participants. A grocery line conversation that might have involved two friends chat- ting about a school-related topic, who then might share the contents of the dialogue with a couple of their friends, is now multi- plied by a proliferation effect that can boggle the mind. The positive social effect of sharing one’s
thoughts with friends and neighbors, the usually harmless gossip, now takes place in a virtual landscape. There are many benefits, to be sure; our society is more connected than ever and the access to information is instantaneous. However, the downside of Mrs. Smith’s generally harmless griping about her child’s third grade teacher is mag- nified by the sheer volume of those who wish to enter the conversation. We are social creatures; we seek connec-
tion with others, opportunities to share, commiserate and celebrate, and the blogo- sphere provides this opportunity in unlim- ited supply. The downside is it can breed un- bridled negativity as the social responsibility (what our mothers called the social graces)
called for in face-to-face conversations is lost in the anonymity of the Internet. How long will this last? Not as long as you might think, thank goodness. The sting
It’s important to push out good news frequently – success stories and accomplishments. By having a solid communication plan, key people within the organization are kept informed of all important matters: they are your positive press corps.
of a snarky comment is much more pain- ful, and therefore more memorable, for you than anyone else. Readers who see negative feedback online tend to fall into one of these categories:
• Your peers (who know how difficult
your job is and are likely to feel as indignant as you do about this); • Your parents and staff supporters (who
know this negative feedback doesn’t match the thoughtful, competent administrator they know you to be); • Disgruntled naysayers (many of whom
are “equal opportunity curmudgeons” who post lots of negative comments on a variety of topics across cyberspace); or • Everybody else (busy people who can
barely finish an entire article, let alone re- member the details of the bad press by the time they’ve worked their way through their own hectic week). Certainly those who sympathize with
you are least likely to make comments and continue to fuel the fire, but it doesn’t help one sleep better at night when mentally cal- culating the t-chart of those for/against you in the comments.
How can your district respond? The best response by any district is to
have an effective communication plan. It’s important to push out good news frequently – success stories and celebrations of accom- plishments. By having a solid communica- tion plan, key people within the organiza- tion are kept informed of all important matters: they are your positive press corps. Components of an effective communi-
cation plan include: a clear vision, training for staff in communications, identified staff members who are able to speak on behalf of the district, and a communication pro- tocol that is clear to all staff regarding who responds to media requests. Consider regu- larly communicating district activities, from what teachers do on staff development days to proposed changes in bell schedules. Com- municate clearly and do it often to control the information flow and be seen as the ex- perts in all matters related to education. Even a short, 30-minute training each
year for all staff on district goals, new ini- tiatives (such as the Common Core), and action plans delivered in a clear, upbeat “el- evator speech” approach will do wonders for getting staff focused on a clear message. When possible, get your oar in the water first on a potentially negative story. Build a
14 Leadership
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