Tag Archives: management

For Schools

Leadership for the Slightly Bewildered

“Are you a leader?”

Many people are slightly bewildered by the question, and there’s a reason. The question assumes that leadership is a quality, a permanent state, a part of one’s identity. Many popular leadership books describe the presumed qualities of leaders – such as charisma, vision, and decision-making ability – and draw their examples from leadership titans in business or the military.  But even though relatively few people comfortably identify themselves as leaders in this sense, it doesn’t feel right to reply, “No, I’m not a leader.”

The mistake this approach to leadership makes is precisely in its assumption that leadership is a quality that is innate or can be developed, but is in any case permanent. But lead is a verb, and leading – which I define as using one’s influence to get others to do what you want them to do in pursuit of some goal – is not a fixed quality but something many of us do some of the time but isn’t the definition of who we are.

In education we might lead to a greater or lesser extent when teaching, chairing a committee, spearheading a project, dealing with a problem or crisis, or addressing one’s school or department. No matter what our job is, leadership arises when it’s needed, and recedes when it isn’t. It isn’t in the ‘on’ position all the time, and those around us would find us tiresome if we went around trying to lead them constantly. As Daniel Pink pointed out in his book Drive, adults are motivated when they can exercise autonomy, that is, do things on their own, making decisions for themselves. While the work of individuals may be inspired by one or more leadership moments, it’s time for the person leading to step back when individuals are working autonomously.

Leadership, then, isn’t a matter of one’s place in an organizational hierarchy or level of authority. Someone may be vested with formal authority in an organization, but may either be ineffective at influencing others or rely on coercion to get others to do things. Coercion – ordering people – is not true leadership, since it relies on the power to threaten. When you are truly leading,  others are following you because they choose to. 

So, perhaps the best answer most of us should give to the question, “Are you a leader?” is “Some of the time.” Which means that leadership has a place – but not the place – in your role profile. 

Your Role Profile

In our work, most of us are playing a role that can be labeled in one of the following ways – or some combination of them – at different times of the day and depending on the demands of the task:

Collaborator: working with others
Soloist: working alone
Enforcer: making others comply with procedures and rules
Conformer: following procedures and rules
Follower: willingly doing what someone else asks
Leader: influencing others to do what you want them to do

You can stop any time of the day and ask which of these roles you are playing. And you can use this categorization of roles for your personal and career development. Make a radar chart like the one below (it’s easy to do in Excel or Google Sheets) and plot your current role profile – the extent to which you are playing each role in your current position – and use it to set goals. Are you spending too much of your time in Individual Contributor mode? Set a goal to work on more projects with others. Too long following procedures and rules in the Conformer role? Seek greater responsibility. Is your Leader setting too low? Aim to take the lead more in the coming months by taking the initiative or being the first to do something and bringing others with you. Try to shape your role profile so that it meets your aspirations. Even better, do this with the person you report to and get support with your professional development. Think about how much you want to be leading, and work toward it. 

Remember, leading is not a permanent state. Leading (or not) depends on the demands of the moment, your own and your colleagues’ capabilities, and your relationship with those around you. Anyone can find opportunities to lead. You’ll find yours. 

For Schools

The Two Essential Tasks of Management

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Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/startupstockphotos-690514/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3267505">StartupStockPhotos</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3267505">Pixabay</a>Many of my administrator colleagues in English language programs began their careers as teachers, and at some point moved into management. Some are solely administrators, others are somehow able to continue balancing teaching and management responsibilities. A move from the classroom to the office continues to be a means of career progression for many in the field. If you are thinking of making this move, you might be asking what management is and whether it is for you. 

You can find many definitions of management, and none is complete or perfect. Here is how I see the job of management. 

Organizations of any kind have goals, the things they want to achieve. In education our goals might include student learning, educational research, advocacy for learners, and (in some institutions) making a profit. Look at the mission statement of your school or program if you want to know its goals. Where I work, our mission includes Improving students’ English language knowledge and skills, deepening their intercultural understanding, and promoting their personal development. 

In order to achieve an organization’s goals, we have resources. Resources include: 

  • People (human resources)
  • Money (financial resources)
  • Physical space
  • Equipment and technology
  • Time

With infinite resources we could do anything, but resources are always limited. We don’t have an infinite supply of teachers, we have to work within budgets, and we only have so many classrooms and offices. We have limited space and budget for equipment, and of course, there is never enough time. As managers, it is our job to utilize our resources effectively and efficiently to meet our goals. 

Effectiveness refers to the extent to which we meet our goals. For example, if students learn what we specified in the curriculum, teaching has been effective. 

Efficiency is the ratio of inputs to outputs. The fewer inputs (resources) we apply in the achievement of our goals, the more efficient we are. 

Managers have to balance the often competing needs for effectiveness with those of efficiency. To see what I mean, look at some questions relating to efficiency and effectiveness in the management of a school or program. 

Resource Efficiency Questions Effectiveness Questions
Money
  • Where can we buy the cheapest supplies?
  • What is the minimum salary we need to offer employees?
  • What are some cheap or free activities we can offer as part of our extracurricular program?
  • Which supplies get the job done best? 
  • What salary and benefits should we offer to hire and retain the best teachers and staff?
  • What activities can we offer to support students in meeting our goals for them?
People
  • How do we limit the number of people on the payroll?
  • How many different tasks can each person do?
  • Is everyone keeping busy? 
  • How do we ensure that all functions are fully staffed? 
  • How do we ensure employees are motivated and satisfied with their work?
  • Do people have time and space to be creative, come up with new ideas, and adapt to changing conditions?
Physical Space
  • How many students can we fit in a classroom?
  • Can staff do desk-sharing or work in a cubicle rather than an office?
  • What spaces can be put to more than one use?
  • Are classrooms able to accommodate multiple configurations for teaching and learning?
  • Which rooms are better for teaching and learning vs. office space?
  • Are our spaces welcoming and comfortable?
Equipment and technology
  • Can we use free or cheap technological applications?
  • Can staff share equipment?
  • What’s the best deal we can get from our internet provider?
  • Does our classroom technology enhance learning?
  • Does everyone have the equipment they need to do their job well?
  • Does our wireless network support the online needs of teachers, staff, and students?
Time
  • How many class periods can we fit into one day?
  • How do we minimize teacher and staff downtime?
  • What is the fastest way to do placement testing?
  • Should class periods be longer or shorter to support learning?
  • How do we ensure teachers and students have sufficient break time to prevent cognitive overload and maximize learning?
  • What placement procedures are needed to ensure that students are placed in the best level to support their learning?

A school or program managed entirely on ‘efficiency’ lines is tough to work in – everyone is asked to do as much as possible with as little as necessary. A school run with purely ‘effectiveness’ considerations without an eye on efficient use of resources might be wonderful but not sustainable. The point of management is to find the right balance between these two sets of questions. If you move into management, you will likely find yourself caught every day in this tension with the need for efficiency while trying to meet your program’s goals effectively. A good manager has a sincere desire to deliver the best possible result while drawing on resources adequately and judiciously. 

Needless to say, handling this tension doesn’t describe the entirety of any manager’s job, but I think it’s one of the most essential roles of school and program administrators. It can create its own variety of stress and so is not for everyone. But all schools and programs need good managers. Is this the right challenge for you?

For Schools

Do’s and don’ts of delegation

Many IEPs are staffed by people who started out as classroom teachers. This can be a positive thing, but management skills – especially the skills of managing people – have to be learned. One important skill that can be challenging to learn is delegation. Knowing when and how to delegate is important for all academic directors, student services managers, and program coordinators. Here are some tips for delegating.

  1. Delegate responsibilities, not tasks. True delegation isn’t just asking someone to do something; it is entrusting a person with a responsibility. It could be a project with a deadline such as writing a curriculum, or it could be an ongoing responsibility such as overseeing program assessment. Find an area of work that someone could take on and let a person do it. That’s delegation.
  2. Give ownership. Once you delegate, step back and let the person get on with it. They may not do it the same way as you; they will often find a better way of doing it. Owning an area of responsibility gives employees pride in their work.
  3. Explain your goal, not the process. Tell the person what you are trying to achieve, such as conversion of inquiries into registrations. Let them know how it’s been done before. Then let them figure out how they are going to meet your goal.
  4. Hold the person accountable. Agree on criteria for success, and arrange to check in on a regular basis to discuss progress and challenges. Make the person understand that although they have ownership of this area of work, they are accountable to you and the organization for results.
  5. Anticipate and tolerate mistakes. Employees need space to make mistakes, especially if they are trying out new methods. Agree with yourself that you won’t stress out if the person makes mistakes as they learn to do what you have asked. Repeating the same mistake over and over is a problem, but mistakes in learning are natural.
  6. Support, support, support. Make clear to the person that you are there to support them. When you delegate anything, consider this your primary role. Ask repeatedly, “What can I do to support you? Is there anything I can do to help you do this more effectively?”
  7. And remember: you are still responsible. Although you have delegated, the responsibility is still ultimately yours. If something goes wrong, don’t blame the person you delegated to. When explaining the situation to your boss, take responsibility. Conversely, if your employee did a good job, be quick to praise and advertise his or her accomplishment to your colleagues.

These are my do’s and don’ts of delegation. Do you have any others?

For Schools

Job number one for education managers and leaders

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I used to see one former boss only when he stopped by my cubicle with a question or an urgent demand. Another gave me the shrill and unhelpful advice, “You should be panicking!” in response to enrollment declines. This is not what you would call effective supervision.

It’s a problem in higher education that individuals are promoted into positions in which they have oversight over others, without having undergone training to prepare them for that role. For university IEP directors, the problem can be compounded by the fact that they report to managers who have little or no knowledge of the workings of an IEP. While there are many good people working in higher education administration, these circumstances can lead to strained relationships, loss of motivation, and diminished performance.

The solution is for managers to understand their primary role, their job number one.  It isn’t revenue generation, test score improvements, or student retention, which are indicators of great performance but not activities in themselves. No, the manager’s first job is to support his or her people. They are the ones on the front line of providing service to faculty, other staff, or students, and who are best placed to deliver quality through their work. The manager’s most frequent question to those employees should be, “What can I do to support you?” This is followed by careful listening and the  acquisition and direction of resources to provide that support, so that employees can do the high quality work expected of them.

On the basis of a well-supported faculty and staff delivering quality, managers can have confidence in focusing on goals of increased enrollment and revenue, improved student outcomes, and program development. There are no short cuts to these goals. Don’t forget job number one: support your people.