Make the obvious, obvious again.
I think that is a great phrase. I often get reminded of this concept by line manager, with whom I share an office. He often asks ‘what is our core purpose?’ when either myself of colleagues are looking for the right answer. It is a rewording of ‘keeping the main thing, the main thing.’
So here is my obvious list for a newly appointed school leader and how well I did against those markers.
The most important place to be, is there in front of your students. In front of them as a teacher, in front of them around school. If I miss a lesson, I make sure my students know I am thinking if them. A handful of conference sweets, a few pens for prizes, or an email prepared and delivered to land during the lesson.
The next most important thing is to model the behaviours you wish your middle leaders to demonstrate. In turn I watch the most senior staff at our school very closely.
It is more important to get it done right than it is to get it done quick.
Never under estimate the value of walking to see a colleague over sending an email. I try very hard not to deliver difficult messages via email and as a result I am learning how to hold more challenging conversations effectively.
You get what you tolerate. If you let it go, then it is permissible.
On a personal reflection, a parent of a good student though not a stells academic, reminded me not overlook those students who just ‘get it done right.’ A group she referred to as the the quiet majority. To this end, I have been working very hard on how Attitude to Learning grades can be used to recognise this students.
Finally, something borrowed….
Something for all leaders, perhaps middle leaders within a school
If you don’t say it, no one knows. If they can’t see it, it doesn’t matter. If they can’t repeat it, it’s irrelevant. Keep the message simple. Say it again. What gets repeated gets remembered. Celebrate it again. What you celebrate gets remembered and repeated.
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