The shared purpose provides the compass for success

Creating a shared purpose in a school brings a sense of belonging where the values, vision and mission – embracing a people focus, caring, respectful and inclusive culture bring the school community together.

As a leader, creating an inspirational leadership team who understands their individual members motivations, aspirations and strengths and helps align their passions in the schools shared purpose as well as allowing them time to create a team identity and their own sense of belonging.

The focus on a collaborative culture, will allow staff to have higher levels of autonomy – more likely to cultivate shared purpose and belonging.

Schools however are not ideal and a great deal of flexibility is required where there is a mix of cultures, backgrounds, staff capacity and staff talents. Below I am proposing some ideas to develop a sense of ownership and leadership at all levels

Potential strategies:

Personal professional development. Staff development and wellness-being matters as they are leading the learning of all the students the school. Ideally, the aim will be to create a culture there is more focus on leadership of learning and less on management. To do this, you will need leaders to lead many of the admin tasks so that you can focus on student progress.

Reflection time in meetings: How much of our time is having an impact on student learning. The concept is that as you develop leaders from your team, your management role becomes less and your strategic role of inspiring, mentoring and monitoring becomes more, as you delegate more and hold your trusted leaders to account. This will create more time for you to look at student progress.

Professional development goals and leading

Take into consideration your staff’s capacity to develop their leadership – identify how you can get the best from your workforce.

Where capacity and trust are low, you may get more impact by directing and being clear about your expectations as a leader. Empowering staff who just do not have the capacity can be incredibly stressful for both parties.

Where you see potential and you know that there is experience or an innate skill, coaching can be more effective. As you offer more support your time will be well invested, as you will eventually be able to delegate as trust increases.

In coaching and supporting staff, the aim is to empower them. To do this, your open mindedness, listening to their ideas and suggestions is one strategy for making them feel more empowered – but also letting go of some areas and allowing them to practice their leadership showing trust. But be clear, you still have the final say.

Reflections

Spend some time reflecting on how you can become a better leader.

Identify areas where you have no control of and let go.

Look at your staff potential – each member of staff. Be specific. Look at their talents. What can they lead?

Identify your champions and start to identify practical strategies to coach and empower them.

Identify the staff that need clear direction and provide it to them. This is not a weakness and they will appreciate it.

Think about capacity – this is important when you will need to provide a recruitment plan.

You will need to identify staff who you can delegate to so that you can focus on student progress, as a leader of learning. Do you have any that you can delegate to? Do you have any that you can delegate to in a few months after coaching? Be specific. Make-a-plan.

Overall suggestions that I have found have been very effective in leading schools

A clear vision, mission and beliefs is important in achieving community understanding and engagement

Making learning as core and creating a culture where professional development collectively and individually with a focus on student progress is norm.

Empowering teacher agency within a clarity of expectations, particularly about deciding on the best ways to inspire student progress in their classrooms.

A culture of sharing what works well embedding professional learning to improve student learning – where all staff contributions are valued.

Developing leadership at all levels where staff can make individual and collective decisions that impact on student progress.

Reflection on effectiveness where meetings and conversations speak about effectiveness strategies for improving student learning.

Recognition of talent, particularly teachers’ skills and providing leadership opportunities for teachers who are experts in their fields.

Focused professional learning -creating a culture of personal professional growth.

As a leader:

• Demonstrate an insatiable desire to constantly improve student progress and achieve success.
• Show that you are inherently and proactively motivated to achieve high expectations
• Be passionate, and showing intense enthusiasm and energy for your work.
• Showing real commitment and having a strong focus to your vision.
• Be reliable, creative, and work hard

Inspiring others

• Offering stability and clear direction so others can follow.
• Provide hope, courage and faith so others feel positive about themselves
• Cultivate a positive energy that motivates others to achieve their own personal desires/
• Instill confidence, by developing a strong belief in the your staff strengths and abilities developing their own self-belief and agency.
• Be an enabler encouraging people to find their own authentic way to develop their own inspirational leadership.

I would be keen to hear other ideas that work well in schools.

Dr. Tassos Anastasiades