The Principal & The School Managing the Challenging Interface Aidan J. Herron IPPN Conference Killarney 2008

School is…

Boards of Management are…

The Principal is…

Key Question Who takes responsibility?

School Leadership Profile (LDS)  Powered by values, attributes and convictions of school leaders  Facilitates the ongoing growth and development of schools  Leading and managing the quality of teaching and learning in schools  Maximising learning opportunities in effective progressive organisations

Personal Leadership includes…  A “passion” for the job  Wanting to make a difference  The ability to relate to and to interact with others  Self-awareness  Situational sensitivity  The courage to lead, to delegate, to confront, to take risks and to trust (LDS)

“Quality Leadership – Quality Learning” …..how to make the role more effective for leveraging teacher and student learning. (QL-QL p.1) (1) ….unpack the way in which successful Principals go about obtaining success. (2) ….identify the barriers that stand in the way… (3) Given 1 and 2, what is the way forward? (QL-QL p.2) Michael Fullan for IPPN

Role of the Principal - The Ed. Act (extracts)  The authority of the Principal for the organisation and conduct of the school derives from the Manager  Section 22 (Ed. Act): Principal and Teachers - Instruction provided to students  Section 23 (6) (Ed. Act): Wherever practicable, the Principal shall, in exercising his or her functions under this section, consult with teachers and other staff of the school.

Job Description - The HayGroup Report The HayGroup Report states that: “The Education Act envisages a clear managerial role for the Principal which is expected to be exercised in a consultative and collegial manner [23.(6)] yet vests responsibility unequivocally with the principal.” (page 11)

The “Bump” Theory (With apologies to A.A. Milne) “ Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels there is another way, if only he could stop bumping and think of it ” From Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

So…can we learn from Management Jargon?  Magic Questions  GMP - Greatest Management Principle  OMM - One Minute Management  JCM - Job Characteristics Model  The Enlightened Manager  The Leadership Continuum  Valuative Stances etc…. But a concept not often referred to is… G O O D W I L L

Goodwill  Shared vision  Shared values  Shared goals Lead to more effective teaching and learning Is GOODWILL visible in your workplace?

Working with Your Staff  Planning meetings  Staff meetings  Inservice days (a) Occasions when working as a staff should be characterised by goodwill, teamwork, cooperation and professional respect (b) But may be occasions when conflict, cynicism and negativity are displayed

Take Inservice for example – Assumptions are often made: A Need for it Ready for it Up for it Easy transfer into school All questions answered Resources available So go to it…..but what about the unnamed barriers?

Key Question: If the aim of inservice is the transfer of meaning with the original meaning relatively intact… …can this happen when goodwill is absent among staff? …where negativity and conflict exist in the workplace? What about staff meetings / planning days?

The Principal’s Role The responsibility for the day-to-day running of the school lies with one just person – the Principal. After consultation on any issue, the Principal makes the final decision. Principals need to be more aware of their role and of their entitlement to the co-operation of the whole staff, especially that of their Deputy Principal. Without this co-operation, the leadership role of the Principal is frustrated. Aidan J. Herron IPPN Conference 2008 Killarney, Co. Kerry

Leadership Role of the Principal The leadership role of the Principal is thwarted when faced with dysfunction and conflict regardless of where it exists within the school. Interpersonal conflict in a school must be faced and resolved if the school is to become an effective centre of learning.

Name it : What inhibits leadership? Principal School In what way are these obstacles manifest? What obstacles to leadership are manifest in your workplace?

Suggestion...but think outside the box! See what’s inside the box…

The Need for Support Principals must be supported in their leadership role in the school. The Deputy Principal and BOM are crucial to that support. The Patron, DES and INTO cannot stand idly by.

Helpful hints for success in dealing with conflict - learn to “READ” people  Listen aggressively  Observe aggressively  Talk less  Take a second look at first impressions  Take time to use what you have learned  Be discreet  Be detached From: “What They Don’t Teach You in Harvard Business School” by Mark H. McCormack 1984

Helpful hints … more “reading”  Learn to read egos  Nothing blocks learning more than your own ego  Act rather than react  Treat someone the way you want to be treated  Keep the edge  Don’t make a decision when you don’t understand the issue From: What They Don’t Teach you in Harvard Business School by Mark H. McCormack 1984

Just a few more hints… Observe body language - be aware of messages you give Don’t “monstorise” – reds aren’t always under the bed Eye contact – when to keep it / when to avoid it Know where your phone is – and use it

So then !!! Who DOES take responsibility?  You!

Why should you do this? Because YOU are worth it!

Contract If you are experiencing conflict within your school… Before you leave this Conference make a contract with yourself to do something about it. Take the first step. Break the silence. Seek support.

The Principal & The School Managing the Challenging Interface Aidan J. Herron IPPN Conference 2008 Killarney, Co. Kerry