Saxton Bampfylde’s Leadership Services team supports organisations across the UK to help them appoint and develop the very best leadership talent. With the benefit of many years of industry experience, Partner and Occupational Psychologist Cassandra Woolgar considers the current challenges across the sector and observes where school governors and senior executives are successfully working together to set a course through these challenging waters.
Uncharted territory
This situation is unprecedented in any education format in the UK. Even during previous pandemics or wars of the 20th century, such an extended period away from formal school education for the whole nation did not happen. This is a challenge across the whole spectrum – for teachers, pupils, parents – and the ultimate responsibility to keep those groups afloat lies with the senior leadership team. That team is facing significant pressure not just in educational terms, but politically, socially and, for some, financially – not to mention the personal and social challenges people may also be facing from home working and lockdown implications. It creates the perfect storm.
It is therefore vitally important that these senior leaders identify and receive the best support, guidance and team working solutions to make their way through the situation. For many there has also never been a more critical time to have the support of the Chair and Board of Governors. This relationship is absolutely crucial and below we explore the ways in which this is shifting and how it can be enhanced further.
The critical friend – a shifting emphasis
- The role of the Chair and the way in which they interact with senior leaders is changing in response to this pandemic. In many cases, this has resulted in a shift away from critical to the friend role. Indeed, our data suggests that Heads and Principals tend to experience a dip in confidence when they feel under pressure, therefore Chairs adopting a closer and more supportive role during such an unprecedented time is often appropriate and appreciated.
- The challenge will come once the immediate threat of the pandemic has passed and there is a need to reinstate objective distance between the Board and the executive to allow for maximum strategic oversight. As pressure subsides and confidence resumes, it should be possible to transition back towards this style of relationship, with added trust.
Communicate, collaborate and congratulate
- Understanding the communication styles of senior personnel is paramount to successfully navigating a pathway forward through times of challenge. At executive level, knowing how people communicate allows Governors to better understand how to communicate with Heads, while simultaneously enabling Heads to communicate more effectively with their senior teams.
- Psychometric testing, such as the Hogan Test is highly effective even when organisations can operate ‘normally’. Its importance is highlighted now more than ever, at a time when individuals cannot communicate with each other in person and when derailing behaviours may be more likely to occur.
- Communication to staff and to outside community is also vital. Coming together as a whole school community has never been more important, however it is also vital to demonstrate that there is still a keen eye on the strategic direction of the school.
- Above all, it is important that good work is recognised. A bit of appreciation goes a long way!
Onboarding – all hands to the deck
- This is a particularly challenging time through which to introduce new members of staff to the team, however if managed carefully they will soon be able to take on invaluable roles in the running of a school.
- It is vital that senior leaders think carefully about supporting, encouraging and integrating new members of the team, particularly when opportunities for face-to-face contact are limited.
- Consideration of how they will get to know other staff members, pupils and governors, for example, is vital.
- Conveying the culture and ethos of the school to a new joiner can be especially difficult, so this is an area which will need particular consideration when operating in a digitally-predominant world.
Skills test
- The school environment will undoubtedly shift over the remainder of 2020 and potentially beyond.
- Schools and their staff need to adapt, embrace greater use of technology and recognise the new (if temporary) world in which they exist to support the education of young people across their communities.
- Now is the crucial time to come together across both board and the executive team to get to know one another better, support each other and work as a more cohesive team for the benefit of themselves, the rest of the staff and the students.
- Crucially, this approach must be supported at a senior level and will set a marker for the future success – or indeed otherwise – of a school and its leadership team.
If you are interested in hearing more about how we could work in partnership with you and your organisation, please do get in touch with Cassandra Woolgar in our Leadership Services team: cassandra.woolgar@saxbam.com / 020 7227 0824
