Principal Leadership

Principal Leadership

Many senior educators are taking up new jobs as principals/directors this time. Many find the increasing role of management in day-to-day operations causing a mismatch of values and alignments. Many private schools have a clear division of work as academics and operations, with the former as the principal's responsibility. The principal's role today is vastly different from what it used to be. I receive queries on pedagogical leadership, operations, finance, team building, people management and value creation. Below are some reflections on the principal's role and how one can steer clear of disappointments and continue to rise the career ladder.

First impressions

1. Have you joined a new institution recently? If yes, there will be much talk about your predecessor. Entertain those talks with maturity. Avoid any criticism, apportioning blame, or an obsession with the past. Speaking about the past (People, policies, circumstances) does not help; it drains energy and emotions. Also, it creates further friction. As a leader, you will need more focus.

2. Are you approachable and people-centric? It is good to be approachable, but better to be visible and reach out to people instead of waiting for people to approach us. Leaders make a better impact during informal interactions, learning walks and on-the-spot interactions. Making a journal of informal interactive lessons learnt, inspiring stories, mojo moments and reaching out to the entire school population. Children and teachers constantly imitate behaviour and pick up words and actions exhibited by the leader.

Live by the Vision:

a) One must amplify the school's vision as a leader. The management looks to the leader as their representative, invested in trust and custodianship. It is essential, therefore, that complete transparency and accountability are maintained. Process-based organisational culture works the best. All functionalities and SoPs must be in place, and consent of the management is mandatory in all matters, including resignations, appointments, and approval in policy matters, in writing.

b) To create a conducive, positive learning environment and help teachers develop their professional skills to translate the school's vision into reality. A feedback mechanism must be in place. Flexibility, generosity, compassion, and pleasant communication are the key.

What are non-negotiables in leadership?

a) Positional Leadership, which one gets from their position by default, does not command natural respect. Leadership creating fear and authority is the least impactful and non-sustainable

b) How much are you thinking of investing in people’s development in terms of their professional growth? People love and respect those who take an interest in the development of others. People value leaders talking in inspiring, encouraging language and careful choice of words with a smile on their faces. Such a level of leadership also builds relationships.

c) Are you investing in the organisation's development? The stakeholders are interested in visible changes and transformations that the leadership is initiating for the betterment of the organisation. School results, culture, reputation, and parental approvals depend on leadership quality.

d) Are you focusing on efficiency and productivity? The preceding three points lead to better efficiency and productivity regarding teaching-learning performances, culture building, good words about the organisation and leadership.

Managing Teacher Talent

Identifying employees' talent is the first step, followed by honing skills. During this process, a leader must be open to helping an employee to overcome obstacles /hurdles and designing strategies to measure progress with clarity of the organisation's objective and not on prejudices and biased perceptions. To be practised in letter and spirit. No one in the team should feel discriminated against or humiliated. Pl follow an adage, public appreciation, private criticism.

Scaling-up teaching-learning in the institution

Developing new strategies in classroom teaching that will be innovative and creative, challenging them for 21st-century learning skills, ie. Critical thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, collaborative learning and using the latest technological teaching aids engage learners in a student-centric approach where they explore self–learning. The inquiry-based and project-based approaches should be frequently used in teaching-learning. Students'/Parents' voice feedback is to be included.

Scaling-up reforms

1. To provide teachers training platforms to freshers and others for upskilling their talent.

2. Giving opportunity to various departments to be in policy-making processes and standardising Teachers' Appraisal. Also, allow the staff to participate in decision-making. They should know what is expected of them.

3. Involvement of the student council to make the school development plan along with teachers. Students say it is essential for the growth of any educational institution.

4. Developing good relationships with all stakeholders. It may be challenging – but it is doable.

5. To collaborate with universities/industry to give opportunities to students in their Career choice as they prepare for college, career and life.

These are the suggested touch points and not a set of prescriptions.

Ashok Pandey