麻豆传媒入口

This year has been a challenge, and just getting through it is something to celebrate.聽As leaders, we鈥檝e really had to think about who we are, who we want to be, how we want to lead, and how we want to work with our staff.

In times of calm and normalcy, relationships are important, but in times of uncertainty and difficulty, relationships are vital.聽Those relationships allow for impactful actions to be taken that benefit students and staff. Building relationships is a daily practice.

Key Ways to Build Relationships

1. Be authentic:聽Relationships are difficult when you aren鈥檛 living in your truth.聽When you only share parts of yourself, leading will be difficult. Once you know who you are and what you value, you can share that authentically with your staff. Taking time to share your interests, hobbies, and passions will allow you to relate to staff because it humanizes you.

Additionally, sharing your goals (in and out of school), your flaws, and even about your family life will help to open conversations with educators as individuals. Lastly, laugh. Being able to joke, smile, and bring joy into a space is a valuable tool for a leader to use frequently.

2. Be there: Being present for staff can take many forms.聽On a regular basis, it鈥檚 important to make intentional decisions to be there for our staff.聽This isn鈥檛 to be taken lightly. In conversations, focus on what staff members are sharing with you.聽This starts from the simplest actions, like physically leaning in when talking, making eye contact, nodding, and even smiling (you can see a smile through a mask).

Visibility is a key part of being there. Roaming the halls gives you a chance to be there for staff at the moment they need it.聽As you roam, you will likely hear, 鈥淥h yeah, I was going to ask鈥︹�� or 鈥淕lad I bumped into you...鈥� or 鈥淒o you have a couple of minutes?鈥� Consider sitting in the teachers鈥� lounge (or wherever your staff hangs out) periodically. Find balance there so as not to disrupt their safe spaces.聽Casual moments with your community are equally as important as scheduled time.

Being there also includes your ability to respond to concerns. This means checking your email throughout the day.聽If staff contact you via messaging, apps (like WhatsApp or Slack), or other methods, be sure to check there as well.聽Finding ways to acknowledge and then act on those requests will help build trust with your team.

3. 尝颈蝉迟别苍:听This sounds simple, but due to the reality of how the day of an administrator goes, listening and finding the time to do it can feel overwhelming. Furthermore, listening isn鈥檛 passive鈥攆ollow it with actions that impact the work of educators. Begin with asking questions.聽Avoid telling educators what to do, and learn about their needs. The answers that teachers give will help build relationships but also direct next steps.

As you listen, affirm the work that staff are doing.聽When you affirm, you celebrate teachers鈥� work. You can also affirm them by working to give them time to continue to make a difference in students鈥� lives.聽This may include removing items from the teachers鈥� responsibility, being an advocate for them, or standing in the gap when needed.

Because there鈥檚 a lot to take in, jotting notes will help ensure accurate follow-up, which is also part of listening.聽When you act on what teachers need, it shows that you not only heard their concerns but also value them.聽Let your notes help you successfully move forward with change.

Remember that simply listening isn鈥檛 enough.聽Show that you鈥檝e listened by taking action.

4. Know them:聽School leaders often talk about the wonderful skills of their teachers.聽They can suggest professional development that educators can lead.聽They might even be able to connect teachers to create a support system.聽Although each of these is important, knowing your staff as people is crucial. Knowing that Ms. Brown鈥檚 oldest son plays soccer, that Mr. James鈥檚 partner is in a play, or that Mx. Turner is in a band is important. These small nuggets are gateways into building a relationship.聽Teachers are people. Knowing someone鈥檚 passion, interest, and even fears can be the key to offering better support.

There are many ways to get to know your teachers.聽Consider using a beginning-of-the-year survey.聽Similar to what a teacher might send home to parents, survey your staff. Ask them questions like 鈥淲hat brings you joy after 3:30 p.m.?鈥� or 鈥淚f you weren鈥檛 a teacher, what would you be?鈥� or 鈥淲hat are you most proud of?鈥� Their answers will help you get to know them as individuals.聽Follow up with one-on-one meetings, or answers could be shared in a staff meeting.

5. Share the decision-making process:聽So many decisions are made in school every day.聽Some are large, while others are small. No matter the size, find ways to involve staff in finding solutions. Whether that means allowing them to have input on the schedule, lesson plan template, spirit week days, or an emergency plan, their voice matters.聽Giving space to teachers and staff to be part of the solution is empowering.

You could also do this when teachers present you with a problem.聽Simply ask, 鈥淗ow can I help you get to a resolution?鈥� or 鈥淚f you had a magic wand, how would you solve the problem?鈥� If their requests or suggestions are reasonable, use them.聽If they won鈥檛 work, share some of the roadblocks in their suggested solution.聽Giving space to make decisions, find answers, and move forward shows that you trust your staff.聽Trusting is the basis of a thriving relationship and allows impactful change to be possible.

6. Apologize for your mistakes: We鈥檙e human and we make mistakes.聽We fail. A failure or mistake isn鈥檛 the issue; an inability to admit that we were wrong is. Take the time to admit when you dropped the ball, misspoke, or simply forgot. Teachers will forgive you when this happens. Education isn鈥檛 perfect.聽Just as we want our students to understand, education happens through mistakes.聽Allow your fumbles to be spaces where the school moves forward instead of backward.聽Saying 鈥淚 apologize鈥� and then correcting the mistake is likely all you need to help forge a relationship built on trust.