Healthy Relationships

Overview

Dr Megan Tschannen-Moran makes a case for trust as the basis for successful school leadership. In this readable and engaging interview-cum-article she convincingly argues that principals can accomplish very little without trust and self-efficacy underpinning their leadership. She also addresses what makes for positive coaching.

Her comments echo our own New Zealand documents Kiwi Leadership for Principals (2008), School Leadership and Student Outcomes: what works and why (2009), and Leading from the Middle (2012). Middle leaders, aspiring principals and first-time principals will find this article of particular value.

She begins by explaining the importance of establishing trust early in a school when the staff and the students are very attentive and observant of a new leader – this is a window of opportunity, she observes. “It’s a time of opportunity to demonstrate genuine caring and a sense of benevolence about people as human beings, not just as functionaries (p. 7) “.

She offers these insights:

a trusting relationship should be one of authentic, shared decision-making

a trusting leader demonstrates optimism that things can work, and focuses on people’s strengths

trust can influence student outcomes outstripping socio-economic status as a predictor of success

trust builds a positive school climate among staff and students, getting rid of worry about what might happen

building relational trust is important with parents too, so that there is proper connection between school leaders and parents or whānau.

As part of her conversation on trust Tschannen-Moran also talks about coaching leaders. Here the emphasis should be on strengths, and how building on strengths helps us become even better. Even in schools with great difficulties there are things to celebrate, she says, that provide a platform from which we can build. She points out that this is not about putting on blinkers, but about taking a “strength-based approach” which does not generate defensiveness. How do you want to grow/improve things, she ask. Try opening people up to designing experiments rather that setting goals, she suggests.

Building trust takes the fear of failure out of the dynamic in the school or in the coaching of leadership. She argues that using empathy, not sympathy, is a respectful understanding of another person’s experience, and that is why it helps people move forward in a process of continual professional learning.

Reflective questions

What can we do to help teachers realise the impact of their relational trust with students? If we want to take ‘fear of failure’ out of the relationship equation how can we all work together to make students feel as though it's OK to take risks with learning as they go along?

What do we need to do to build trust with parents/whānau/caregivers? What differences in approach will we look for in our school as a whole, as a result?

How might adopting a coaching approach as part of professional learning in our school become something that helps your staff reach their different potentials?

What role does socio-economic status and predictions about students play in our school? How can we change that?

Reference

Interview with Megan Tschannen-Moran, 2013. In Conversation: Healthy Relationships – the foundation of a positive school climate. Fall 2013 – Volume 1V, Issue 3. ISSN 1922-2394 (PDF). Accessed from: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/leadership/InConversation.html