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.