AR Handbook – 7
Some AR fundamentals
AR self-evaluation
You’ve learned to be an effective AR
when . . .
• Members come to see you with
questions.
• You have a ”sense” of things not
being right in the building.
• The supervisor or principal
comes to you with questions or
problems.
• You can accurately predict a
vote on a given issue in your
building.
• You have learned to ”keep your
cool” in the midst of any hassle
– regardless of the heat that may
have been generated.
Principals Need ARs
Both the AR and the principal
benefit from a cooperative,
respectful day-to-day relationship.
The principal looks good when
problems are solved early and
without fail. The principal needs an
effective AR. The principal’s days
run smoothly when the AR reports
regularly with comments such as:
“Everyone seems to be happy
with your resolution of the busduty
issue. You did a good job.”
“Some members are
questioning the meaning of this
paragraph of your memo . . .”
“I’m hearing questions about
signing out . . .”
“The art teachers complimented
you on how you worked out the
supply problem last week.”
When the AR keeps the members
happy and makes the principal look
good, the principal is motivated
to work cooperatively with the
AR, who in turn, looks good in
members’ eyes.
Creed of the AR
I believe –
• That as long as members
approach me, sincerely wanting
answers, I will never hear a
“stupid” question.
• That I do not develop a follower
by making him a loser in a
debate.
• That my own opinion of what
is just or who is “right” has no
bearing on my responsibility
to ensure that members receive
every right to which they are
entitled.
• That members yearn not so
much for my opinion, my logic,
or my information, as they
seek relief from threats and
harassment, the satisfaction
of working without suffering
administration-induced
frustrations, and the feeling
that they work each day among
supportive colleagues.
• That although “gripers” may
not be doers, I can use my skills
in human communication to
transform wasteful talk into
productive action.
• That even when I am certain
I know the consensus of the
members in my building on a
particular issue, I can reinforce
their satisfaction and feeling of
involvement if I regularly ask
their opinions anyway.
• That members become followers
when they feel supported, that
the surest way to discourage
members from becoming
followers is to shoot them down
with indifference.
• That the members’ day-to-day
existence provides almost no
evidence of positive feedback;
that praise is a rare event in
working; that from one week
to the next I may be the only
source of encouragement to
members in my building; that
my few words of praise and
support could make a difference
I will never realize.
• That in a negotiations year
especially, ARs are the most
important element in the drive
for a contract; that regardless
of the highly developed skills
of the negotiation team, the
association effort will fail or stop
short of member expectations
unless ARs use their skills to
generate staff unity.
• That I can probably not succeed
in my role as organizer of a
widely diverse mix of human
beings unless I have fun doing it.
AR Handbook – 7