Congratulations—you’ve been promoted to Division Head! Once the euphoria has subsided a bit and you have a chance to reflect on your new responsibilities, you may find yourself wondering, “So, what exactly do I do now?” There’s no doubt that there will be a thousand possible initiatives to launch, “fires” to put out, and helpful guidance and direction to offer to your faculty and staff. Given all the possibilities, what is the best use of your time? Even if you are not new to your position, this question weighs heavy on your mind.
Amidst everything else that a Division Head is expected to attend to, ISM believes that the primary responsibility of a Division Head is “to expand the capacity of faculty to deliver the school’s mission with excellence to its students.” So, how exactly does one do that? It is a broad and important question, and one that goes beyond the bounds of what’s possible to cover in a few brief paragraphs. In the coming months, ISM will be publishing several pieces on “Managing Faculty Performance” in private-independent schools in our Ideas & Perspectives advisory letter—including a new model that we’re very excited about. To get the conversation started in the interim, here are a few, key tips of initial steps you can take:
- Management by Walking Around—Getting out of your office and being physically present to students, faculty, and parents on a regular basis is an important place to start. You’ll gain a great sense of “what’s going on”—as well as a first-hand feel for what is not understood or what needs to better communicated. There’s no better daily temperature check than the one you can gain in person.
- Pay Attention—As the great Yogi Berra once noted in his special way, “You can observe a lot by watching.” This one sounds simple, but given the whirlwind of events that make up most administrators’ days, keeping your mind on one idea at a time and focusing on the scene that is before you—instead of the 12 other things remaining on your “to-do list” for the day—is sometimes easier said than done. When you’re “walking around,” what exactly should you be paying attention to? This goes in two directions: ??First, “catching people doing something right”—positive actions that can be publicly praised, to reinforce the very good things that teachers and students are doing. Second, finding “teachable moments”—situations that might not go quite right, but which can be used to quietly instruct, guide, or encourage better practices or increase skills.
- Listen Actively—Are you truly listening to what the other person is saying or are you really just waiting for them to stop talking so that you can start? Try to consciously focus on understanding what they mean. Follow up with questions that help you understand better what the person is thinking when they say what they say or do what they do. This will build credibility, as it is easier for teachers to accept criticism when they believe you’re taking them seriously and have sincerely sought to understand where they’re coming from.
- Ask More Questions, Make Fewer Statements—By making a statement, you’re establishing a position—one that implicitly communicates, “Here’s what I think, regardless of what you have to say.” By contrast, asking questions invites others into a dialogue, creating a “safe” atmosphere for them to share their ideas and opinions. You’re also communicating “I care about what you have to say.” You can often shape the outcome—or at least the direction—of a situation, simply by asking questions that expand both parties’ understanding of the situation, and which often suggest the solution to an issue.
