Six Secrets to Change

Michael Fullan

Developing New Practice

Identifying the WHY?

When working with staff to develop change there is often some staff who are the late adopters. Is this because you have not communicated the WHY carefully enough. Staff don't see the need for the change. You have to get the buy-in from the why not the what.

STRAT WITH THE WHY

Open to Learning Conversation

The New Zealand Teaching Council

- You just have to say what you think when discussing areas of practice where there is a difference but have the evidence to support these statements. Then move forward to find a common ground.
- When feeding back after the next observation, refer back to the previous feedback session to discuss the positive changes or if continued work is needed.

Simon Sinek Trust

Key Takeaways

- You can't teach trust. It is a feeling you have to earn it let evolve and show people you are worthy of trust
- High trust comes from a commitment of leadership. Always doing the right thing even if no immediate gain. A long perspective. Build a circle of safety.
- If there is no trust, we become cynical and paranoid. We begin to build a wall to protect ourselves.  

The Question of WHY?

Double Loop Learning

Before making a decision ask yourself why? Dig deeper, reflect and understand. 

Think more deeply about their own assumptions and beliefs. Questioning. 

Reflection Difficult conversation

Appraisal Feedback ( A Driver)

Issue
Strict control over classroom management and leading behaviour by authority. This had been an ongoing issue.

Feedback
Challenge thinking in a respectful way which was focused and stated what the solution would lead to.
They reacted with wanting the data (aggressive), evidence.  They wanted a very quick response. I was able to provide an example.

There was some common ground found. Focused back in on the positives.

A personal goal was not to avoid conflict, this was achieved.

Did try to take over.

Reflection
- Need to make the meeting more efficient and stick to the point (don't let them take control).

When you are defensive

My Own Style

If I feel challenge or defensive in an Analytical style I can be:
- Withdraw.
- Over - analyse (this is me at times)
- Passively resist

Reflection
- Continue with the conversations even if feeling uncomfortable
- Try not to passively react but be firm and voice an opinion in a respectful way
- Sometimes let things go and take them for what they are. Does this situation impact of staff well being and student achievement

Quick Remind (Social Styles)

How can I improve interactions with Staff?

Who are Analytical?
KB
ED
PW
TA
- Be on time, moderate pace, avoid loud voice
- more formal in speech and manners
- Get to business quickly, factual, logical, exact but with a human touch
- Pro's and Con's
- encourage them to make a decision
- follow up in writing (set dates)

Who are Amiable?
KI
AC
NR
CA
KK
CI
EP
- Speak softly, comfortable posture, moderate pace
- Don't engage in lengthy small talk, person to person contact
- Draw out their opinions, listen reflectively, use logic
- Facilitate decisions, encourage expression
- Offer cooperative support, follow through, mutually make goals (initiated by you)

Who are Drivers?
TC
KG
RO
JM
TT
CR
- Be on time, direct eye contact
- Get to business quickly
- Specific, clear and brief.
- Beginning to end focus on results
- use key facts (logically and quickly)
- stay on topic, keep pace up
- Ask directly for a response
- Depart quickly and graciously

Who are Expressive?
SF
TB
SM
- Energetic and fast paced, direct eye contact
- Allow time for socializing, tell about yourself too. Fun loving behaviour
- Big picture
- flowing there expression and getting back on track
- Paraphrase agreements


Actions:
- Each time having conversations with staff reflect and use the above to improve relationships

Social Styles (Bolton and Bolton) Who AM I?

Who am I? 

Answering the questions I was very aware that I used to be very task driven with not really showing or revealing much emotion (previous feedback). I tried to answer the questions as honestly as possible.

Analytical
- Logical, deliberate and reserved (I agree)
- Need to be right (I agree)
- Thinks about data
- Withdraws from conflict- this is something I have been aware of and now try to face it in a respectful. In the past I would avoid any awkward conversation it used to make me feel very uncomfortable. I still think I need to do more development around this area but I do try and attend to any situations that are difficult in a respectful manner.
- Need to work on more decisions making and declaring. I do feel like sometimes, I try and have everyone bests interest at heart and try to please them all. This is something I have really become aware of recently. I never really new this about myself. Sometimes a decision just has to be made.

Amiable
- Open to feelings
- Achieve good relationships (This is something I have been really working on).
- Supportive (This is something I have been really working on)
- Developing harmony
- Avoids conflicts and can give in to others. I do feel that when dealing with conflict my mind goes into overdrive and can loose focus on the issue in hand.

Actions 
- More thinking and reflecting around difficult conversations/conflict resolution. Initiate these conversations and take action.
- Making Decisions (be more decisive). Don't be afraid to give an answer.

Social Styles

Why is this Important

• This helps build interpersonal effectiveness
• It helps you predict as a leader how they will act and react in different situations
• It helps improve more effective communication
• It helps head off conflicts before they have begun
• Social styles has proven to improve interactions with the others and be more effective

It has two dimensions

- Responsiveness (Relationships and Task Orientated) 

- Assertiveness ( Actions/questions vs listening)  

How do my interactions effect other people when leading a team? 

Moving into a Principal Role (Starting a new job)

Building Relational Trust

Louise talks about the imprtant to have trust to engage people, to develop a shared vision and paddling in the same direction.

Things to consider when starting a new role:
- Meeting staff 1:1 and asking
1. What are your values?
2. what are your aspirations?
3. What suggestions do you have for improvement?
4. How do you see your career developing?

- Be visible every day. I think I am able to do this on a daily basis but as the pressures of meeting, dealing with complex needs children  it can become difficult at times. This is a good reflection to ensure this visibility continues. I think I will make a list each day to ensure these interactions are planned for and purposeful.

- Attend community events. This has to be the focus in the future.

Professional Leadership Model

This is the leadership Model set out by the document Leading Through the middle. (Ministry of Education 2012)

Factors affecting the success of middle and senior leaders
There are a number of factors that influence the success of those in middle and senior leadership roles. These include:
• leadership and trust that emerges out of expertise first, not position;
• leaders’ support for and active engagement in planning how vision, policies, and practices are put into effect;
• a team culture, where the whole leadership team seeks opportunities to collaborate and actively cultivates and develops leadership capability;
• sound planning and resourcing of middle and senior leadership roles and activities;
• negotiated job descriptions that balance the management and educational leadership aspects of the role (Cranston, Tromans, and Reugebrink, 2004; Farnham, 2009);
• opportunities for leaders to engage in professional development and learning;
• school use of research evidence to inform change and develop practices that will directly or indirectly improve student outcomes. 

Open to learning Conversation Viviane Robinson

Conversations are about learning and testing the assumptions we have made are correct. It is important to build that into sessions.
- Power is shared
- Passion- drives
- Truth Seeking

I need to think is my thinking correct.

Open Learning Conversations - Relational Trust

This short clip made me think about the importance that being able to have relationships with staff (getting along) has to be in conjunction with maintaining important work. Integrating work and building relationships.

 It is important to be able to talk with teachers (quality conversations) around planning, and quality teaching as well as maintaining daily interactions.

Some people fall into a trap that trust can be banked to tackle a difficult issue.

Teachers trust leaders based on:
- Daily judgement
- Daily interactions
- Watching them do the work
- How they treat people in doing that

I need to make sure that staff feel like I am listening and being respectful. Getting work done in a respectful way.

Building Relational Trust

Key Takeaways
- People don't want to work with people who they do not trust.
- Trust and collaboration are the key for raising student achievement
- To bring about change it requires a lot of effort and staff need to have the opportunity to experiment.
- If trust is built people feel they are not alone, they can share the burden, the seek help from others and they feel they can take risks to bring about change.
- If there is no trust, people go into there own shell, don't take risks, feel vulnerable and want to protect themselves.
- The effect on students when there is high level of trust in a school over time it raises student achievement.

How to Build Quality Trust 
- Daily interactions are one of the most important factors. It forms deep respect and it shows you are ready to listen.
- Following through with discussions
- Walking the talk
- Courageous
- Don't avoid difficult issues

To deliver change you need relational trust and doing the work together 

Reflections

- Need to ensure I am in the staff room each day, building interactions and conversations with staff. This is something that does not always come easily.
- Ensure to attend all staff functions and staff celebrations
- Ensure staff feel appreciated when taking risks
- Ensure staff feel like they can experiment, ask questions to support. If things don't work out discuss rather than support.
- Don't avoid challenging conversations