|
|
If your team is healthy, a health check will show that the team is tracking in alignment with these themes, and more importantly, not stuck in a silo. But if your team is experiencing unhealthy symptoms, you’ll be able to see a disconnect between the themes and the way the team (and overarching organisation) runs.
|
View in browser
|
|
|
|
|
Spoiler alert, this newsletter includes a free Team Leader Assessment with report to assess the clarity of your team’s purpose. You can also join one of my EARCOS Middle Leadership Peer Learning Communities for free, register here for the community you want to join (dates and times for each PLC are listed in both links).
I spent the past 3-weeks recharging and focusing exclusively on the health of my teams, both family and work. 2024 was much more challenging than I anticipated and as a result, at times, I took my finger off the pulse of all my teams. Come December, though, with 2 weeks before the holiday, I realized that there were several team members I hadn’t personally checked-in with in months.
In fact, one team member I hadn’t had a personal conversation with in over a year. Just before the winter break I met with him and I was incredibly embarrassed to learn he thought I was upset with him due to a miscommunication that occurred in 2023. Thankfully our one-to-one addressed the matter and our relationship, as well as commitment to the team, is stronger than before.
This scenario is very common, especially in schools. It is very easy to overlook untapped potential of our quiet team members and to assume they are happy with the status quo. But, having team members showing up and attending to the contractuals of work doesn’t mean the team is healthy. A team works interdependently to achieve a shared purpose. So, is it the team member’s responsibility, or ours, as leaders, to ensure team members are doing more than just showing up and doing their job?
|
|
Facilitate a Team Health Check
At the heart of every team, there are three very important themes. I have actually identified 13 themes, which you can learn more about all 13 themes from this page. The three core themes, though, are:
- Clarity of Purpose: Does the team have a shared goal? (Take this 12 statement assessment to assess your team’s clarity of purpose.)
- Interdependence: Do team members rely on one another for planning and contribute actively to shared goals?
- Intergroup Relationships: Does your team collaborate effectively with other teams and specialists?
If your team is healthy, a health check will show that the team is tracking in alignment with these themes, and more importantly, not stuck in a silo. But if your team is experiencing unhealthy symptoms, you’ll be able to see a disconnect between the themes and the way the team (and overarching organisation) runs.
I have created this free tool for Team Leaders to assess their own leadership capacity as it relates to the Objectives and Purpose of the team. You can also visit this page to learn more about the comprehensive team health check I developed for all 13 themes.
|
|
Make Time for a Team Health Check
Often teams are time-starved and don’t dedicate the necessary energy needed to engage in an evaluation process like this. But, the health check should be at the top of your team’s ‘to do’ list at the start or end of a term. Not doing so will be detrimental to the team and school, because ‘bad’ team health can often lead to things like:
- The dissonance between the actions and aims of the teachers and leadership
- Micro-managing, or alternatively a distinct lack of management
- Mistrust among teachers, and an overall lack of transparency
- Long-winded, seemingly directionless team meetings
- Teachers being unclear about what’s expected of them
- Decisions taking too long to be made, and/or not being followed through adequately
- Inconsistency, and a lack of communication
- Relational challenges, with conflicts arising often
- Lack of effective leadership
- Absent team members
So, if your team is exhibiting any of these symptoms, then it is time to facilitate a team health check. Start with this simple 12 statement assessment for team leaders that will assess your own leadership capacity as it relates to the Objectives and Purpose of the team.
At a minimum, please make time in your next meeting, or individually survey team members, and ask these 3 questions:
- What are we doing well that we need to ensure we keep doing?
- What do we need to do more of or aren’t we doing enough of to (support each other / achieve our goal / plan more effectively)?
- What should can we immediately focus and work together on this month / term?
Happy New Year,
Mike
|
|
|
|
|
I would greatly appreciate it if you can share this article with your colleagues and ask them to consider subscribing to this monthly newsletter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leadership Development Opportunities I'm hosting and coordinating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 14-15, Friday and Saturday
Nanjing International School
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 21-22, Friday and Saturday
Shenzhen College of International Education
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EARCOS Middle Leadership Peer Learning Communities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 28 - March 1, Friday and Saturday
Tanglin Trust School & Dulwich College Singapore
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 8-9, Saturday and Sunday
Shanghai United International School, Qingpu Campus
|
|
|
|
|
Leadership Research and Articles Related to Teaching Teams
|
|
|
|
MiddleLeader
Units 901-903, Core C, No. 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, Hong Kong
|
|
You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
