Learn about the importance of having a vision for individual
and organizational growth; the relationship between leadership and the visioning
process; and the mechanism by which a clear, shared vision can instill leaders
with passion, energy, power, and creativity

Explore the structure and workings of NEA—including the relationship among
governance, staff, and programs—to better understand the various leadership
levels (local, state, and national), utilize Association programs, and identify where
you can increase your involvement.

Enhance your communications receiving skills by learning to identify and
overcome barriers to effective listening and by sharpening your ability to digest
and interpret information presented verbally

Enhance your communications sending skills by identifying various methods of
sending messages, using each method appropriately, and being clear, concise,
and lucid when communicating verbally.

Explore the effect of individual differences on group decision making and learn
which decision-­making processes foster effective group decisions.

Learn to differentiate among passive, assertive, and aggressive behaviors;
assess your present level of assertiveness; and assert your individual rights
without violating the rights of others.

Get practicable, step-­by­-step intelligence on putting together a winning election
campaign: from learning how to leverage resources and choose key personnel,
to identifying management styles that achieve the best results.

Learn to recognize and develop a) the six essential principles and skills you need
to be an effective organizational leader and b) other members who may be ready
to advance in the Association.

Explore effective strategies for recruiting new members or bringing divergent
groups and/or individuals together—on a long-­term or short-­term basis—to
grapple with education issues.

Explore language as a medium for power and leadership in various social
settings; examine which words convey strength and confidence and which
convey the opposite; study the denotative and connotative meaning of certain
words; and learn how to frame language to achieve a goal.

Examine the specific structure, process, and mechanism of presiding over and
participating in large, orderly meetings, such as the NEA Representative
Assembly, using Robert’s Rules of Order as a vehicle for making your voice
heard and getting your motions passed.

Explore how modern advertising, namely message development, can alter public
attitude toward public education; learn to develop print and electronic media
messages that can be used for virtually any education issue; and learn how to
examine various education messages for content, validity, structure, and
effectiveness.

Identify the connection between political action and positive education reform;
learn how to launch a successful political action campaign and effectively lobby
policymakers on education issues; and gain a better grasp of the various
elements, strategies, and techniques involved in setting a legislative agenda at
the local, state, and national levels.

Learn how to work with communities to garner support for public education by
becoming an integral part of a community and developing relationships/
partnerships that serve as a resource for meeting education challenges and
establishing broad­-based issues.

Develop a better understanding of the dimensions of assertive behavior; assess
your present level of assertiveness; and hone your skills for developing assertive
attitudes, messages, and personal styles. Learn how to identify passive,
assertive, and aggressive behavior in others and how to give and receive
feedback, including how to handle “put­-downs.”

Get practical, step-­by­-step intelligence on putting together a winning election
campaign: from learning how to leverage resources and choose key personnel,
to identifying management styles that achieve the best results.