Building a New Team

It's July 1 and in my district, that usually means the beginning of new leadership roles and newly formed leadership teams. We have a fair amount of  movement in our district each year, and this year was more than usual. My team is no exception - I am beginning this summer with a new vice-principal and an unfilled leadership position. So, the topic of building a new leadership team is at the forefront of my thinking - even as I am vacationing with my family.

There are a couple of important conversations that must be had as people join your leadership team. The first is what you need from them - the non-negotiables that you have to have in order for things to run smoothly. For me, I have to have someone who works hard, meets deadlines, is completely committed to the well-being of our children, who is not afraid to give honest feedback, and whom I can trust. The other side of that conversation is what the new team member needs from me. That conversation is equally important because you are really setting the norms for your working relationship. It is essential that we enter into new leadership relationships with a clear vision of how we need to work together in order to move the work forward. I am two years into the turnaround in my school. It would be completely unfair for me to expect my new team to be able to match my pace immediately upon entry. I must look at a 30, 60, 90 day entry plan that will structure success for my new team, much like I did for myself as I took over as principal.

If I fail to create the vision for my new leadership team, fail to set goals for them, fail to develop an action plan with them, or fail in my monitoring of the plan, my new team will fail. In my district, we have seen this time and time again - the lack of vision leads to people reacting, rather than building a purposeful and proactive plan. In many of our schools, this translates to becoming overwhelmed with discipline issues and reacting to classroom problems that could have been addressed by having a clear  vision that everyone was a part of.

I have one opportunity to get this right - the stakes are very high as I enter into year three. At the end of the day, I am responsible for the education of 800 children every day and they deserve the absolute best.

Are you adding to your leadership team or are you a new member of a leadership team? Here are some additional resources that might help you frame your success.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2013/01/29/team-building-leader/#2c0c7aff660e

http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottedinger/2012/07/16/5-ways-to-ensure-team-members-develop-into-great-leaders/#3cc7b37fc563
https://www.peterstark.com/leading-a-new-team-how-to-ensure-a-successful-transition/