CREATING A STRONG CULTURE AND POSITIVE CLIMATE IN SCHOOLS : building knowledge to bring about... improvement

If there is one thing that school leaders need to get right, it is school culture. When they do, children learn more and colleagues have a stronger sense of purpose - they are more motivated and ultimately more fulfilled. Creating a strong culture and a positive climate requires an understanding of the complexity of school life and this begins by building knowledge. This book supports leaders to do just that. Drawing on ideas from different domains, this insightful book reveals the role of concepts such as autonomy and trust in school improvement. Each chapter sets out the specific knowledge and expertise required by school leaders for great cultural leadership and offers practical examples and case studies to show how they can be applied in different school contexts. __Creating a Strong Culture and Positive Climate in Schools__ is an essential lens through which to examine the common problems faced by school leaders. It is invaluable reading for all those wanting to become more expert in school leadership and to better solve the everyday problems that arise from leading a school. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction: We All Strive for a Strong Culture and Positive Climate Part 1 Why Do Leaders Need to Pay Attention to Culture and Climate? 1 What Is Culture and Why Is It Important? Introduction Culture Matters School Culture Is a Persistent Problem of School Leadership Culture and Climate Are Two Sides of the Same Coin Robinson’s Theory of Action Schein’s Three Levels of Culture Cultural Artifacts Artifact: Autonomy Artifact: Mastery and Flow Artifact: Purpose Artifact: Psychological Safety Artifact: Trust What Colleagues Talk About Underlying Assumptions Why Assumptions Matter How Beliefs, Values and Behaviours Spread Culture and Climate Exist Whether Leaders Design Them Or Not One School, Different Cultures and Climates Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge Notice the Artifacts Listen to the Espoused Values and Beliefs and Uncover the Underlying Beliefs Chapter Summary References 2 Extensive Domain-Specific Knowledge Is Required to Create a Strong Culture and Positive Climate Introduction An Emerging Model of School Leadership Building Your Mental Models The Term Domain-Specific Knowledge Is Misunderstood Formal and Hidden Knowledge What Leaders Know Determines the Culture They Establish Scenario A Scenario B Expertise Is More Than Knowledge Becoming More Expert: Building Your Knowledge of Culture and Climate Chapter Summary References 3 Setting Your School’s Strategic Direction Introduction Show Everyone Where They’re Going and Make It Easy to Get There Extensive Knowledge Is Required for Setting Direction Beware of Ambiguity A Model for School Improvement Start With Why – a Unifying Aim What Makes a School Unique? What Do You Need to Pay Attention to in Order to Improve? Describe the Future Strategies and Their Active Ingredients Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Self Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Others Designing the Culture You Want Chapter Summary References Part 2 What Do Leaders Need to Know About Culture and Climate? Introduction Learning From Other Domains Is Appealing Generic Leadership Advice On Developing Culture and Climate Needs to Be Combined With Educational Domain-Specific Knowledge All Domains Have People in Common Beware the Superficial Features of Other Domains Lessons in Cultural Leadership From Education and Beyond Develop Your Leaders’ Cultural Leadership Expertise, Chapter By Chapter 4 What Do High Performing Teams Have in Common? Introduction Build Safety, Share Vulnerability and Establish Purpose Teams Flourish When Colleagues Feel Psychologically Safe Some Belonging Cues Need No Educational Context Belonging Cues Bound Up in Education Make Mixing Happen Ask Questions to Draw Others Out Celebrate the Humblest of Tasks Narrate Others’ Role in the Future Create Connections Between People Good Leaders Are Vulnerable Seek Feedback Face Uncomfortable Situations Head On Debrief Decision-Making Narrate a Clear Purpose Overcommunicate Vision, Values and Strategic Priorities Narrate a Link Between the Present and a Future Ideal Establish Vivid, Memorable Rules of Thumb Distinguish Between Where Proficiency Is Needed and Where Creativity Is Needed Read Energy Signals and Boost When a Lull Might Occur Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Self Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Others Using Knowledge of High Performing Teams for Self-Improvement Using Knowledge of High Performing Teams to Support Others to Improve Amplify Anecdotes to Drive Others’ Behaviour Chapter Summary References 5 The Power of Expectations Introduction The Pygmalion Effect Can Leaders Change Their Biases? What If Leaders’ Expectations of Colleagues Affect Their Performance? How Leaders Communicate Their Expectations Raising Your Expectations Amplify Others’ Successes Learning About Your Own Biases Leaders Are All Biased Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Self How Attentive Am I? How Do I Interact With Others? What Do I Tend to Talk About With Others? Seeking Feedback Does More Than Simply Generate Useful Information How Attentive Do I Appear to Be? How Do I Interact With Others? What Do I Tend to Talk About With Others? Find Out Others’ Preferences Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Others How Attentive Are Leaders? How Do Leaders Interact With Others? What Do Leaders Tend to Talk About With Others? Using Knowledge of Expectations for Self-Improvement Using Knowledge of Expectations to Support Others to Improve Amplify Anecdotes to Drive Others’ Behaviour Chapter Summary References 6 Harnessing the Drivers of Motivation Introduction Success Breeds Motivation Autonomy Autonomy Over Task Autonomy Over Time Autonomy Over Technique Autonomy Over Team Mastery Purpose Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Self Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Others Using the Knowledge of Motivation for Self-Improvement Using Knowledge of Motivation to Support Others to Improve Amplify Anecdotes About Motivation to Drive Others’ Behaviour Chapter Summary References 7 High Levels of Trust Are Required to Improve Outcomes for Children Introduction The Importance of Trust Culture and Climate Are Two Sides of the Same Coin Character and Competence Sliding Doors Moments Boss Competence Four More Key Elements of Trust Trust Requires Vulnerability Admit Weaknesses and Mistakes Accept Questions and Input About Areas of Responsibility Healthy Conflict Have Lively, Interesting Meetings Extract and Exploit the Ideas of All Team Members Value Dissenting Views Commitment Create Clarity Around Direction and Priorities Involve Colleagues in Decision-Making Improve Communication Holding to Account Openly Publicise Goals and Standards Avoid Excessive Bureaucracy Around Performance Management Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Self Understanding Your School Culture and Climate: Building Knowledge of Others Character Competence Vulnerability Healthy Conflict Commitment Holding to Account The Need for Further Exploration Character Competence Vulnerability Healthy Conflict Commitment Holding to Account Pattern Spotting Using Knowledge of Trust for Self-Improvement Using Knowledge of Trust to Support Others to Improve Amplify Anecdotes to Drive Others’ Behaviour Chapter Summary References Part 3 How Do Leaders Go About Culture Change? Introduction What Is Culture Influenced By? Two Common Scenarios Choosing the Right Goal Both Scenarios Require Time and Unlearning Both Scenarios Require the Prioritisation of Psychological Safety Both Scenarios Benefit From Multiple Mechanisms Working in Harmony Primary Mechanisms Secondary Mechanisms 8 Influencing Culture as a New Leader Introduction New Leader Dynamics Understand the Present Choose the Right Problem to Focus On Design the Future Prioritise Aligning Beliefs and Values Prioritise Psychological Safety Teach Your School How to Perceive, Think, Feel and Behave What to Pay Attention to How to React to Critical Incidents How to Allocate Resources Deliberate Role Modelling, Teaching and Coaching How to Allocate Rewards and Status Recruitment, Promotion and Performance Management The Secondary Mechanisms Chapter Summary 9 Influencing Culture as an Established Leader Introduction Established Leader Dynamics Create a Motivation for Change Aligning Beliefs and Assumptions Validating New Beliefs and Assumptions Understand the Present Choose the Right Problem Design the Future Prioritise Aligning Beliefs and Values Prioritise Psychological Safety Teach Your School How to Perceive, Think, Feel and Behave What to Pay Attention to How to React to Critical Incidents How to Allocate Resources Deliberate Role Modelling, Teaching and Coaching How to Allocate Rewards and Status Recruitment, Promotion and Performance Management The Secondary Mechanisms Organisational Design and Structure School Systems and Procedures Design of Physical Space and Buildings Stories and Myths About Key People and Events Formal Mission Statements, Charters and Ethical Code Chapter Summary 10 Why Measuring Culture Is Futile and Evaluating It Is Not Much Better Introduction The Problem With Measurement and Evaluation Avoid Using Numerical Indicators Not Everything That Matters Is Measurable The Vicious Circle Between Metrics and Trust Not Everything That Can Be Measured Matters The More a Metric Is Used to Make Decisions, the More It Will Be Gamed The Flaw of Measuring Inputs Not Outcomes Measurement Is Not an Alternative to Judgement Can Culture and Climate Be Measured Or Evaluated? Surely Leaders Can Tell If Culture Or Climate Is Not Good? A Shift From Evaluating to Inquiring About Culture and Climate How Can Leaders Inquire Into Culture? Question Design Scaling Anonymity Timing Take Up Knowing That What You’re Aiming for Is Good Enough How Rubrics Fail Chapter Summary References Index If there is one thing that school leaders need to get right, it is school culture. When they do, children learn more and colleagues have a stronger sense of purpose – they are more motivated and ultimately more fulfilled. Creating a strong culture and a positive climate requires an understanding of the complexity of school life and this begins by building knowledge. This book supports leaders to do just that.Drawing on ideas from different domains, this insightful book reveals the role of concepts such as autonomy and trust in school improvement. Each chapter sets out the specific knowledge and expertise required by school leaders for great cultural leadership and offers practical examples and case studies to show how they can be applied in different school contexts.Creating a Strong Culture and Positive Climate in Schools is an essential lens through which to examine the common problems faced by school leaders. It is invaluable reading for all those wanting to become more expert in school leadership and to better solve the everyday problems that arise from leading a school. Culture;,Climate;,School;,Knowledge;,Expertise;,Leadership;,Trust;,Purpose;,Motivation Culture,Climate,School,Knowledge,Expertise,Leadership,Trust,Purpose,Motivation "If there is one thing that school leaders need to get right, it is school culture. When we do, children learn more and colleagues have a stronger sense of purpose - they are more motivated and ultimately more fulfilled. Creating a strong culture and a positive climate requires an understanding of the complexity of school life and this begins by building knowledge. This book supports leaders to do just that. Drawing on ideas from different domains, this insightful book reveals the role of concepts such as autonomy and trust in school improvement. Each chapter sets out the specific knowledge and expertise required by school leaders for great cultural leadership and offers practical examples and case studies to show how they can be applied in different school contexts. Creating a Strong Culture and a Positive Climate in Schools is an essential lens through which to examine the common problems faced by school leaders. It is invaluable reading for all those wanting to become more expert in school leadership and to better solve the everyday problems that arise from leading a school"-- Provided by publisher