I am the new director at Lower Columbia College Home and Family Life Early Learning Center and ECED Faculty. The position has some challenges. Our state is making some important changes in the early education field. With change comes some resistance. One conflict is the increase of expectations. My staff will have to change the way in which they plan their day, their curriculum will change and the way they are observed will also change. The nerves have set in. In order to deal with the conflict we are using cooperation. We are taking the changes one step at a time. At first I overwhelmed them. I gave them too much information at one time. Now we are working together for a common goal. We all want to rate high on the Early Achievers Scale. The text explains cooperation is, “a strategy that benefit the relationship, serve mutual rather than individual goals, and strive to build solutions that benefit both parties,” (O’Hair & Weimann, 2012, pg. 237).
Josie,
ReplyDeleteUsing cooperation sounds like you have things under control. Working together you are using the win/win approach. You all have a common goal and working together you will reach it.
Catherine
I like the idea of working together to achieve a common goal. Cooperating with each other brings down the volume on conflict which is what we are striving to stay away from. A win win outlook.
ReplyDeleteHi Josie,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the position! Have you ever been a director before? I know how challenging decision arise on a daily basis as a center director. I think that by using the approach of cooperation with all of your new changes then you are able to productively monitor the success of these changes. Cooperation is a way in which you work together to meet the needs of each individual person involved.
Kaitlyn
Hello Josie,
ReplyDeleteChange is hard for everyone and with changes we always seem to have to deal with some form of frustration, or anxiety, and sometimes sadness. It sounds like you were observing, and paying attention to your staff because you notice they were having a hard time with the changes and you changed your approach and said let’s break it down so it is easier to deal with, you have made it a win-win situation. Good job on being the Third Side.
I think it is wonderful how your are both resolving conflict with open communication and mutual goals while relieving the extra stress created by the new standards of your program. I find the best way to resolve program conflict among a group is to involve everyone in the solution. Great job!
ReplyDelete