PTA Advice - 4 Steps to Speaking Kindly of Others

It's clearly not a topic or advice only for a PTA group but here's the real deal:

As part of a PTA, PTO, PTSA or PTSO group, you have a responsibility to be kind and encouraging. Through this practice, you will also become more productive as a group and volunteers will feel part of a successful team.

You and your volunteers can be involved very happily and sometimes, it's just a matter of how people are treated.

“if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Of course, you know your group well and I don't. Regardless of the dynamics of your PTA, PTO, PTSA or PTSO group you may be able to change something in perhaps a small way to better include and encourage members.

Instructions for Speaking Kindly to Others:

1) Listen

Become conscious of your surroundings. When you talk to someone or overhear a conversation, are you able to recognize words that are untrue or hurtful? Do you hear someone being put down in order to raise another? Active listening will allow you to actually begin to hear some of the words that bring others down.

2) Take Note

Take note of your conversations. In your discussions daily, do you make a lot of negative comments or complaints that you can become aware of? If there were a news crew filming your conversation, how would you reword your conversation? Take a note of any consistencies you notice.

3) Be aware / Make change

Change your behavior. Replace negative words with positive ones. Replace 'I' with 'We' when it comes to discussions of the PTA. Replace 'No' with 'Yes'. Take sentences with direct blame i.e. 'She did this and now this happened' out of your vocabulary. Speaking kindly requires the use of positive words and being conscious of positive word choice is probably the most difficult part.

4) Practice.

We all know that practice makes perfect. When replacing long-standing bad habits with good ones, give it time. You will eventually replace negative phrases with others and it will become natural.

Remember that if you ever feel stuck you can say nothing. A simple 'I'm not sure right now how I feel about that' and move on - just don't allow your body language to do the speaking for you in that moment :)

You can make a positive impact on your PTA, PTO, PTSA or PTSO group by being encouraging and speaking kindly of others! It's O.K., give it a try!

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Jay Moneta is the Vice President of Believe Kids Fundraising. Believe Kids provides school fundraisers to elementary and middle schools and groups nationwide. Please comment here and also at twitter and thanks for looking!