Leading from the Middle Day 3
Each day has started with a review of the impact of Day 2 Learning and the period in between the day 2 and 3. Carole recorded the ‘Key Learning and Changed Behaviours,’ and the impact of the Team Health Check.
The focus then changed to evaluate the Leadership Focus. Without over-estimating the scope of the L4L programme (the IT strategy, incorporating the New Build, wireless, whole print facility) I sometimes feel that colleagues have the luxury of a more refined leadership focus eg cross curriculum mentoring, addressing the rewards system, supporting under-performing staff. Currently the L4L includes Year 8, 9 and 10 students, their parents / guardians, all teaching staff. IT support, finances and SLT assessment / support. Certainly the our success is impacted by many other factors, primarily funding associated with the New build and whole school initiatives such as establishing an IT budget for the school.
We covered two middle management models and one strategy. The first looking at defining the individuals following a heath check, another matrix highlighting individuals openness to change and their experience of change. Team members fell into four categories; advocates, willing followers, resistants and blockers. A series of strategies were then outlined on how to develop ‘willing followers’ and move resistants or blockers to a favourable position. One aspect not highlighted by this model was the individual power of influence and so a second model once demonstrated that took this into account.
Finally a strategy to Problem Solving Team Building was presents. A tool used to solve the problems presented through the time structured input of a team. This was a very practical and inclusive tool that any team could adopt, one that will get transferred to my management toolbox.
- 5 mins – problem solving
- 10 mins – idea generation
- 10 mins – idea selection followed by benefits vs concerns analysis of that selection
- 5 mins – action Plan
The morning concluded with more coaching practical, with the opportunity to focus on either a) the content or b) the emotions shown. This learning opportunity demonstrated just how much information is to be processed when ‘coaching.’
Good Coaching
Listening, active listening
Recap / summarise / seek clarification
Settings – open gestures / quiet / comfortable / uninterrupted
Non-judgmental – develop a pool of effective coaching questions
Empathetic not sympathetic (avoid the transfer of ownership)
How / in what way – is often better than why
Don’t be afraid of silence, silent time is thinking time
Let the coachee talk, they may answer their own question
Stage 1 – Analysis eg What’s going well? What strengths can you build upon?
Stage 2 – Direction Setting eg What are some of the possibilities? What is do-able now? How do you think others will perceive the changes?
Stage 3 – Action Planning eg What support are you likely to need? What other considerations might there be? What is do-able next?
Finally a review of the coaching process untaken, merely underlined the value of the process but also the important of undisturbed, quality time and the setting.
Just for the record I thought I should include a comment from my GTP mentee, at the end of a rather long email, he reflected on our weekly meeting. This week I told him I would be taking a different approach / style and that I would be interested in his view point.
Thanks again for your mentor support (I prefer it to coaching! 🙂 )
All that is left to complete is the 10 Minute Presentation, print 6 copies of Leadership Focus and complete Page 50 of the workbook…. plus one or two online tasks.