4. Homework

• Study Hall 1, week of February 3

  Select the workbook exercise(s) that is/are of interest to you. Complete the assignment and let us know what you think with a quick check-in on the Homework Feedback Response form located on this Study Hall page. 

  A. 21 Partnership Success Factors – Bridge the Gap and Apply the Practices

  READ 21 Partnership Success Factors_Gap Assessment.pdf – Review the 21 Success Factors and Gap Assessment Exercise.

  EXERCISE 21 Partnership Success Factors_Gap Assessment Exercise – Download and complete the 3 worksheets.

  DOWNLOAD 21 Partnership Success Factors Brian ONeill.pdf – Download for your reference library.

  SHARE your takeaways from the assignment in the Homework Feedback form.

  B. Strengthen Active Listening Skills

  READ  Active Listening.pdf – Review the practices of active listening and familiarize yourself with the ADORES mnemonic.

  EXERCISE  Active Listening Self Assessment.pptx – Download and complete this self-assessment and instructions for field testing your practices.

  APPLY Field test your active listening practices. 

  SHARE your takeaways from the assignment in the Homework Feedback form.

  C.  Accountability – What Would You Do?

  READ What Would You Do Accountability.pdf

  WRITE the end of the story as a short essay.

  SHARE bullet points of how you would end the story and takeaways from the assignment in the Homework Feedback form.

  READ The Rest of Story_ Response from 2017 Course Participant.pdf and compare this ending with your thoughts.  

  D.  Accountability Toolkit – Surf the Competencies

  DOWNLOAD 22 Partnership and Community Collaboration Competencies.pdf  and select 2 competencies that you would like to strengthen.

  FIND these 2 competencies on the Leadership Competencies Development Model that match your grade level and review distinguishing behavior or “practices:

  APPLY Take note of at least 2 new practices associated with these skills that you will commit to practicing in the next 2 weeks.

  SHARE your takeaways from the assignment in the Homework Feedback form.

• Study Hall 2, week of March 3

  Select the workbook exercise(s) that is/are of interest to you. Complete the assignment and let us know what you think with a quick check-in on the Homework Feedback Response form located on this Study Hall page. 

  A. Partnership Assessment

  REVIEW one or two of the following Partnership Assessment tools:

  • Collaboration Factors Inventory - Wilder Foundation
  •  Digging Deeper - Finding Answers  - Smarter Partnerships (the one we used in class)
  • Partnership Self-Assessment Toolkit - CACSH

  COMPLETE one of the tools, for one of the partnerships you work on.

  REFLECT and SHARE on the Homework Feedback Form:

  • What is going well in your partnership? What could be better?
  • Did you find gaps in the assessment tool, or in your partnership's practices?
  • How and when might you use this kind of assessment tool with your partners?

   

  A. Partnership Assessment

  1. REVIEW: 1 or 2 of the following Partnership Assessment tools.

  Collaboration Factors Inventory - Wilder Foundation

  Digging Deeper - Finding Answers - Smarter Partnerships 

  Partnership Self-Assessment Toolkit - CACSH

  2. COMPLETE: one of the assessment tools for one of the partnerships you work on.

  3. REFLECT: on what you learn about the assessment tool, and about the current health of the partnership:

  What is going well? 

  What are some areas for improvement? 

  Did you uncover gaps in the assessment tool, or in your partnership's practices?

  How and when might you use this kind of assessment tool with your partners?

   

   

   

  B. Paperwork Reduction Act

  READ Urban Myths and the Paperwork Reduction Act blog post.

  EXERCISE 

  1) Identify the Information Collection Office/Officer (ICO) for your agency or organization or, if there isn’t one, for your primary partner agency; 

  2) Identify 1-2 social scientist or Human Dimension subject matter expert(s) that you can go to for ideas about working with the public in a way consistent with the PRA.

  DOWNLOAD The Academy’s PRA FAQ.

  SHARE your PRA ICO website and 1-2 takeaways about the PRA on the Homework Feedback.

   

  C. Succession Planning and Transition Management

  READ Succession Planning for Partnerships blog post.

  DOWNLOAD 30-60-90-Day Plan Worksheet (DOCX) or (PDF).

  EXERCISE 

  1) Using the 30-60-90-Day Worksheet, fill out the information for 3-5 partners who, based on your job, you think a new supervisor or line officer would need to know about.

  2) Choose 1-2 of those partners for whom a more detailed briefing package would be needed and briefly describe why the additional detail would be important and some of the material you think would be needed.  

  SHARE Your 1-3 key takeaways from the assignment using the Homework Feedback form.  

   

   

  D. Surf the HD.gov web site 

  https://my.usgs.gov/hd/

  EXPLORE: resources, broadcast, tools, methods, blogs.

  FEED YOUR MIND: This exercise goes well with a brown bag lunch or afternoon snack.

  SHARE: one link to useful information with a colleague or course participant.

  B. Paperwork Reduction Act

  READ  Urban Myths and the Paperwork Reduction Act  blog post.

  IDENTIFY... 

  • the Information Collection Office/Officer (ICO) for your agency or organization or, if there isn’t one, for your primary partner agency;
  • 1-2 social scientist(s) or Human Dimension subject matter expert(s) that you can go to for ideas about working with the public in a way that is consistent with the PRA.

  DOWNLOAD The Academy’s PRA FAQ.

  SHARE your PRA ICO website and 1-2 takeaways about the PRA on the Homework Feedback form.

   

  C. Succession Planning and Transition Management

  READ Succession Planning for Partnerships blog post.

  DOWNLOAD 30-60-90-Day Plan Worksheet (DOCX) or (PDF).

  EXERCISE

  • Using the 30-60-90-Day Worksheet, fill out the information for 3-5 partners who, based on your job, you think a new supervisor or line officer would need to know about.
  • Choose 1-2 of those partners for whom a more detailed briefing package would be needed and briefly describe why the additional detail would be important and some of the material you think would be needed. 

  SHARE Your 1-3 key takeaways from the assignment using the Homework Feedback form. 

  
  D. Surf the Human Dimensions web site

  EXPLORE: resources, broadcast, tools, methods, blogs at https://my.usgs.gov/hd/team/usfws using the HD Scavenger Hunt.

  FEED YOUR MIND: This exercise goes well with a brown bag lunch or afternoon snack.

  SHARE: one link to useful information with a colleague or course participant.

• Study Hall 3, week of March 31

  Select the workbook exercise(s) that is/are of interest to you. Complete the assignment and let us know what you think with a quick check-in on the Homework Feedback Response form located on this Study Hall page. 

  A. What Would You Do? Stakeholder Communication 

  READ: What Would You Do_Stakeholder Communication.docx 

  WRITE: The outline of a communication plan for one stakeholder/potential partner

  SHARE: Your summary communication plan points.

  B. Stakeholder Analysis 

  REVIEW: Collaboration: Stakeholder Analysis, 5 mins and Decision Space 4 mins. with Joy Lujan

  COMPLETE: Stakeholder Snapshot.docx Related to your current work with partners and/or stakeholders, download and complete this exercise.

  SHARE: Your Stakeholder Snapshot with an agency colleague and discuss how at least one partner/stakeholder frames the decision-making space of this partnership and/or community collaboration.

  C. Facilitation Tools 

  REVIEW: Creative Facilitation Tools MbN 2018 (PDF)

  EXERCISE: Select one of these methods to use at an upcoming meeting and prepare for the meeting to introduce this tool.

  • Why did you select this tool?
  • Do you need to coordinate with the group or the meeting coordinator in advance?
  • Do you need support materials to use this tool?
  • What objectives(s) for the group will this tool support?
  • How might using this tool change the attitudes and behaviors of meeting participants?

  APPLY: Test this facilitation tool at the meeting and then reflect on what went well (WWW) and what would you do differently (WWYDD).

  D. Facilitation Practices: Competency Self-Assessment 

  Complete one of the two facilitation core competency self-assessments below. The IAF competencies are more focused on concrete meeting and group management practices, while the National College framework (shared in class) focuses on facilitator behaviors that demonstrate social-emotional intelligence.

  • Facilitator Core Competencies_IAF.docx  Self-Assessment  (based on IAF)
  • Facilitation Competency Framework_National College UK.docx Self-Assessment (based on National College, UK)

  E.  Principled Negotiation Planning Template 

  Apply principled negotiation concepts to a recent or upcoming negotiation in your partnership work. 

  DOWNLOAD: Principled Negotiation Planning Worksheet.docx 

  EXERCISE: Review the four elements of principled negotiation on Page 1. Use the table on Pages 2 and 3 to go deeper in understanding your style, positions, interests and options - and those of your partner.

  F. Improve your Persuasion Strategy 

  REVIEW:  Persuasion Insights 2018.pdf 

  EXERCISE: Complete this mapping exercise How might you improve your persuasion strategy.docx 

  APPLY: Test your strategy on a member of your target audience and then reflect on the effectiveness of your new strategy.

• Study Hall 4, week of April 28

  Select the workbook exercise(s) that is/are of interest to you. Complete the assignment and let us know what you think with a quick check-in on the Homework Feedback Response form located on this Study Hall page. 
  
  A. Conflict Management Practices

  REVIEW:  Getting to the Core of Conflict and Communications Participant Workbook

  EXERCISE:  Download and complete two self-assessment exercises 

  APPLY: Identify an opportunity to apply the conflict management practices highlighted in the exercises you selected. Then intentionally apply these practices in your professional and/or personal communication. You goal is to develop the intellectual muscle memory to use these practices, so that they will be readily available to you. 

   

  B. Asset Based Community Development Mapping

  FIND the assets in your community through a mapping exercise and exploring the gifts that you and a colleague or partner bring to the table. 

  DOWNLOAD: ABCD An Exercise in Shifting Focus

  • PDF
  • DOC

  COMPLETE the exercise: Using the instructions on Page 1, complete one or both of the activities: 

  • Part 1 - Community Asset Mapping
  • Part 2 - A Portrait of Gift

  
  
  C. Political Savvy: Adaptive Leadership Strategies

  THINK of a change facing your organization. 

  DOWNLOAD and COMPLETE the worksheet: Strategies for Acting Politically (DOC) (PDF)

   

  D. Corporate Partners: Who’s in your neighborhood?

  CONSIDER: two corporations who might have an interest in your work.

  EXPLORE: their website to find:

  • Mission statement
  • Corporate Social Responsibility report
  • Potential giving program(s)
  • Key contact (s)

  REFLECT: what might be some common language or interests that would help you start a dialogue?

  E. Catch up on the Blog. 

• Study Hall 5, week of May 26

  Select the workbook exercise(s) that is/are of interest to you. Complete the assignment and let us know what you think with a quick check-in on the Homework Feedback Response form located on this Study Hall page. 

  A. Risk Assessment Template

  DOWNLOAD: Risk Assessment Template (DOC) (PDF). 

  APPLY: For one of your projects, fill-in the risk assessment template.

  SHARE: Discuss your assessment with internal and external project team members.

  B. Managing Agreements Best Practices

  DOWNLOAD: Managing Agreements Best Practices (DOC) (PDF)

  APPLY: Complete the Gap Assessment to identify your current and new practices.

  SHARE: Discuss these best practices with a G&A specialist and ask him/her to share with you two tips that will keep you in the know regarding current G&A practices and processes.

  C. Blog Exercises

  READ:My Partner Said What?! Part 1 and Part 2

  DOWNLOAD: Options exercise (DOC) (PDF)

  APPLY: Think about a partnership where one or more of your partners might be stuck in some bad habits and likely to say something at your expense or that could cause problems for the project. Answer the questions provided in the options exercise.

   

  READ: Over the Horizon: Collaboration, ADR, Third-Parties, and You

  DOWNLOAD: Over the Horizon Definitions (DOC) (PDF)

  COMPLETE: Match the terms and definitions. Answers on Page 2.