A good tool improves the way you work. A great tool improves the way you think.” – Jeff Duntemann

Part 2 of 3 – Tools to Build the Learning Network

*[Note: Please see the Introduction and Diagnostic and Part 1 in the previous blog posts before using the material in this post.]

Using this blog allows district leaders, principals, and teacher leaders the time to do other things while knowing they have a quality discussion, measuring devices, and team/trust-building dialogue activity planned and available for a meeting. The power of the tools is that it allows conversation around a professional topic to create equity of voice and build common understanding and bonds in the team.

The Basics – Micro Level

The micro level use of building the learning network, relational trust, and collaborative work in a single team is best done via targeted conversation. Use the steps and tools below to do this work for a single team.

3 Easy Steps – How to use the tools

The activity of hosting a purposeful dialogue to build relational trust can be done in about 8-12 minutes (or less) for the typical team.

The 3 easy steps are:

  1. Dialogue – (Evidence)
  2. Key Points and Ideas – (Analysis)
  3. Take Action – (Action)

A Call to Action: Use the Tools

Simply put – use the tools. Have the dialogue. Talk and communicate. Relational trust doesn’t build without some action. As the famous quote from the great hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky states “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” So it is with building relational trust. You miss an opportunity to build relational trust in 100% the situations where you don’t make it part of the routine. Give it a try and stick with it.