Elk Grove Unified holds special board training on ‘outward mindset’ with Arbinger Institute

Elk Grove Unified School District convened a special board meeting at 1:31 p.m. for a professional-development session led by the Arbinger Institute on developing an "outward mindset," facilitator Michael Merchant said. The session, open to district cabinet and board members, included a training video, facilitated discussion and small-group exercises on district priorities.

Merchant told attendees that mindset drives behavior and, ultimately, results, urging participants to focus on how they see and treat colleagues and community members rather than only on individual objectives. "Mindset drives behavior that drives results," Merchant said, framing the workshop’s central premise and asking participants to compare an "inward" mindset (seeing others as obstacles, vehicles or irrelevant) with an "outward" mindset (seeing "people as people").

The training included a case-study video in which a business leader described turning around a large organization by making performance data visible and inviting colleagues to help solve problems. The video’s narrator said, "Data sets you free," highlighting the session’s emphasis on regular measurement, transparent reporting and collective problem-solving.

After the land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance, district staff and board members introduced themselves. Jennifer Ballerini identified herself as a member of the board and said she has worked for the district for about 30 years. Merchant asked small groups to apply a worksheet called "Start in the Right Way" to four district challenges: chronic absenteeism, teacher retention, differing values and student achievement. Participants were instructed to list how those challenges would be handled from an inward mindset and then contrast that with an outward approach the district could take.

Merchant referenced preliminary assessment scores that suggested individuals rate themselves more outward than the organization’s average, and he urged the group to consider the district’s role in closing that gap. He said the work will continue the following day and that the digital handbook used in the workshop contains the videos and tools shared during the session; Merchant noted entries in that portal are confidential to participants unless they choose to remove them.

The session proceeded to table work and role-playing exercises; Merchant planned a short break before reconvening to unpack additional tools and to collect table report-outs. No formal board actions, votes or motions were recorded during the session portion transcribed here; the meeting was a training-focused special session rather than a decision-making agenda item.