As a leader, there will always be times where you have to make either hard decisions, decisions that are going to affect the school, or decisions that may or may not succeed. However, usually when put in this situation it is usually going to benefit the school in some way or another. When we have positions through the school that teachers need to fill, it is difficult to find the right teacher for the right group. One thing that as a leader it is beneficial to use as a measurable criteria to make sure the teachers can handle these positions is look at observations. Usually, former observations are going to detail some area on how a teacher handles behavior, the communication with family and their own will to participate in extracurricular activities. Using these formals observations as a tool to match teachers is going to help the principal pin point a teacher’s biggest and weakest skill and match them with their right group, where they are going to be successful.
Once the teachers are “pre-selected” and matched with their strength leadership group, the next step would be to ensure that the teachers are going to be committed to this group and bring staff morale, leadership and anything else that needs group leader support. As a principal, when offering these positions needs to ensure that the teachers can fulfill this, and one thing is by having all of these measure typed out, explained, and have the teacher agree to commit. Once the teachers do, the principal needs to check in on every leadership group, and make sure that they are followed. If they are not, the principal can have a meeting, a meeting where communicating with the teacher about what is being observed and reminding them about the commitment that they made.
With this however, the principal can discover that some teachers need strategies for promoting effective leadership within themselves and within the group. As a principal you can provide different professional developments, you can also set up meetings with other schools that the teachers can meet with the same type of group leaders and discuss what they do to boost group dynamics, and lastly you can participate in the groups and use role modeling. For example, if the principal goes to the meeting and is positive, volunteers for small group jobs, have positive conversations this is going to help other follow the principal’s footsteps. It is going to be trial and error for the principal to make sure that the leadership group leaders are successful, but have plans set out is going to be an easier way to follow, change, and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.