Leadership Edge - Coaching in Schools’ Post

Problems with retention are not going away. Relying on colleagues’ passion to make a difference is not enough to convince people to stay. Not when they are burning out due to insufficient resources and heavy workloads. Many of these frustrations are systemic and outside your control within school. Instead, try setting intentions to focus this year on levers within your control: systems, processes, communications, prioritisation, vision and values, and so on, and use these to protect personal wellbeing, develop professional capacity and retain staff morale. As the Gallup research cited in this article concludes, “Organizations need to think about the whole person, not just the worker.” We may not be in the midst of industrial action, like we were in Feb 23, but many of these underlying issues are still prevalent across the sector. https://heyor.ca/Iefx73 #LeadershipEdge #Education #Burnout #Wellbeing

My latest training video is all about morale. We've all been places - maybe you're there now - where morale is low, and you know the struggle it takes to improve it. Perhaps morale was so low that you've left a company because of it. Perhaps you know how good it feels to have and work amongst those with high morale and what a pleasure it can be! Morale is crucial for fostering not only a positive, but a productive environment. When people feel motivated, valued, and satisfied with their work, they're more likely to be engaged, more productive, a better teammate, and less likely to leave a company, both good for the individual and good for the company. In this video (https://lnkd.in/gjh7vJ-v), I talk about what morale is, the factors that increase and decrease it, and some systems and processes that can be implemented immediately to help improve morale. This is a good companion to my videos on employee engagement and high quality relationships, both available on leadershipbootcamp.com. Improving morale isn't an overnight fix. It takes time and effort to build trusting relationships, ethical behaviors, and supporting systems that can attract and keep world-class talent and create environments in which they have maximum latitude to perform their best work. I hope you find this useful! Please share if you do! #leadership #coaching #growth #morale #mindset #business

I have a theory about American society and why most of us are incapable of what this article suggests: "Stop thinking about work after hours." What is the natural precursor to the work place? School. We're there from roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ✅ We're accountable to a "supervisor" (teacher). ✅ We socialize with peers/colleagues. ✅ We have incentives/penalties based on performance. ✅ And when the school day is over, what do our families, friends, teachers, counselors and coaches all tell us to do? Join a club AT SCHOOL. ✅ Play a sport AT SCHOOL. ✅ Do your homework for the classes you take AT SCHOOL. ✅ Study for the test that you'll be given AT SCHOOL. ✅ You know what people don't usually tell kids to do after school? "Go home and don't think about school until tomorrow morning when you're expected back at your first class." ❌ So, we train kids to have the majority of their waking hours revolve around school or adjacent activities. Then, when they arrive at their places of "work" (read: school), we sit here and wonder why they have issues going home and not thinking about "work" (read: school)? Yeah, it's a big mystery. 🤔🤔🤔

Stay Engaged, Stay Curious, Problem Solve and Stay Young.......... #employeewellbeing #Leadership #employeeexperience #leadershipinsights #StantonChase Engaging in complex problem-solving and constantly learning on the job could be key to maintaining a sharp mind well into our golden years. https://lnkd.in/ejNxK8vS #csuiteconversations #employeewellbeing #employeeexperience #leadershipinsights

Learn practical tools to foster a positive work environment, boost morale, and support the mental and emotional wellbeing of educational staff. Sign up now: https://buff.ly/3yXdGGG - #education #earlyyears #teamearlychildhood #nurserymanager #leadership #leadershiptips #wellbeing

Do you recognise these signs at your school? If so, it might be time for a staff wellbeing overhaul: 1️⃣𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫– Teachers are leaving, and it’s getting harder to attract new high-quality staff 2️⃣𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦 – Stress and exhaustion are taking a toll on both staff and leadership 3️⃣𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐞 – Enthusiasm and motivation are at an all-time low 4️⃣𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 – Your leadership team isn’t aligned on how to support staff wellbeing 5️⃣𝐍𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 – Initiatives are launched but never maintained, leading to frustration from staff If you’re seeing these signs, it’s time to take action.  The Well-Led Schools Partnership Program isn’t just another temporary fix—it’s a strategic data-driven framework that builds a strong foundation for lasting wellbeing. From assessing needs to co-creating a vision and implementing a clear action plan, we’re here to guide your schools toward a healthier, more sustainable culture. Apply to join today and begin making a real difference! https://lnkd.in/gWAARgEi #WellLedSchoolsPartnership #SchoolCulture #TeacherBurnout #BurnoutPrevention #BurnoutSolutions #WellbeingMatters

The Principal as a Blesser, Not a Stressor https://lnkd.in/gycNN-ie As we wrap up this week, here are some quotes that I found insightful from that article: 1. An emotionally intelligent leader is actually most effective when faced with challenging circumstances. You see their skills and toughness during stressful times, but you also see them tune in to others’ emotions and respond sensitively. 2. Bringing the joy back to school is critical for the self-efficacy and morale of school leaders—and for retention. 3. Approach school with a positive attitude each day. Try to spread that joy around the school building. 4. Listen to your staff. Simple listening is healing for some people. When staff complain, they are showing trust in you—and they want to feel seen, heard, and valued. Connect with staff, students, and parents in any way you can. 5. Take care of yourself. Self-care is the key to withstanding the stress and pressures of a job in leadership.

I am happy to share that I have successfully completed a course at Trinity College Dublin on how to create and implement a strategy and culture of well-being in the workplace, namely: psychological, physical, social, career and of course financial well-being. It is important for a leader to offer his team such a strategy that allows not only to increase resilience and productivity, but also to ensure a sense of well-being. If you are interested in the well-being of your employees and subordinates, I recommend starting with Martin Selingman's PERMA model of Well-being, because it includes not only hedonistic components, but also eudaemonistic ones. #wellbeing

Especially highbrow schools that pay well!. It's a conversation I've had with some school leaders and colleagues this period. There are great opportunities but you can't recommend so many people (teachers) you know because it's either they haven't developed themselves professionally or they have a terrible work ethic that could mar your reputation or what you represent. Nobody wants to recommend a teacher who is a workplace killjoy, an eye service personality, a passive leader, or a teacher/leader who only wants to receive all the time and not give or sacrifice. What about those who burn bridges? There's a lot to say on this table. Carry out a Self-evaluation. First, look at your circle do you need to upgrade that circle? Leave the circle of mediocre teachers. Do you think you lack professional integrity? Kindly work on yourself. #theeduthusiast

There are so many takeaways in this piece from the Harvard Business Review, among them: "Disengaged workers had 37% higher absenteeism, 49% more accidents, and 60% more errors and defects." Toxic workplaces are more expensive when you start to evaluate the costs of employee or leadership turnover, increased sick days and disengaged staff while increasing the risks of work place errors and accidents. More support for the value of kindness, empathy and connection. Unfortunately, the people who might most benefit from this kind of reflection may also be the people least likely to seek it out. https://lnkd.in/gshbugd7