by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Jun 5, 2016 | Leadership, Teacher Effectiveness
Teamwork makes the dream work. – John C. Maxwell Leaders often pose the question, “What is the best way to organise staff members to achieve high achievement outcomes?” Effective leaders build high performance teams when there is need for coordination or innovation. Success or failure of a project is not attributed to the sum of each individual’s efforts, but rather to the aligned efforts of the team (Hiebert & Klatt, 2001). Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results (attributed to the entrepreneur, Andrew Carnegie). Teams are distinguished by their sense of interdependence. They achieve common goals by discussing, deciding and doing work together. Effective teams need the confluence of skills in three fundamental competency areas to operate effectively (Hiebert & Klatt, 2001): Get the job done and produce results Plan well. Set and achieve goals. Share accountability. Make decisions and recommendations. Communicate well with stakeholders. Monitor and control results. Key statement: “We do these things to get results…” Use quality thinking Strive for intellectual effectiveness. Use optimal process tools. See multiple perspectives and assumptions. Analyse, innovate, synthesise. Reach agreement and closure. Challenge each other. Key statement: “We think…” Take care of interpersonal needs Understand social needs of team. Give each other mutual support. Strive for synergy. Honour differences. Be trusting and open. Deal with conflict and search for win-win decisions. Key statement: “We feel…” On the other hand, dysfunctional teams generate negative experiences, including problems with ineffective communication, poor planning and organisation, and problem team members who are unwilling to do their fair share of the work. Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team Model (2002) offers...
by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Dec 13, 2015 | Leadership, Teacher Effectiveness
Trust is the ’emotional glue’ that binds leaders and followers together.(Bennis & Nanus, 1985, p. 153) Trust presents a paradox in that it needs to be earned, but in order to be earned, it first has to be given. Covey (1992, p. 31) depicts trust as an emotional “bank account” in which people make deposits and withdrawals with one another. Trust, once broken, however is seldom restored. Trusting someone is like “holding a cup of water in your cupped hands—it [is] so easy to spill the water, and you [can] never get it back” (Follett, 2000, p. 230). To obtain trust, the best way to get model behaviour is to model the behaviour. Defining trust and implications for leadership practice The construct, trust, can be defined as the extent to which one engages a relationship and is willing to be vulnerable (willing to risk) to another based on communication and confidence that the latter possesses the qualities of care, character, and competence (Bryk & Schneider, 2002; Combs, Harris, & Edmonson, 2013; Tschannen-Moran, 2014a). Principal leadership is a crucial contributor to trust among teachers, parents and students (Bryk & Schneider, 2003). Effective principals set the tone for their school (Tschannen-Moran, 2014b). They communicate care by expressing concern for others’ wellbeing, placing others’ best interests at heart, and protecting others’ interests and rights. They demonstrate character in the decisions they make for students and teachers on a day to day basis. Their honesty, integrity, and authenticity are all dimensions of relational trust (Covey, 2006). As competent leaders, they reveal their learner-centred mindsets, always working to improve their practice and supporting others. They can...
by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Feb 28, 2015 | Leadership, Student Voice, Teacher Effectiveness
We need leaderpreneurs and teacherpreneurs who innovate learning in partnership with students. – Manoj Chandra Handa Michael Fullan is Professor Emeritus of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, Canada. Professor Fullan is recognised as a worldwide authority on educational reform. During his Australia tour conducting a series of workshops on “Maximising Leadership for Change”, Professor Fullan generously conversed with me (formerly, I served as Chief Education Officer, New South Wales Department of Education and Communities) about maximising school and system leadership. Engaging with the thought leader was a great learning experience for me. Here are some excerpts with Professor Fullan’s insights: Key drivers of system reform MCH: Based on your rich experience with successful systems around the world, what do you believe are the key drivers of meaningful whole system reform? Fullan: The work we’ve been doing around the world with different systems is all embedded in the system trying to improve itself. It’s not us just observing it. It’s us participating in the improvement process and the key drivers. When you put them together as a cluster, in addition to focusing on a small number of ambitious goals, the drivers themselves are capacity building, i.e., how you build up the skills and competencies of teachers and principals. A second driver is social capital. We call it so because you don’t just depend on individuals being strong. You want the entire group to be strong. Pedagogy, as the third driver in deep and structural practice, is tied to assessment of learning and improvement of learning. And the fourth driver is something we call “systemness”....
by Dr. Manoj Chandra Handa | Nov 23, 2014 | Leadership
“We must be the changewe wish to see in the world.”– Mahatma Gandhi Leadership, at its core, is about leading change. The question is how we can attain sustainable, quality change in schools. The following change equation presents a framework for leading institutional reforms that endure. Sustainable Change = Big picture x Buy-in x Skills & tools x Manage risks x Action Equation variable Actions to take in this area 1. Big picture Develop a shared vision that you can explain in five minutes or less. Always communicate the change in a wider context. Answer the question “Why?” and address the fit with the organisational direction. Use metaphors, stories, and examples to illustrate; people need a good illustration to understand the change. Prepare an interdependency analysis; often, change has many interlinking systems, which can disrupt change. Find and tap synergies with other initiatives in the school. 2. Buy-in The best way to gain the acceptance of others is by involving them early and often. Communicate, communicate: Why? What? and How? Use multiple channels of communication: formal and informal; and ask for feedback. Prepare a stakeholder map, as each group sees it. Ensure people understand the effects and benefits of the proposed change. Build and organise allies early; often, support is only asked at the action phase. Recognise and thank people for their support when you get it. 3. Skills and tools Always build collective capacity of the whole staff team in the school. Understand that productivity often initially drops just when you want gains. Ensure that your change is user-friendly. Do not overlook the skills that...
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