5 steps to a positive working culture

There are so many different things going on in schools that sometimes the focus seems to be on what still needs to be done rather than what has been successfully achieved. There will always things to be done, so we have to change the mindset of trying to do it all and focus only on what is important – the positives and successes.

Here are 5 steps for creating a positive working culture

Behaviours

How you conduct yourself will impact positively or negatively on the staff around you and the organisation. It’s not about words that are spoken or written, but about the actions. It is about acting professionally and aligning to the culture and ethos of the school.

Behaviour is also linked to working habits. It’s about being smarter and how many hours you work. The more efficient your staff are, the more time they will be working on the things that positively impact on the school and themselves. Staff need to be taught how to prioritise, delegate and manage themselves and their workload.

Positives

Many people finish the day seemingly thinking about what hasn’t been completed or what didn’t work, rather than the many things you have done and the successes. Change the mindset and think of all the things that have been accomplished.

Use of praise

Recognition improves engagement and performance. It’s important to have a head up approach, provide instant praise for the successes and make sure this is shared with others. This means leaders being visible and spotting all those brilliant things that happen each day.

Meetings

We all seem to get ‘sucked’ in to attend meetings, but are they all needed?

Ask yourself some key questions before choosing to attend or schedule a meeting

What is the purpose and desired outcome?
Is the meeting the best way to share content?
How can we best get the decision?
Who needs to attend?
Getting meetings right can have a big impact on how staff feel. Meetings are time consuming and those who attend are giving up their valuable time, so make sure the outcome is constructive and positive.

Wellbeing

It’s important to lead by example and practise what you preach to truly value the importance of wellbeing. It’s important that during the day time is built in for thinking, reflection and to focus on ‘you’. If you want to make a positive difference to staff culture, you must first understand yourself and what needs to change. Be willing to share strengths and focus on areas to be developed. Before changing or implementing anything new, consider ‘What impact will this have on staff wellbeing and pupil outcomes?’ Remember to apply the ‘in/out’ rule. If you are going to add something new then you need to take something away.

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