Leading members of your team through the process of changing their attitudes, values or behaviors is probably one of the hardest parts of the work we do as principals and superintendents.
It's hard work to improve math scores. It's hard work to reduce drop out rates. It's hard work to improve attendance. It's hard work because there are usually no quick, easy answers and in many cases the solution involves a needed change.
Leading this type of work is different than the typical, day to day, operational work of principals and superintendents. Operational work is solved easily with the proper training and skills. It's when you know exactly what to prescribe and when to apply the correct remedy for a quick and usually easy solution. Organizing an event, writing your newsletter, developing a schedule or conducting a meeting are examples of the type of technical work we do.
Leading my staff through the process of improving math scores for all children at my school will require a change in teacher behaviors as well as mine. With only 40% of my 6th graders meeting the state standard in math we need change. It'll take more than a curriculum, it'll take more than money, it'll take more than great interventions, it'll take more than an easy solution. For all of my students to meet the standard in math we must do our work differently. This type of work is the hardest that we do.
To improve my skill in this area I just finished reading Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald Heifetz. I'm also taking a class taught by the Center for Adaptive Schools based on the work of Robert Garmston and Bruce Wellman. At their core, both bodies of work focus on building capacity for improvement. They both refer to this type of work as "adaptive work". The adaptive leader doesn't have all the answers and may not even know the cause of the problem. Asking, "Why are we doing this?" and "Why are we doing this this way?" will help give focus to the hard adaptive work of changing attitudes and behaviors. It's no surprise that establishing and tending to trust relationships and collaboration are imperative to the success of adaptive work.
I haven't mastered it yet but I have been given many opportunities to practice and lead adaptive work. I recommend the Heifetz book as well as the work of the Center for Adaptive Schools to those of you who are ready to tackle the hard work of improvement. In the meantime, I'll take any advice I can get to improve our math scores!
Leading staff through change can be one of the most challenging endeavors. A strong school improvment model can assist you in this process as long as your staff members were involved in the process so that you get "buy-in" from at least a majority of the staff.
Posted by: kim.small | October 28, 2008 at 12:01 PM
"Leading members of your team through the process of changing their attitudes, values or behaviors is probably one of the hardest parts of the work we do as principals and superintendents."
Because it is futile. Are their attitudes wrong? What kind of fascism allows you to assume that you can/should change these people, or that they need changing? Maybe you leaders need to change your attitude?
Posted by: tfteacher | October 28, 2008 at 01:12 PM
Thanks for the comments!
I agree with The Frustrated Teacher's comment, "Maybe you leaders need to change your attitude?"
Here's what Heifetz says on his CLA website, "Adaptive challenges are usually fuzzy and hard to identify clearly. They involve changing hearts and minds and often are championed by someone who cares, but who may not have the authority to impose change. Adaptive challenges imply having to learn new ways and choose between what appear to be contradictory values. They cannot be "managed," but must be confronted and dealt with honestly."
Even as a teacher I saw attitudes and behaviors that needed changing, sometimes they was mine. As A principal I see colleagues and superintendents that need attitudes and behaviors changed, again sometimes it's mine.
My experience has shown that to do this work, to lead this work, is the most difficult you'll ever do as a principal or superintendent. Adaptive work promotes second order change. Great leaders recognize the need for this type of change and know how to make it happen.
Posted by: Glenn E. Malone | October 29, 2008 at 02:20 AM
It may not be that we need to change individual belief systems, but we may need to challenge them. Often times, individuals have formulated options based on limited experience. Getting people to talk about what they believe in a secure setting of colleagues can be uncomfortable at times, but worthwhile in the long run. Through discussion, we open our eyes to other options and often may change, or not, what we think and believe.
Posted by: Kim Seifferly | October 30, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Change is slow! We must provide the time for staff to "complain, get argry arguing that "they are teaching the concept and it's the students who are not appling themselves." As you take the staff through the process of looking at the item anaylsis, the test questions, the vocabulary, etc. They will begin to see where they need to work together to make change happen. It is a grassroots change not an administative change. Good luck!
Posted by: Z. Seidenberg | October 30, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Z. Seidenberg, your post is not grammatically correct, so I am unsure of its meaning; are you suggesting that teachers do not realize they need to work together to make change happen? And, are you also suggesting that all kids can learn all concepts, and if they don't, it is the fault of the teachers?
If you are saying these 2 things, you are a major part of the problem with education in America!
Posted by: tfteacher | October 30, 2008 at 04:38 PM
Glenn - good for you for committing to the struggle of change! It's so much easier to throw your hands up and focus on what's wrong, or to get stuck in trying to FORCE people to do things. To be open to people's needs and emotions is much bigger and takes courage!
I think a really big piece of this kind of leadership is personal authenticity - I wrote about it recently here: http://www.iwasthinking.ca/2008/10/31/who-we-are-together/
And I also think it takes your relentless commitment to the larger purpose that we're all involved in schools for - to help every child thrive (and trust that the math scores go up as part of that "package"!)
I'm the president of the parent group in my District and am working hard to involve parents to help support teachers and change in our schools. Have you involved your community in your conversations? Are they included in your school goal planning or "vision" conversations? That's a huge group that can be mobilized by your common purpose - because EVERY parent wants their child to succeed. In fact, if you help parents understand how they can be involved in order to support their children most effectively - they will move mountains!
Check out the video I've created and am using to start conversations between parents and teachers/administrators: http://www.iwasthinking.ca/2008/09/19/what-i-want-for-my-children/
Thank you for caring!
Heidi
Posted by: Heidi Hass Gable | November 03, 2008 at 11:42 AM