As School Head, you can empower your administrators and build their skills, helping them to flourish. To do so, you can seize these teaching opportunities.
- Set the tone and direction publicly. When you are speaking to different school constituents, make sure you communicate the school's mission, the mission in action, and how the student benefits in clear and concise terms. This will set the standard for your Management Team.
- Make unannounced campus tours. During your school "walk arounds," watch your Management Team members in action. Later, take the opportunity to privately compliment a job well done, and suggest constructive alternatives.
- Reinforce expectations at meetings. In staff and individual meetings, reinforce what you expect of your team members. You can be the one to offer up the suggestions. However, by listening to your team members attentively, you will find teaching moments in a question or concern. Your comments can lean them to better decisions.
- Coach your team member through a task you assign. When you delegate a task, check up on that team member from time to time until the task is complete. Again, you can compliment the efforts or make suggestions for a better outcome.
- Prepare your team to make decisions. Make sure that you provide clear directions when you assign a task. And make the assignments in writing, and publically, so everyone is on "the same page." That way, everyone knows that the team member has been assigned the task, and been given specific direction. Finally, provide the team member with a reporting schedule, and provide clear feedback.
- Make meetings matter. When meeting with your Management Team, zero in on shared decision-making. Ask your team members to assess decision, stimulate discussion, and encourage feedback. Your goal is to listen more than direct—your team members should be putting their own strategies into action.
