(By Lisa Mahar) Many times during the school year, school leaders must thoughtfully work through challenging decisions. Once a decision is made, the time comes to share this decision with the broader community. Ideally we have confidence in the decision and the process that was used to reach it, yet we may still worry how it will be received by our school families and friends. Consider the following thoughts on temperament as you prepare communication for your community. When we honor the diversity of the temperaments, we’ve prepared a balanced communication. We trust each temperament—each set of soul qualities— to contribute to a lively, dynamic whole school community. Paying attention to these qualities in our communication is one way of honoring and benefiting from the wide variety of ways human beings work with information. These are not content suggestions, but focus on tone and perspective, laying a pathway to positive, supportive responses.
The Choleric Parent. This parent wants to know that actions are clear and decisive. Disclose all information that can be disclosed. Outline reasons to trust and respect both the process and those in charge. Parent response: I understand and respect this decision. You can expect my support. What can I do to help?
The Melancholic Parent. This parent wants to know that actions are caring, just, and fair. Acknowledge what is difficult or may be difficult. Appreciate those who contributed to this decision or course of action and those who will be affected by it. Parent response: This decision seems both just and fair. How are we taking care of those adversely affected? Who do I talk to with concerns?
The Sanguine Parent. This parent wants to know that that a variety of points of view have been considered and that actions will be reviewed and improved if needed. Explain the exciting opportunities and positives in this new course of action. Parent response: I’m pleased the school is looking to the future and I’m confident all voices were heard. I see the possibilities and am enthusiastic about trying something new.
The Phlegmatic Parent. This parent wants to know that actions reflect our unchanging core values. Once a course of action has been determined this parent wants to know we are steadfast and resolute. Describe how care has been taken to ensure that implementation is not unduly disruptive. Parent response: I can make a place for new approaches when they are based on core principles.
By using our insights about temperaments to guide our communication, we create opportunities for a collective positive response. We can anticipate where questions and concerns might arise and address them proactively. Through the temperaments we can see again that sound decisions that serve the whole come from clarity, warmth, fairness, a relationship to the future, and our alignment with first principles.
Lisa Mahar serves as an instructor in the Leading with Spirit summer administrative training program. These week-long summer courses are held online and in person in Freeport, Maine or Whidbey Island, Washington. Information and registration for Summer 2025 can be found here. Lisa was the School Administrator at Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire from 1991 to 2018. She is a founding member of the Administrators Network of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (ANA), is a trained meeting facilitator, and now advises and consults with Waldorf schools in the areas of governance, community building, administrative review, meeting facilitation, mentoring, visioning, and administrative planning. She can be reached at [email protected]
Learn more about the Leading with Spirit summer administrative training program here or take a little test: Which temparament am I?
The Choleric Parent. This parent wants to know that actions are clear and decisive. Disclose all information that can be disclosed. Outline reasons to trust and respect both the process and those in charge. Parent response: I understand and respect this decision. You can expect my support. What can I do to help?
The Melancholic Parent. This parent wants to know that actions are caring, just, and fair. Acknowledge what is difficult or may be difficult. Appreciate those who contributed to this decision or course of action and those who will be affected by it. Parent response: This decision seems both just and fair. How are we taking care of those adversely affected? Who do I talk to with concerns?
The Sanguine Parent. This parent wants to know that that a variety of points of view have been considered and that actions will be reviewed and improved if needed. Explain the exciting opportunities and positives in this new course of action. Parent response: I’m pleased the school is looking to the future and I’m confident all voices were heard. I see the possibilities and am enthusiastic about trying something new.
The Phlegmatic Parent. This parent wants to know that actions reflect our unchanging core values. Once a course of action has been determined this parent wants to know we are steadfast and resolute. Describe how care has been taken to ensure that implementation is not unduly disruptive. Parent response: I can make a place for new approaches when they are based on core principles.
By using our insights about temperaments to guide our communication, we create opportunities for a collective positive response. We can anticipate where questions and concerns might arise and address them proactively. Through the temperaments we can see again that sound decisions that serve the whole come from clarity, warmth, fairness, a relationship to the future, and our alignment with first principles.
Lisa Mahar serves as an instructor in the Leading with Spirit summer administrative training program. These week-long summer courses are held online and in person in Freeport, Maine or Whidbey Island, Washington. Information and registration for Summer 2025 can be found here. Lisa was the School Administrator at Monadnock Waldorf School in Keene, New Hampshire from 1991 to 2018. She is a founding member of the Administrators Network of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (ANA), is a trained meeting facilitator, and now advises and consults with Waldorf schools in the areas of governance, community building, administrative review, meeting facilitation, mentoring, visioning, and administrative planning. She can be reached at [email protected]
Learn more about the Leading with Spirit summer administrative training program here or take a little test: Which temparament am I?
