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  • The Mark of A Good Leader

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    Zainorin Ali
    26 просмотров3 страницы
    So, this is going to be the year the Chinese usher in the Water Dragon. I can almost feel its snort already. The Chinese say it is a good year to get married, have a baby or start a business. It is a year of luck! For the weekend of 28th and 29th January, I already have invitations to four weddings! “Wow”, I thought, “people are really taking the dragon year seriously!” In Eastern philosophy, dragons are honoured and respected. People born in the dragon year are supposed to be self-assured, resourceful, adaptable and yet, generous. Whether you are born a “dragon” or not, the qualities attributed to this creature are best put to the test when you are a leader at school. I am often asked, particularly by young teachers, what is the best way to organise and lead effectively and efficiently. From my experience, let me share with you the three factors that will make a crucial difference. Direction If you are the head, be it of a subject panel or a committee, you must provide clear direction which is the first factor. When you set objectives and tasks for group members, give them a clear outline of the work expected of them. They will include the dates by which you expect the tasks to be completed, documentation details and even, samples and examples. I remember once that I had a young teacher to whom I had delegated the responsibility of organising a Science poster competition for the annual Science and Mathematics week. One look at her face and I knew that although she was a university graduate, she was on shaky ground. While other heads usually leave young teachers to their own devices, I sat down with her and briskly highlighted the salient points she needed to know, in order to conduct the whole exercise properly. I was very specific – providing details of what she was expected to do – the what, where, when and how of it. Once she was given the know-how, not only did she do a fantastic job, she soon shaped out to be a very dynamic performer. If people under you lack clarity of purpose and action, or drive, energy and enthusiasm – your direction, or lack of it, is partly to blame. In my experience, one of the best ways to get things done is to keep tabs. This is the second factor, one which allows the team to deal with the task or tasks given. By constantly checking and observing what my team members were doing, particularly those who were still new, I knew of how they were managing and their rate of progress. I was also able to spot mistakes early and intervene quickly with the right suggestions before it was too late. I used to frequently keep tabs by using my own style of one-to-one social interaction. Sometimes the session was a mere five minutes, sometimes a good half an hour. But, these “let me see how-you-are-doing” sessions had an added bonus. Not only did I come to know the teachers on my team on a personal level, I also discovered what their particular strengths and weaknesses were. With young teachers, I became aware of issues I might never have known if I had chosen to conduct formal meetings with a large group of them. When I met them personally, they were more willing to open up to me about their problems, anxieties and fears. Through my direct discourse with them, I gleaned both their professional struggles and their positive attributes. With older teachers, a simple two-minute session of good old whining might occur before I brought the topic round to the job at hand. But, work they did and work they would if I helped them iron out minor difficulties and irritations. “To each his own” became my “motto” of working around the fact that different teachers thought and worked differently to reach set goals. My own goal? Give them the flexibility to do so! If a particular teacher didn’t come up to par, I would step in to coach, advise or sometimes, even do part of the job or get a team member to help! A young teacher whom I had mentored years ago told me that I had left a lasting impressi

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    So, this is going to be the year the Chinese usher in the Water Dragon. I can almost feel its snort already. The Chinese say it is a good year to get married, have a baby or start a business. It is a year of luck! For the weekend of 28th and 29th January, I already have invitations to four weddings! “Wow”, I thought, “people are really taking the dragon year seriously!” In Eastern philosophy, dragons are honoured and respected. People born in the dragon year are supposed to be self-assured, resourceful, adaptable and yet, generous. Whether you are born a “dragon” or not, the qualities attributed to this creature are best put to the test when you are a leader at school. I am often asked, particularly by young teachers, what is the best way to organise and lead effectively and efficiently. From my experience, let me share with you the three factors that will make a crucial difference. Direction If you are the head, be it of a subject panel or a committee, you must provide clear direction which is the first factor. When you set objectives and tasks for group members, give them a clear outline of the work expected of them. They will include the dates by which you expect the tasks to be completed, documentation details and even, samples and examples. I remember once that I had a young teacher to whom I had delegated the responsibility of organising a Science poster competition for the annual Science and Mathematics week. One look at her face and I knew that although she was a university graduate, she was on shaky ground. While other heads usually leave young teachers to their own devices, I sat down with her and briskly highlighted the salient points she needed to know, in order to conduct the whole exercise properly. I was very specific – providing details of what she was expected to do – the what, where, when and how of it. Once she was given the know-how, not only did she do a fantastic job, she soon shaped out to be a very dynamic performer. If people under you lack clarity of purpose and action, or drive, energy and enthusiasm – your direction, or lack of it, is partly to blame. In my experience, one of the best ways to get things done is to keep tabs. This is the second factor, one which allows the team to deal with the task or tasks given. By constantly checking and observing what my team members were doing, particularly those who were still new, I knew of how they were managing and their rate of progress. I was also able to spot mistakes early and intervene quickly with the right suggestions before it was too late. I used to frequently keep tabs by using my own style of one-to-one social interaction. Sometimes the session was a mere five minutes, sometimes a good half an hour. But, these “let me see how-you-are-doing” sessions had an added bonus. Not only did I come to know the teachers on my team on a personal level, I also discovered what their particular strengths and weaknesses were. With young teachers, I became aware of issues I might never have known if I had chosen to conduct formal meetings with a large group of them. When I met them personally, they were more willing to open up to me about their problems, anxieties and fears. Through my direct discourse with them, I gleaned both their professional struggles and their positive attributes. With older teachers, a simple two-minute session of good old whining might occur before I brought the topic round to the job at hand. But, work they did and work they would if I helped them iron out minor difficulties and irritations. “To each his own” became my “motto” of working around the fact that different teachers thought and worked differently to reach set goals. My own goal? Give them the flexibility to do so! If a particular teacher didn’t come up to par, I would step in to coach, advise or sometimes, even do part of the job or get a team member to help! A young teacher whom I had mentored years ago told me that I had left a lasting impressi

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    26 просмотров3 страницы

    The Mark of A Good Leader

    Загружено:

    Zainorin Ali
    So, this is going to be the year the Chinese usher in the Water Dragon. I can almost feel its snort already. The Chinese say it is a good year to get married, have a baby or start a business. It is a year of luck! For the weekend of 28th and 29th January, I already have invitations to four weddings! “Wow”, I thought, “people are really taking the dragon year seriously!” In Eastern philosophy, dragons are honoured and respected. People born in the dragon year are supposed to be self-assured, resourceful, adaptable and yet, generous. Whether you are born a “dragon” or not, the qualities attributed to this creature are best put to the test when you are a leader at school. I am often asked, particularly by young teachers, what is the best way to organise and lead effectively and efficiently. From my experience, let me share with you the three factors that will make a crucial difference. Direction If you are the head, be it of a subject panel or a committee, you must provide clear direction which is the first factor. When you set objectives and tasks for group members, give them a clear outline of the work expected of them. They will include the dates by which you expect the tasks to be completed, documentation details and even, samples and examples. I remember once that I had a young teacher to whom I had delegated the responsibility of organising a Science poster competition for the annual Science and Mathematics week. One look at her face and I knew that although she was a university graduate, she was on shaky ground. While other heads usually leave young teachers to their own devices, I sat down with her and briskly highlighted the salient points she needed to know, in order to conduct the whole exercise properly. I was very specific – providing details of what she was expected to do – the what, where, when and how of it. Once she was given the know-how, not only did she do a fantastic job, she soon shaped out to be a very dynamic performer. If people under you lack clarity of purpose and action, or drive, energy and enthusiasm – your direction, or lack of it, is partly to blame. In my experience, one of the best ways to get things done is to keep tabs. This is the second factor, one which allows the team to deal with the task or tasks given. By constantly checking and observing what my team members were doing, particularly those who were still new, I knew of how they were managing and their rate of progress. I was also able to spot mistakes early and intervene quickly with the right suggestions before it was too late. I used to frequently keep tabs by using my own style of one-to-one social interaction. Sometimes the session was a mere five minutes, sometimes a good half an hour. But, these “let me see how-you-are-doing” sessions had an added bonus. Not only did I come to know the teachers on my team on a personal level, I also discovered what their particular strengths and weaknesses were. With young teachers, I became aware of issues I might never have known if I had chosen to conduct formal meetings with a large group of them. When I met them personally, they were more willing to open up to me about their problems, anxieties and fears. Through my direct discourse with them, I gleaned both their professional struggles and their positive attributes. With older teachers, a simple two-minute session of good old whining might occur before I brought the topic round to the job at hand. But, work they did and work they would if I helped them iron out minor difficulties and irritations. “To each his own” became my “motto” of working around the fact that different teachers thought and worked differently to reach set goals. My own goal? Give them the flexibility to do so! If a particular teacher didn’t come up to par, I would step in to coach, advise or sometimes, even do part of the job or get a team member to help! A young teacher whom I had mentored years ago told me that I had left a lasting impressi

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    The mark of a good leader

    By NITHYA SIDHHU
    So, this is going to be the year the Chinese usher in the Water Dragon. I can almost eel its snort alrea!y.
    The Chinese say it is a goo! year to get marrie!, ha"e a baby or start a business. It is a year o luc#$
    %or the &ee#en! o '(th an! ')th *anuary, I alrea!y ha"e in"itations to our &e!!ings$
    +Wo&,, I thought, +-eo-le are really ta#ing the !ragon year seriously$,
    In .astern -hiloso-hy, !ragons are honoure! an! res-ecte!.
    /eo-le born in the !ragon year are su--ose! to be sel0assure!, resourceul, a!a-table an! yet, generous.
    Whether you are born a +!ragon, or not, the 1ualities attribute! to this creature are best -ut to the test &hen you are a
    lea!er at school.
    I am oten as#e!, -articularly by young teachers, &hat is the best &ay to organise an! lea! eecti"ely an! eiciently.
    %rom my e2-erience, let me share &ith you the three actors that &ill ma#e a crucial !ierence.
    Direction
    I you are the hea!, be it o a sub3ect -anel or a committee, you must -ro"i!e clear !irection &hich is the irst actor.
    When you set ob3ecti"es an! tas#s or grou- members, gi"e them a clear outline o the &or# e2-ecte! o them.
    They &ill inclu!e the !ates by &hich you e2-ect the tas#s to be com-lete!, !ocumentation !etails an! e"en, sam-les
    an! e2am-les.
    I remember once that I ha! a young teacher to &hom I ha! !elegate! the res-onsibility o organising a Science
    -oster com-etition or the annual Science an! 4athematics &ee#.
    5ne loo# at her ace an! I #ne& that although she &as a uni"ersity gra!uate, she &as on sha#y groun!.
    While other hea!s usually lea"e young teachers to their o&n !e"ices, I sat !o&n &ith her an! bris#ly highlighte! the
    salient -oints she nee!e! to #no&, in or!er to con!uct the &hole e2ercise -ro-erly.
    I &as "ery s-eciic 6 -ro"i!ing !etails o &hat she &as e2-ecte! to !o 6 the &hat, &here, &hen an! ho& o it.
    5nce she &as gi"en the #no&0ho&, not only !i! she !o a antastic 3ob, she soon sha-e! out to be a "ery !ynamic
    -erormer.
    I -eo-le un!er you lac# clarity o -ur-ose an! action, or !ri"e, energy an! enthusiasm 6 your !irection, or lac# o it,
    is -artly to blame.
    In my e2-erience, one o the best &ays to get things !one is to #ee- tabs. This is the secon! actor, one &hich allo&s
    the team to !eal &ith the tas# or tas#s gi"en.
    By constantly chec#ing an! obser"ing &hat my team members &ere !oing, -articularly those &ho &ere still ne&, I
    #ne& o ho& they &ere managing an! their rate o -rogress.
    I &as also able to s-ot mista#es early an! inter"ene 1uic#ly &ith the right suggestions beore it &as too late.
    I use! to re1uently #ee- tabs by using my o&n style o one0to0one social interaction.
    Sometimes the session &as a mere i"e minutes, sometimes a goo! hal an hour. But, these +let me see ho&0you0
    are0!oing, sessions ha! an a!!e! bonus.
    Not only !i! I come to #no& the teachers on my team on a -ersonal le"el, I also !isco"ere! &hat their -articular
    strengths an! &ea#nesses &ere.
    With young teachers, I became a&are o issues I might ne"er ha"e #no&n i I ha! chosen to con!uct ormal meetings
    &ith a large grou- o them.
    When I met them -ersonally, they &ere more &illing to o-en u- to me about their -roblems, an2ieties an! ears.
    Through my !irect !iscourse &ith them, I gleane! both their -roessional struggles an! their -ositi"e attributes.
    With ol!er teachers, a sim-le t&o0minute session o goo! ol! &hining might occur beore I brought the to-ic roun! to
    the 3ob at han!. But, &or# they !i! an! &or# they &oul! i I hel-e! them iron out minor !iiculties an! irritations.
    +To each his o&n, became my +motto, o &or#ing aroun! the act that !ierent teachers thought an! &or#e!
    !ierently to reach set goals. 4y o&n goal7
    8i"e them the le2ibility to !o so$ I a -articular teacher !i!n9t come u- to -ar, I &oul! ste- in to coach, a!"ise or
    sometimes, e"en !o -art o the 3ob or get a team member to hel-$
    A young teacher &hom I ha! mentore! years ago tol! me that I ha! let a lasting im-ression on her .
    She sai!, +The 1uality I a--reciate! the most about you &as that you &ere an! still are a--roachable.
    +You stoo! a-art rom the rest because I coul! al&ays tal# to you. When I ha! a 1uestion or a -roblem, I &asn9t arai!
    to broach the sub3ect &ith you.
    +You &oul! listen ob3ecti"ely an! then, you &oul! oer a!"ice that &as useul an! timely.,
    That young teacher &ho is no& a lecturer at a college recently sai! that the current hea! o !e-artment is not at all
    a--roachable.
    +I in! mysel al&ays at a loss as to ho& to bring u- issues &ith her. In the en!, I 3ust #ee- things to mysel. But, this is
    not goo! because by the time things get !one, she is unha--y &ith the en! result an! it9s too late$, she sai!.
    Being Involved
    The -oint that I am trying to ma#e is that i you &ish to lea! &ell, you must be must be a"ailable, in"ol"e! an!
    concerne!.
    :et me tell you a sim-le case in -oint. I &as once rather annoye! &ith a young teacher &ho #e-t !elaying the &or#
    she &as su--ose! to !o or our -anel.
    Inluence! by &hat another colleague ha! sai! about her, I allo&e! mysel to stan! a-art an! be 3u!gmental.
    5ne !ay, ho&e"er, I &o#e u- to the act that I &as not !oing the right thing by her.
    The &ay I &as beha"ing to&ar!s her &as base! on &hat someone ha! sai! an! not on acts.
    I !i!n9t #no& her "ery &ell, yet I ha! allo&e! mysel to orm a -oor o-inion o her.
    Sto--ing by at the -lace &here she sat in the sta0room, I !ragge! u- a chair an! began tal#ing &ith her.
    I ma!e sure I !i!n9t tal# about &or#. Instea! I tal#e! about her lie, her amily an! her chil!ren.
    It turne! out that she ha! a baby &ho ha! been sic# or months. %or !ays, she ha! not been able to ha"e a -ro-er
    night9s slee-$
    The minute I hear! this, I &as ille! &ith un!erstan!ing. It &as no &on!er that her &or# ha! suere!.
    I realise! then that there &ere certain acts that I nee!e! to #no& as a lea!er. It is +-eo-le, &ho ma#e u-
    organisations, an! also -eo-le &or# or -eo-le an! not or organisations.
    Dr. Ste-hen Co"ey, an author &ell #no&n or the sel0hel- boo# The ; habits o Highly .ecti"e /eo-le himsel -uts it,
    his ma2im +see# irst to un!erstan!, then to be un!erstoo!, is one o the most !iicult ones to ollo& in real lie.
    But, i a lea!er ollo&s through, the !i"i!en!s are huge an! re&ar!ing.
    The human si!e o management comes rom you an! i you belie"e in it, li#e I !o, you9ll be a antastic, eecti"e an!
    an eicient +!ragon, at &or#$
    Ha--y Chinese Ne& Year.
    .2tracte! rom the Teacher Tal# column

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