I have to say that this has been a difficult blog for me to write. I am not sure if I have figured out the formula for credibility. At this stage in my career I find myself reflecting on my practices weekly and wondering what areas need to change. With all the recent changes, my credibility is definitely on my mind. The more articles I read and the more people I spoke to, made me realize that I need to hone in on specific areas if I want to grow in terms of my leadership. I am challenging myself to work on three areas:
1) Stating my core values. If my staff and colleagues are aware of what I believe in and what I stand for, they will be able have a better understanding of how I think. It will also explain why I make certain decisions. I have been trying to take it a step further by ensuring that my core values are aligned with the school's vision and mission.
2) Being transparent. I need to make sure that I share as much information as possible. This means that I make more time to follow up with staff on decisions that have been made, such as: sharing the plans put in place (by the support staff, outside resources, parents, or by the administration), the result of meetings or administrative interventions, etc. In the end it is about making time to have follow up conversations and fostering an atmosphere of open communication.
3) Being myself. I am enthusiastic about education and being an educator. The love and care that educators exude is what makes schools successful. That passion is what excites me to be at school every day. I need to remind myself of the latter, because if that light dims people notice and are not sure if they can depend on me.
So this is my personal challenge. I will take it one day at a time and welcome suggestions.
Great post Natasha. You hit the credibility nail right on the head. Trust. It takes many deeds to build it and one to destroy it. Students, parents and staff need know where you stand on issues. They don't need to agree with you, just know where you stand. Talk about what you believe. And, just when you feel like you can't possibly say it again, say it again. When people think about you and talk about you (and they will) that's what they will think and talk about. What you stand for.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Natasha! Like Patrick, I think you really hit on the important issue: trust. Someone recently posted a challenge to administrators: do your staff trust you? How do you know? And if they don't, how will you fix that? I believe you made the points: sharing what you stand for, being transparent & communicating with stakeholders. Well done!
ReplyDeleteStay true to yourself even in the face of adversity I say.....and I, for one, certainly know now what that means, eh?
ReplyDeleteHaving ‘core values’ and sharing them with the staff is definitely something worthwhile doing. However, do remember that it is as important to consolidate common values that you may have with your staff. These common values are what will direct your team in the same (upward/forward) direction. Common values inevitably become shared vision. They are your driving force.
In regards to personality traits in leaders, being transparent is definitely a biggy. Trustworthy is another in my books and I am sure other people value other traits in leaders as well. However, I’ve learned that personality traits are just not enough. Your actions need to speak volume. I love the works of Posner and Kouzes on leadership. I used to quote them all the time when I did my studies in University. What they have said is that you need to do 5 things in order to be credible: Model the Way, Inspire a Share Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable others to act, and Encourage the heart (http://bit.ly/1pQNsLk). You do that already, so stick to your plan.
Lastly, the social representation of educational leaders is by far homogenous. What one views as the true picture of professional leadership is different than someone else’s perception. Even your vision of an educational leader will evolve over time because you are constructing your professional identity. We take and leave what we like about what we do…..and it is ok to change. So when I say `stay true to yourself`, I mean be who you are based on what you believe in. If your belief system changes along the way because you have embraced something that is positively different, so be it.
Thanks for the great comments. It gives me a few things to think about.
ReplyDelete