In this episode, Bob speaks with Dave Haveman, the executive director of special services for Northeast Metro Independent School District 916. He shares his experience and strategies for successful leadership in special education, emphasizing the importance of knowing yourself, building a strong team, and ensuring compliance before focusing on best practices. He also discusses the importance of communication and trust in establishing a successful working relationship with district leaders. In his role with the intermediate district, Dave is a leader of a group that focuses on special services in multiple districts, talks about the importance of having emotional intelligence when working with colleagues and understanding their reactions to changes. He speaks to the significance of knowing your team and delegating responsibilities to different members based on their strengths. Dave shares how solid first leaders learn, teach, and model leadership for their employees, and some ways to benchmark and evaluate your leadership strategies. He also offers advice on starting discussions and creating norms for staffing and due process in your district.
