President's Perspective

POSITIVE LEADERSHIP: IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Dr. Karla Neathery, AAEA Board President

The single most important job of a school administrator is creating a school environment where staff and students feel safe, supported, engaged and accepted. In today's fast-paced, rapidly changing world, leaders and districts need to create positive work environments. Although this is challenging for every leader, it is critical to navigate in order to be successful.

Employees who feel cared for by leadership perform better. Forming solid relationships by making time to authentically connect is just part of the equation. Several qualities contribute to a positive team culture that gets team members excited about work.

Here are some tips for building a positive culture all school employees will enjoy:

Foster connection opportunities

Ensure your team members are getting to work together and meet others within the district. Have district leaders connect them with others in the district so they can support one another. This makes it easier for employees to ask questions of seasoned employees.

Be welcoming

District leaders and employees should frequently interact with one another to create a culture of cohesive teamwork. While leaders may have different duties, at a minimum, ensure that administration is checking in to ask people how they are doing. Asking about employees’ families, hobbies, and interests in a sincere manner makes a difference.

Enjoy team-building together

There is no “I” in team. Come together for specific training exercises that play upon team strengths and weaknesses while having a little fun. Whether you do these monthly or quarterly, it gives team members something fun to look forward to and breaks up the work week.

Create stability

The world is full of unknowns right now. It is important for employees to feel stable in their career. Keep them in the loop of any district changes, upcoming leadership changes, and other challenges your district may be facing. Assure your employees that their roles are a key part of continued success.

Uphold high expectations

Make it clear what your district expects when it comes to roles, responsibilities and expectations. Let employees know that it is OK to fail with high expectations. This creates trust and employees will feel safe sharing ideas. Reward those who implement new ideas and praise their efforts. This instills a growth mindset and will help your top employees achieve job satisfaction.

As a school leader, you want to see your team/district excited to come to work every day. Cultivating and maintaining a positive culture can play a huge role in that. When employees feel supported, happy and engaged, they will thrive in all areas.