My journey with faculty leadership and management.

I have procrastinated about this long enough, I need to seriously start developing this performance plan.  It is surprisingly more difficult than I predicted, partially due to the fact that I have enjoyed the sensation of “drifting” as unexpected projects and roles come my way.  However, as I realise the impact this has on my staff members I need to focus on the development of this plan.

In preparation I have completed two tasks.  The first was to establish and ask my staff and upline management to contribute to a johari window.  A Johari window is described as a model for mapping personality awareness.  It allows me to compare what I think of my personality to that of what my staff think.  It will also provide me a relative strength of each response, indicating which traits were identified by more than one person.  I intend to use this in comparison to a survey where I will ask my staff what they desire my traits to be.  This will inform my plan as I consider how I can best address the needs of my department.

Secondly, I created a mind map identifying the range of roles I currently have.  The family section is currently incomplete, however I believe I have represented my professional duties.  The mind map is below.

This informs me of a couple of things.  Firstly, I am active in a number of roles and organisation and planning needs to be structured to ensure productivity.  Secondly, it clearly outlines the roles that I should be performing whilst at school.  DETA jobs need to take priority when at my place of employment.  Remembering this may assist ti further enhance organisation and continue to combat the perceived perception of my staff in relation to my leadership and management time.

I’ll devote some time to reading and reflecting on the “Developing Performance Framework” from DETA, and using these templates to generate some further feedback and planning thoughts.  I’m now re-reading First Things First by Stephen Covey, Roger Merrill and Rebecca Merrill.  I have never read this completely so my focus is to read it, reflect and develop this plan as efficiently as possible.

I am in the throes of developing my own performance development plan.  It is more difficult than I expected.  I began by attempting to sit down with the templates provided to us by our administration.  A couple of entries appeared, then writers block.  I could not specify what development I saw as potential viable and achievable in each of the sections.  I think a major influence on this is the recent expansion of possibilities for my professional involvement in a range of activities.  Last year I could not have predicted or expected that I would be invited to assist in the range of professional development activities and curriculum projects that I currently have running.  In 2009, I believe I am the epitome of grabbing opportunity when it presents itself.  These opportunities have a significant impact on my primary role as a teacher and secondary role as a Head of Department, but ignoring the opportunities would be disadvantageous to my personal development.  There is no doubt in my mind that my involvement in all of these projects has improved my capability and performance as an educator.

So how does one develop a performance plan when they cannot necessarily predict the immediate future?  I need to be careful of how I phrase this plan as I don’t want commit to anything that may not be realistic or achievable.  If I can’t achieve it then it seems an ineffective use of time and resources to work towards it.

And then it hits me, like a wet rag in the face.  While I am thinking this and reflecting on my own position, I suddenly realise my management of staff may also significantly impact on their ability and motivation to develop a performance plan.  We all understand the formation of curriculum teams, and as a Head of Department I have allocated classes based on teacher competence and ability, with some consideration to their desires.  With the number of teachers I have, it is impossible to give everyone their “dream” subject or class.

So have I subconsciously pigeonholed certain staff members?  Has my choice of class allocation resulted in them similar feelings that I am now experiencing.  Has my management made them feel like their future is not something they can control?

Of cource the development of a performance plan should be generic and not rely on the type of classes and students they teach, but surely a teacher who is not completely happy with the classes they are allocated will not feel the desire to develop performance.  Surely it is possible if they believe they are not being challenged by the students or classes they have been allocated, that they feel they do not need to develop.  Or even worse – it is possible they feel that development of a performance plan this far out from timetabling for 2010 that allocation of classes may in fact interrupt their performance development.

I can think of at least four staff who may feel this way.  Four staff that I have inadvertently over the last couple of years subconsciously pigeonholed towards certain groups of students and certain curriculum areas.

And then there is the thought that when I expand a team within what is considered a “dream” subject, that others who were not included in the expansion but desired their own inclusion may also feel a motivational drain.  This is something I need to consider critically.  To initiate, I have asked each of my staff to consider the six (6) curriculum teams within the department and where they would like to be considered part of that team.  From this I will develop a concept map which will show me any gaps between staff desires and department requirements.  Its at this point I will need to make some decisions however this year they will be in consultation with my staff.

Now, back to my own performance plan.  I have come across a section of the EQ site that deals with performance development, and provides a range of templates to assist in reflection and planning.  I have not read in depth these materials as yet, but hope to do so over the next week or through the holidays.  If you are interested, here is the link – http://education.qld.gov.au/staff/development/performance/