support.• My spouse and I have very different strengths. Most of the

time they balance each other out! TTT work: SGU and OLC are strong in serving Lakota populations whereas BHSU has strong secondary content expertise.

“Braids” by Frank Howell

What would you identify as successful indicators in marriage that would hold true in your TTT work for building collaborative partnerships?

Resources

Ten Lessons in Collaboration: Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships by Deborah Gardner

Ten Lessons in Collaboration: Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships by Deborah Gardner

1: Know Thyself 2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity 3: Develop Constructive Conflict Resolution Skills 4: Use Your Power to Create Win-Win Situations 5: Master Interpersonal and Process Skills 6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey 7: Leverage Multidisciplinary Forums to Increase Collaboration 8: Appreciate that Collaboration Can Occur Spontaneously 9: Balance Autonomy and Unity in Collaborative Relationships 10: Remember that Collaboration is Not Required for All Decisions

1: Know Thyself• Who are we as stewards of this grant?• What are our mental models related to this

work?o Mental models carry assumptions and

expectations• What are our values and biases?• What is non-negotiable?

Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships

2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity• Understand and honor partners’ cultures, values, and

goals• Use communication skills of active listening, positive

regard for differences, and the belief in multiple realities• Value diversity as a strength

Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships

6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey• Recognize there’s a risk involved in not knowing where

collaboration might lead• Understand that time and effort are required to:

o Establish rapportoClarify expectationsoRequest feedback

• Foster face-to-face interaction to build relationships

Essential Competencies for Collaborative Partnerships

“Circle of Life” by Frank Howell

In your partnerships, which of these competencies is your strength?

1: Know Thyself 2: Learn to Value and Manage Diversity 6: Recognize that Collaboration is a Journey

1. Be purposeful in your partner interactions

Strategies to Build Collaborative Partnerships

• Construct time-generous meetings

• Establish outcomes for all informal and formal meetings

• Begin meetings prior to a meal, continue informally during the meal, and then conclude after the meal

• Pre-share agendas and contracts• Hold meetings in “home territory” of partners• Use “openers” in meetings that build personal connections• Document meetings with notes and share them with all

partners

2. Take the time to clarify roles and responsibilities for all partners and groups

Strategies to Build Collaborative Partnerships

3. Maintain a system map

4. Develop working relationships with financial aid and business personnel5. Be transparent in decision-making

• Periodically update your system map using evaluation & other data

• Indicate communication structures

“The Sweetgrass Woman” by Frank Howell

What strategies would you add that promote collaborative partnerships?

Session Outcomes• Participants will recognize the value of using collaborative

partnerships in their TTT work. • Participants will take away a deeper understanding of how to

initiate, nurture, and sustain collaborative partnerships.• Participants will also consider how to use some of the identified

strategies to enhance their work.

“Winter Gathering” by Frank Howell

Maggie Austin: 605-394-1876 maggie@tie.net Doug Rowe: 605-394-1876 drowe@tie.net

“Night Stories ” by Rudolph Car Gorman