General Information

Click Here for Troy Kuhn's Resume

As a strong leader, I will be organized, respect other opinions, and make decisions for the greater good of the organization. These qualities will show my stakeholders and community that I am not only caring, but that I understand the needs of the school/district. I will have high task and high relationship leadership within my school/distirct, both of which I feel are necessary to lead a school/district efficiently.

Open communication with all stakeholders is what I excel at. My personality allows people to feel comfortable and enjoy working with me. My team, and those around me, always seem to have fun and enjoy solving the tasks that are at hand. By being very clear, upfront, and having realistic expectations, people respect my thoughts, feelings, ideas, and concerns. I do not try to “sugar coat” anything, but rather focus on the cause and solutions to problems. Within this communication, it is essential to know when someone can improve their performance, or when someone is performing above expectations. Communication and feedback are essential for improvement and self reflection.

Another strength that I have is that I listen to and respect others’ thoughts and ideas. Even though I may disagree with someone, I always give them the chance to state their ideas and feelings. This allows me to “put myself in their shoes” and better understand their thoughts or be empathetic toward their feelings. I can then use their words to further show that I understand their point of view and use them to better emphasize the key points of the issue. Once both sides understand what each other is trying to communicate, we can then better collectively work out a solution or give more time for each person/party involved to reassess and reflect upon the situation.

Open communication and listening are essential to my current leadership roles within the district. People feel very comfortable addressing their concerns, ideas, and even their accomplishments with me. In the past I have managed Facebook, websites, Twitter, and community texts for school districts. Because of this role, I am in constant contact with staff, administration, and the community. The role of social media for our district has allowed me to gain much insight on what and how information is passed to and within the public. I have learned that word choice and timing of communication are crucial to effective communication. Without effective listening and communication skills, I would not be successful.

One of the things that I struggle with, is working with staff members who make excuses, blame others, or who are always negative. In the past, I have remained silent and not confronted these people in order to keep peace. However, I have realized that by remaining silent, others around you notice. They perceive you as not doing what is right or ethical. Therefore, I have learned that being silent is not the correct way to handle these types of people. I have now began appropriately addressing them.

Open communication is essential in order for everyone to feel like they have a voice and are an important asset to the school. The feeling of community and importance of all members will create a safe and enjoyable school.

EDL 850 The Superintendency

Summer 2016

Professor: Dr. Patrick Saunders