By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Former St. Joseph School Board President David P. Foster has written about his experience leading the board and working with others who don’t necessarily think like him.
The book is entitled, “The Complexity of Harmony.”
Foster says he began writing it two years ago while serving as school board president.
“I was inspired, because my vantage point was different when I became president,” Foster tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Looking at the complexities of how seven other people work together and how complicated that can be, I was inspired to write about it.”
Foster points out the First Amendment to the Constitution gives us freedom of speech.
“And I always say what our Constitution does not have a policy on is how we respect each other in the process,” Foster says. “That part’s up to you and me.”
Foster says he learned as school board president about getting people with different viewpoints to work toward a common goal can be applied universally.
“At the end of the day, I think the collective thoughts, coming together in a safe place on a platform where we can all communicate is the main idea, definitely of the book, but should be the main idea that I think we all adopt as citizens in the U.S.”
Foster says you don’t have to change someone’s views to work together with them.
“Some of my deepest conversations are with people that I don’t necessarily agree with,” Foster says “I learn from them and they learn from me, but we totally miss that opportunity if we don’t allow ourselves to sit down and have that dialogue.”
Foster says respect and communication are the keys. He says a leader needs to make sure everyone is heard, that everyone feels comfortable to share their opinions, and that members respect each other even when they do not agree.
Click HERE for a link to order the book.
This article has been updated since first published.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.