COMMUNITY RELATIONS Effective Negotiations: Being Good


Stewards of the Public’s Trust Effective negotiating skills can help SBOs maintain public trust while negotiating agreements with community organizations.


By Renée Williams


L


ead with the conviction that comes with know- ing oneself. Show up prepared to address challenging questions with grace. Communi- cate clearly and authentically. Build relation- ships that are strong enough to weather the inevitable storms that come with doing hard and emotionally fraught work.


I learned these core leadership skills while working


at New York University’s Metro Center, a research and policy center devoted to equity and school transforma- tion. Executive Director Pedro Noguera and Scholar in Residence LaRuth Gray modeled these core leadership skills to all who worked alongside them.


asbointl.org Know Thyself


During my time at Metro Center, I’d like to say that I was a quick study who implemented my mentors’ wis- dom with ease. I was not.


SCHOOL BUSINESS AFFAIRS | JULY/AUGUST 2021 15


They are the same skills needed for successful nego-


tiation. They can help school business leaders negotiate memorandums of understanding and intergovernmental agreements with nonprofit organizations and govern- ment agencies in ways that keep the district’s best interests at heart while also serving as good stewards of public assets and trust.


THODONAL/STOCK.ADOBE.COM


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