RT Communication Structures Welcome to Teach For America

1. RT Communication Structures Welcome to Teach For America MANAGERS – YOU WILL WANT TO HAVE YOUR TEAM HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR COMPUTERS AND INTERNET TO ENGAGE IN SOME PARTS OF THIS SESSION. • [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING] Summer 2014 L&D Designer: Melissa Campbell

2. Objectives At the end of this session, you will be able to: • Understand TFA-wide communication channels • Understand RT communication channels • Learn email norms • Understand cohort communication channels

3. Agenda TFA-wide communication channels RT communication channels Email communication norms Cohort and Territory communication channels

4. Your Channels of Communication RT Member will communicate with… • MANAGERS NEED TO UPDATE THE NOTES IN THIS SLIDE WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF TERRITORY AND COHORT COMMUNICATION NORMS [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING] Teach For America Recruitment Team Territory and Cohort

5. TFA Communication Channels: TFAHub

6. TFA Communication Channels: Connections Page

7. TFA Communication Channels

9. Agenda TFA-wide Communication Channels RT Communication Channels Email communication norms Cohort and Territory communication channels

10. The Baseline Expectations for RT Communication • Staying updated on RT-wide communication is important for my job. • RT Communication is action-oriented. I am expected to read all communication and act on any next steps.

11. RT Conferences & Stepbacks • Managers should add pictures of their team at RT conferences or stepbacks. If you need some general conference pictures, email Tanya. [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING]

12. Agenda TFA-wide communication channels RT communication channels Email communication norms Cohort and Territory communication channels

13. Email Communication Norms • Expectations • Emails sent to full RT are mandatory read • Use listservs appropriately • Be aware of other team’s communication norms

14. Suggested Email Communication Norms • Be purposeful • Consider the recipient and work with the end in mind. • Sense check the medium • Know what you’re asking • Consider your recipient • Blunt emails/responses are ok!

15. Email Communication Norms • Email Tips • Shorten message to a subject line • Think before hitting reply all • Avoid attachments • Don’t use open-ended questions • Clear subject line • State actions needed/request up front • Don’t always need to respond

16. Agenda TFA-wide communication channels RT communication channels Email communication norms Cohort and Territory communication channels

17. Cohort and Territory Communication • Communication Norms: • How we communicate with each other is important • Respecting different communication styles NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY MANAGER! • The Activity below would be great to do with your team if you have the time! You could also have them do the quiz as pre-work or include it in a RT Welcome Newsletter that they receive before joining staff. Here is the quiz link: Quiz: http://occonline.occ.cccd.edu/online/klee/CommunicationsStyleInventory.pdf • [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING] • Activity: Learn your Communication Style • Once you’ve taken the test, let’s discuss: • - Which communication style did you land you? • - What resonated with you about the communication style (CS) you landed on? What did not? • - What advantages might your CS afford you among our team? • - What potential disadvantages/tensions/conflict might you anticipate, given your CS, in our work family?

18. Cohort and Territory Communication • Email Specific Norms: • When to use team listserv • Using red ! emails, down arrow emails • How quickly you should respond to email • Communicating after typical work hours • When you should call/text/email someone on your team • Explanation of team newsletter NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY MANAGER! • [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING]

19. Cohort and Territory Communication NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY MANAGER – feel free to add any additional slides for communication structures and add in a final slide with a picture of your team emphasizing how communication is the key to keeping your team together and running smoothly! [DELETE THIS POST IT AFTER PREPPING]