Coaching Archives - Page 2 of 2 - L J Business of Education

Though it is all too often low on our list of priorities, quality CPD is an essential part of our development as School Business Leaders.

However, any CPD that we do have the opportunity to undertake is largely focused on acquiring knowledge in order to ensure that we are equipped to deal with every crisis imaginable; funding, HR, H&S, ICT, GDPR etc.

We study hard for accreditation, we join associations and unions, we read voraciously and we attend as many conferences and networking events that our constantly crammed calendars allow us to. All so that we can mine as much information as we can in our quest for a state of ever-preparedness.

This intense focus on knowledge acquisition can create issues for us as individuals that we hadn’t anticipated. We spend so much time learning about everybody and everything else that we never really take the time to learn about ourselves.

When I first started working in School Business Leadership over ten years ago, I found that I had no issue at all with acquiring both technical and theoretical knowledge. But I also found that it was a bit like getting my driving license. I was certified as a driver and I was equipped with what I needed to get on the road and get moving but the reality of the road was very different to what I had experienced in ‘test conditions’.

How we develop as leaders and how well we perform in our jobs is not just about what we know. It’s about how we interpret, adapt, apply and execute this knowledge in our context. It’s also about how, as individuals, we operate within that context.

What SBMs say

When I spoke at Edexec Live earlier this year about demonstrating impact and gaining recognition, the issues that SBMs spoke to me about were, unsurprisingly, not related to their technical knowledge. Their issues were specific to them and their context. Every single person that attended my sessions had different skillsets, different priorities and different challenges. But the one thing that they all had in common was a desire to find a way to express themselves more clearly within their organisation so that they could get through to the people that needed to hear them the most.

I reassured them that even if they had been feeling undervalued or ignored, this didn’t mean that they were terrible at their job. I reminded them that in order to resolve the issues that they were facing, that they had the ability to adapt, to mitigate and to overcome. I showed them that they had tools that they could use to affect change and how they could use these tools. More specifically, I demonstrated how they could begin to tie together what they knew with where their organisation was at and where they were at as individuals. By taking the wider view and placing themselves, instead of their organisation, at the centre of their CPD strategy, their areas of strength and skills to develop became much more focused.

The feedback I have received has been both amazing and humbling. It has also confirmed my belief that the need for professional coaching for SBMs is greater than it has ever been.

With increased expectations, intense scrutiny and higher stakes than ever before, the school leadership landscape often feels like a very lonely place. Though professional associations, local groups, conferences and social media are great ways to share best practice and advice, they don’t necessarily afford the time, confidentiality or space needed to address some of the more complex and troubling issues that we face in our branch of school leadership.

The benefits of coaching

As is often the case, when we’re in a difficult place or even just feeling stuck, we struggle to attain the wider viewpoint that we need to find a route out. This is exactly the type of situation where a professional coach could help. This could be with anything from how to deal with a sensitive situation to looking to develop strategies to rebuild our confidence and squash that overwhelm. It could even be about putting together a plan of action to take the next step in our career.

Coaching, as a discipline, is goal oriented and is intended to create that impetus for change and increase in clarity and motivation to move forward that we can’t always muster on our own. Through coaching we can objectively explore our strengths, priorities and challenges as well as examine our vulnerabilities and anxieties. Through discussions with a coach, we can identify key actions to create alignment between our knowledge, our organisations and ourselves. And perhaps more importantly, we will discover that the school leadership landscape doesn’t have to be as lonely as we sometimes feel it is.

When I speak to SBMs about coaching as CPD, I always remind them of the power of questions. Mainly because as SBMs we spend a lot of time asking them! But also, because questions are essential when it comes to challenging assumptions. We need to not only ask questions of other people but also of ourselves. This can be especially hard for those of us who have been in the same role and/or worked for the same organisation for a long period of time.

If you are feeling stuck, confused, lost, anxious or overwhelmed, professional coaching really could be the solution you are looking for.

There are three ways I advise SBMs to source a coach:

1. Speak to your local SBM group

Contact the leader of your local SBM group and ask them if they can put you in contact with a fellow SBM in the region who would be willing to work with you as a coach. This may well be an informal arrangement but tapping into that local expertise and working with people who are further along in the journey could really help you. The DfE has published a list of the school business professional networks here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/join-or-create-a-network-for-school-business-professionals/school-business-professional-networks-directory

2. Ask your peers for recommendations

If you don’t have a local SBM group or they are unable to help you right now, ask your peer network or SBMs working in schools nearby whether they have someone they can recommend. They may well be undertaking coaching themselves or have contacts that they can share with you.

3. Source a coach independently

If you’d prefer to look beyond your network and are seeking a more confidential and formal arrangement, there are a number of independent and experienced school business professionals, like myself, who provide focused and bespoke coaching services to school business leaders. Remember, professional independent coaching isn’t just for Headteachers and SLT!

Whilst there a lot of things we have to do on our own as school business leaders, struggling in silence isn’t one of them. You are not alone in this – you are seen, you are heard and you are deserving.

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Written for: Education Executive Magazine (@edexec)

It’s been said that the role of school business leader is boundaryless. And having been an SBL, I completely agree. Due to the nature of the role and the depth and breadth of responsibility that comes with it, access to quality CPD is a must.

The main issue with SBL CPD is that it is often targeted solely toward the attainment of qualifications or knowledge acquisition. Though this is of course important, CPD to support the application of this knowledge in context and the personal development of critical skills is often neglected.

How we perform and develop as leaders is not just about what we know. It’s about how we interpret, adapt, apply and execute this knowledge in our context and it’s about how, as individuals, we operate within that context.

For school business leaders, this form of development is hampered by the fact that they are solo operators, very much like a Headteacher. They may lead a number of teams and work alongside the Senior Leadership Team but nobody in the school has first-hand knowledge of the demands of this role or the capacity required to deliver it. Being the ‘only one’ can lead to school business leaders feeling rather lonely and isolated. This also often means that they end up struggling in silence.

By providing the opportunity for school business leaders to engage in coaching or mentoring, they will have not only the opportunity to explore their strengths, priorities and challenges but also gain the benefit of advice and guidance of an experienced fellow school business professional.

Working with a coach or mentor can provide school business leaders with a practical, professional and personal support system, which in turn can directly enhance their performance, capacity and impact.

Whilst cost, time and capacity may be of concern to you as a Headteacher, coaching arrangements are often time limited, goal focused and flexibly undertaken. Many coaching services are also less costly and have a higher, longer-term impact than other often more expensive CPD options.

Here are my top tips for Headteachers looking to support their school business leader to engage with coaching or mentoring:

Arrange a meeting with your School Business Leader to discuss their development

To avoid getting bogged down in day to day business, calendar a meeting with your SBL with the sole purpose of discussing their professional development. It is important that this time is blocked in the calendar, isn’t cut short and as far as possible, is uninterrupted.

Discuss with your SBL whether they feel that coaching would be of benefit to their development and how you might be able to accommodate this

It may be that your SBL has already considered coaching as a CPD activity but hasn’t felt able to broach the topic or it may be that they haven’t actively considered it but would be open to exploring it. Either way, both of you need to be clear on whether this type of CPD is appropriate and if so, how it will support both the development of the SBL and the progress of the school.

Signpost them to a place where they can source a coach or mentor

This could be an informal arrangement via the local SBL regional network or it could be through discussions with SBLs in schools that you’re already collaborating with. There are also a number of independent and experienced school business professionals who provide focused and bespoke coaching services.

Arrange a follow up meeting with your SBL to iron out the details

To avoid both you and your SBL being bounced into making a commitment or decision, schedule another meeting when you have both had opportunity to reflect on what you have discussed. It will also allow time for additional research to be undertaken into all the options you have agreed to explore and potentially support.