Principals:
Intentions and Questions at Staff Meetings
Here’s an all too common scenario: a principal floats an
idea at a staff meeting, unleashing a barrage of questions and critical
comments. It’s an exhausting ritual. The principal may anticipate the usual
critics, and on any day be surprised by the other teachers who join in this
public gauntlet of analysis. Some principals shy away from sharing ideas,
retreating into silence. Some develop a small and trusted inner-circle of
supporters, and they hatch all the plans, further alienating the staff. Others
listen with increasing dismay to the staff’s reactions and stubbornly say, “I’m
doing it anyway.”
The problem is that the principal does not know if a comment
or question is because the teacher hates the idea and has every intention of
sabotaging it, likes the idea with some reservations, or has some very
thoughtful advice to offer. Without knowing
the intention behind the speaker, it can all sound like intransigence and obstruction. A wise principal will also understand that in
any hierarchical system, one way to slow down the person with power is to raise
questions and concerns. In schools, so highly dependent on language and intellectual
discourse, questioning is a tool, one made sharper when it is unsheathed in the
public forum of a staff meeting.
Here is one protocol to raise staff reactions to a higher
level of communication. When you open the floor up for commentary and questions
after airing a proposal, ask people to preface their remarks with one of these
4 options:
1)
“I love this idea, and…” This opening
gives permission to those who may think silence is agreement. You might as well
garner the good feelings from those who appreciate your idea. As well, even
your most enthusiastic supporters may see a way to improve the proposal.
2)
“I am in favor of the idea, and I have a concern
about a detail.” Many teachers have an attention to detail that is
astounding. Once they identify a small concern, they feel a responsibility to
pass it along—not as a criticism, but as a form of support. They want you to
get this right. By identifying their intention, these teachers will no longer
be swirled up in an undifferentiated wave of questioning. Their contributions
will be clear, and now welcome.
3)
“I like the idea, but I have a significant
concern, and if it is not addressed, I can’t back the proposal.” What
might look like a great idea in the principal’s office can seem daunting to the
teachers in their daily labors. They truly may see a fatal flaw, perhaps an
implementation landmine, that needs to be attended to. These teachers too are
not asking you to abandon your idea, and by identifying their intention in
raising concerns, they are acting responsibly. The difficulty here is that you
may not be able to address their concern in the moment. You may need to say,
“Got it. I will look again at the plan to see what we can do about that.
Thanks.” Always thank teachers who able to identify their intentions in the
interest of a better plan.
4)
“I do not like this plan at all.” In
a diverse and complex school culture, there are few plans that will meet
everyone’s expectations and demands. If you find a large portion of the staff
prefacing their remarks with this perspective, it is likely that you have
indeed presented a deeply problematic proposal. More likely, most of the
questions and comments belong to the three other categories above, and now the
truly small fraction of stubborn and resistant teachers will no longer look as
if they are leading the charge. They are outliers. Politically, you may still
need to address their concerns and fears, but not at the larger meeting.
All protocols take a little practice and adjustment to
become a norm in a given environment. Find the phrasing that works best for you
and your team. More importantly, use the power of your position as principal to
model, and remind staff to identify their intentions as they begin to speak.
When someone fails to do so, you can honestly say, “Wait a moment. I don’t know if you like this idea a lot, or
if you are identifying a small concern, or a potential fatal flaw, or whether
you truly just don’t like this plan at all. I’ll hear you better when I know
where you are coming from.” And be sure to give teachers the same level of transparent
intention when they come to you with proposals. The principal’s power to shape
a culture of clear intentions is a small key to unlocking a culture of robust initiation.
Brilliant! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJaponya yurtdışı kargo
ReplyDeleteJamaika yurtdışı kargo
İzlanda yurtdışı kargo
İsveç yurtdışı kargo
İsrail yurtdışı kargo
BZSFF
https://saglamproxy.com
ReplyDeletemetin2 proxy
proxy satın al
knight online proxy
mobil proxy satın al
D46C
Great blog, thanks for posting this
ReplyDelete