The core principle that "every child deserves a team" remains at the forefront of our discussions and interactions. This notion becomes particularly pronounced when engaging with educational leaders, and it prompts us to explore the critical role of lead teams in the process of introducing and sustaining change.
Why a Lead Team Matters
In the realm of education, where each year brings new beginnings, the introduction of change is a perpetual challenge. Whether it's a new report card system, a reorganization effort, or the implementation of Collaborative Response, the importance of a lead team cannot be overstated.
A lead team typically includes the principal, other administrators, and often key teaching staff members - obviously, membership will depend largely on the size and composition of the overall staff team. This group serves as the driving force behind the initiatives, responsible for shaping and maintaining momentum. What sets a lead team apart is its ability to engage in meaningful discussions, try out new ideas, and gather feedback before presenting them to the wider staff.
Building Critical Mass and Distributed Leadership
Building critical mass, rather than seeking overall staff buy-in, aligns with the concept of distributed leadership. By establishing a lead team, educational leaders can create a smaller, more agile group that explores, seeks to understand, and effectively communicates the vision of change.
James Spillane’s perspective on distributed leadership emphasizes the need for a lead team to play a crucial role in building leadership capacity within an organization. This process involves cultivating diverse viewpoints within the team, allowing for robust discussions and ensuring that the initiative doesn't become an echo chamber of predetermined ideas.
The Power of Super Hubs
Drawing inspiration from Douglas Reeves' concept of "super hubs", educational leaders can strategically select individuals with influential impact and diverse connections for the lead team. These super hubs become conduits for spreading the message naturally throughout the school, fostering organic conversations that often hold more sway than formal announcements or top down leadership decisions in driving change forward.
Establishing and Nurturing a Lead Team
Once the lead team is identified, establishing regular meeting times and a consistent agenda becomes paramount. The agenda should include celebrations of successes, creating a positive atmosphere that highlights achievements and identifies specific actions. This positive reinforcement not only motivates the team but also provides a blueprint for continued growth. As we identify celebrations for the team, we delve into why we are seeing success so that we can identify explicit actions that are having impact.
The following agenda template can be used for your lead team. Make adjustments and revisions to attend to your unique context and lead team.
Regular check-ins, coupled with a focus on learning together as a team, ensure that the lead team remains at the forefront of driving the initiative forward. As Collaborative Response or any other initiative takes root, the lead team becomes a crucial component in navigating challenges, sharing insights, and fostering a culture of collaboration.
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, a lead team stands as a beacon of guidance, steering the ship through the uncharted waters of change. Embracing the power of collaboration, distributed leadership, and guiding the work forward is the impact of a well-formed lead team.
Email or if you have questions or something you wish to share related to the topic of lead teams.
Don't Skip Celebrations When Beginning Any Team Meeting!