Week of December 9-Leadership Thought of the Week

 Over the next several weeks we will revisit an article titled Ten Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment.  Each week we will examine some of the suggestions from this article for bringing and consistently maintaining more positivity on our teams. 

 

4. Create Team Spirit 

One of our basic human needs is to feel we belong to something bigger than ourselves, and for many people that need is met by being part of a supportive work group. As a team leader, part of your job is to create a feeling of unity among your staff. This unity will help your team members feel valued and that they belong. As a result they will want to be at work, tardiness and absenteeism will be minimal, your team will function smoothly and your team will be better able to carry out the missions and goals of our school. 

 

To foster this team feeling you must convey to the entire team that every person plays an important role. Encourage an attitude of cooperation rather than competition. When you create team spirit and identity, staff members will see themselves as a group of people all working for a common goal, rather than a bunch of individuals competing with each other. 

 

By letting each member know they are a valued part of the team you will teach your staff members to respect each other for their unique contributions. There are many group exercises designed to foster this kind of unity. One easy exercise is to begin team meetings by going around the table and having each person say one nice thing about the person on their right or left. Especially things they've noticed about their work with students. . Be sure to acknowledge the little things that mean so much to the students, their families and coworkers that are the mark of an excellent team member. 

 

An important aspect of creating team spirit is demonstrating that you are open to communication from everyone, including students, families and team members. When you walk through the hall be sure you smile, are friendly, and acknowledge people you pass. You should always show that you are aware of and care about each person. This will demonstrate to them that you are aware of them as people, and are also aware of what's happening on the team. By doing this you will also demonstrate that you are willing to listen and are responsive to their needs.

 

 Another exercise you can do with your staff to increase their appreciation of each other and feeling of team spirit is called Skill Appreciation. In this exercise team members recognize and appreciate each other for the unique skills each brings to the team. Take time at one of your team meetings to focus on this aspect. Give each person a 3 x 5 card and ask them to write their name at the top. Have each person place their card on the table in front of them, and then move one place to the right so they're sitting in front of their neighbor's card. Then ask them to write words of appreciation on the card of the co-worker, including positive personal characteristics, attitudes and skills they bring to the team. Examples may be things like:

     1. Ability to relate well with students and families. 

     2. Creativity. 

     3. Ability to organize well. 

     4. Having a positive attitude and kind word for everyone, etc. 

Have team members continue moving around the table and writing on cards until they are back at their original place.

 

There are many other ways a team leader can foster team spirit. Some of these are:

• Give verbal and written communication to individuals and the group for jobs well done.
• Make sure team members know a bit about each other's personal life by setting aside 5 minutes at each staff meeting to have one person tell about something positive that's happened in their life in the past month.
• Find reasons to celebrate together, such as birthdays, birth of a baby or grandchild, moving into a new house, etc., and have small parties to celebrate these events. It's especially good to share your celebration with all the teams by inviting others to join you or putting up a sign or banner in the break room saying "Today We Are Celebrating……………". By celebrating together you will be connecting the entire staff.
• Let them know that you are also part of the team by asking your staff what they need from you to make their job more satisfactory, and doing your best to provide it.
• Schedule stretch exercises that you do together before school. Have different staff members lead the exercises each day.
• Ensure that humor is part of the daily work environment. Put a humor section on the bulletin board and invite team members to post things they find funny (keeping good taste in mind, of course). Also, encourage them to respectfully find the humor in situations at work. It's important for you as the supervisor to learn to laugh at yourself, and model this for your staff. Let them know that since we all are human we make mistakes. It's much better to find the lesson and humor in mistakes than to become upset over them.

Please comment and share 3 additional ways you have or could build team spirit.

Week of November 18-Leadership Thought of the Week

Over the next several weeks we will revisit an article titled Ten Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment.  Each week we will examine some of the suggestions from this article for bringing and consistently maintaining more positivity on our teams. 

Expect The Best From Your Staff 

"There is a concept called 'The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy' which states that people generally will perform in the way others expect them to perform. So, if you have high expectations for your staff, treat them as if they are capable, competent people and expect them to function as such, they will rise to the occasion and be the excellent employees you see them to be. However, if you ... expect them to be mediocre and treat them as if they can't function well on their own, that is the behavior they will give you. A good supervisor always has high expectations for his/her staff and treats them accordingly."

 

This excerpt was quite thought-provoking for me.  In my reflections, I've recalled times that I DID have high expectations and I DID expect team members to function well on their own, and yet I was disappointed.  I just couldn't get a team member to fix that pacing guide or give that overdue retest or to turn their Specific-Praise: Redirect ratio around into a better proportion for the students despite a lot of additional supports.  What I learned from these experiences is that not giving up reinforces our high expectations.  While it took many repetitions, attention to detail and a LOT of follow up, those folks eventually had a perfect Pacing Guide, completed retests in a timely manner and turned that ratio around.  It helped me to keep going with my high expectations with those few individuals when I remembered that just as many and often even more team members were consistently meeting high expectations. 

 

It must be true that expecting the best from our staff will do more to promote positivity in our school culture than if we settle for mediocrity. Do you agree/disagree?  List some specific ways that you implement high expectations/encourage the best from your team members. 

 

Week of Nov. 4-Leadership Thought of the Week

Over the next several weeks we will revisit an article titled Ten Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment.  Each week we will examine some of the suggestions from this article for bringing and consistently maintaining more positivity on our teams. 

Communicate Positively and Openly and Emphasize the Organization's Mission, Vision and Philosophy

"In order to create a positive work environment each employee needs to feel valued. This is best accomplished through your listening to each person and honoring each one for what s/he has to say. By doing this you will show that you value and respect every individual.

 

One important aspect of communicating openly is to meet with your staff and discuss your organization's philosophy, values, mission and goals. Ask for their ideas and thoughts on how they individually and as a team can help your team to exemplify these. Then lead a discussion on the ways they all see these being fulfilled within your group. After your staff has shared their ideas, take time to share your own vision of how you see everyone working together. Share how you see everyone working together as a circle in which each team member is equal and on the same level, rather than a pyramid where some staff are at the top, and others are at the bottom. Everyone is equal because every job is equally important in fulfilling the mission of the organization.

 

Ask your team to visualize where they want the team to be 6 months from now.  Use a chart and colored pens to record ideas.   Transform the ideas into  a goal or goals for where they want to be 6 months from now. Write the goals on the chart.  Next, ask each individual to clarify how s/he will use the school's Mission, Vision Statements and Core Values to contribute to moving the team toward their goals.  Record the ideas on the chart.  Bring the chart to every team meeting.  So doing will focus the team on a positive goal and will keep the school's philosophy at the forefront of your team's conversations. "

 

In the response area, please elaborate on strategies from the excerpt that you could or will implement with your team in an effort to communicate positively, openly and in a way that focuses people on the school's Mission, Vision and Core Values.  Additional strategies and thoughts for open, positive communication are welcome. 

 

Week of October 28-Leadership Thought of the Week

Over the next several weeks we will be looking closely at an article titled Ten Ways to Create a Positive Work Environment.  Each week we will look at one or more of the strategies presented for helping to create positivity. 

1. Build Trust 

Trust is the basic tenant for all relationships, so building an environment of trust is one of the most important things you can do to create a positive work environment. It's a philosophy that must be demonstrated in everything you and your staff does. Trust is about doing what you say you are going to do and being who you say you are. It's about showing your staff in everything you do that you are reliable, responsible and accountable, and that they can rely on you for consistency. Also letting them know you expect the same from them. When your words and behavior are congruent you foster trust. It will take some time for your staff members to learn that you are a person of your word. If they see that you are consistent you will build trust, but if they see your words don't match your behaviors their trust in you will be destroyed. The unfortunate thing about trust is that it takes a long time to build, but it's very fragile and will break easily. Once broken, it takes an even longer time to regain, and it may never be fully rebuilt. Therefore, it is of primary importance that you are aware of all your words and behaviors and insure that they are worthy of your employees' trust.

 

Even when dealing with uncomfortable situations, if you are honest and up front it will make things easier for everyone. What you say and what you do represent who you are. Even if they don't like what you are saying, if you say it honestly, compassionately and tactfully they will respect and trust you. Your employees' level of trust will also be determined by how well you keep confidences and don't disclose discussions that have been held in private. They have to know they can talk with you about sensitive subjects and that the information they share with you will be kept in strict confidence. Confidentiality is critical in all aspects of your job. This also applies to never discussing one employee with another, except in positive terms. Any problems you are having with a team member must be kept between you and that employee, and your supervisor, if applicable. A good manager never talks negatively about his/her team.

 

In the Comments area please reflect on 3 ways that you could build trust within your team. 

Week of October 21-Leadership Thought of the Week

Positivity Series

"When things go wrong, don't go with them." -Elvis Presley

This simple statement really caught my attention.  It speaks to our Core Value of Perseverance as a leadership skill.  Change is hard, isn't it?  Think of a time when something didn't go right, or go "as planned" with your team.  How did you react as a leader?

I recently experienced some situations in which I was able to reflect on my actions after something I had been leading didn't go smoothly.  What I learned about myself is that I tended to starting going wrong as Elvis mentions above.  I am working on the notion of "failing forward", meaning that when things don't go well I am trying to live and model a mindset that communicates to others, "Well, that didn't work and that's ok. What can we learn from this experience?" 

Another perspective that can be taken on this quote is the notion that it only takes 1 negative person, or even 1 negative comment to inspire negative group-think.  If or when you have that negativity creep into team interactions, how can you yourself as a leader keep from going with it?

Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below.  I look forward to your discussions.

Leadership Thought of the Week

Week of January 14-18, 2013

"Good leaders are enablers who make it possible for others to succeed by providing the means and opportunities for action." -Anon

What will you do this week to make it possible for others to succeed?