Effective Leadership for Human Flourishing
‘Thriving’ or ‘flourishing’ connects to how we approach the world and relate to one another, and importantly it connects to our productivity, wellness and indeed happiness.
Great schools enable flourishing. When teams are thriving the collective work inspires positive change. Every member of the team is supported to succeed. Environments are inclusive and equitable, intrinsic motivation is fostered, high levels of commitment, loyalty and positive energy are promoted, and all members are affected.
Schools demand intense energy output. Indeed, the multifaceted and dynamic nature of school environments necessitates cultures of collaboration. There is a need to work together as a collective to create optimal learning environments for students and to yield positive benefits for both staff and students.
Leadership plays a crucial role in building strong, resilient and thriving teams that drive school success. The strength of a school lies in the quality of one-on-one relationships, and in how individuals support one another. Effective educational leaders create environments where collaboration, supportive accountability, inclusivity, and continuous learning are prioritised.
By fostering intrinsic motivation and commitment among staff, leaders can take steps to ensure that each member feels valued and empowered to contribute to the collective goals of the school. Consider Charles Handy's poem…
‘The e’s of organisational success
are the things which trigger
energy, excitement, enthusiasm, effort, effervescence and enterprise.
Everyone is full of ‘e’ in all its forms.
The trick is to release the ‘e’ -
the excitement as well as the effort,
the enthusiasm as well as the energy.
The more organisations can match these personal ‘e’ factors
and bubble with them
the more successful and fun they will be.”
Charles Handy, Inside Organisations (1999)
So, how do we know if our team is thriving?
Consider our ‘Indicators for a Thriving Team’. Give each indicator below a rating of 1 - 5. 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree.
Team Foundations & Functionality
Agreements - The team has clearly articulated team agreements to support team collaboration and trust. Agreements include how decisions will be made.
Environments - The team creates an environment of psychological safety. All members feel the safety that is needed to take on tasks connected to change.
Procedures - The team uses effective procedures and tools, including protocols, to guide team functioning and support team process.
Evaluation - The team has a process to evaluate team process and productivity.
Trust - Team members are free to speak up with ideas, questions, concerns, and ask for help. Mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth.
Heathy Conflict - The team has dialogue and debate when it comes to finding the best idea or solution.
Commitment to Decisions - Team members buy into decisions without hidden reservations or hesitation, and planned actions reflect commitment.
Accountability - Team members hold each other accountable for delivering against planned actions.
Achievement of Collective Results - The team has sufficient focus on goals. Milestone markers and team goals are present in the minds of all members to accomplish what the team sets out to achieve.
Wellbeing & Positive Psychology
Positive emotions - Happiness, optimism, confidence, pleasure, hope, interest, joy, compassion, pride, amusement, and gratitude are intentionally nurtured.
Engagement - Team members are able to contribute to team goals by taking on responsibilities that lean into their individual strengths.
Relationships - All team members feel supported and valued by others on the team. Purposeful actions are sustained to foster strong bonds and better relationships.
Moral Purpose - We understand and agree on our team’s why.
Accomplishment - All team members are focused on the accomplishment of team goals which are accessible and visible. Personalized professional learning pathways for all team members sits within a supportive culture of coaching. Professional learning is elevated and celebrated.
Inclusion & Intercultural Sensitivity
Cultural Bias - Team members intentionally tackle implicit biases, develop self-awareness, and awareness of blind spots.
Identity - All members bring their multiple identities to collaborate productively and engage respectfully.
Inclusion - Meetings are not only well facilitated and focused, and result in clear outcomes, they are also deliberately designed for inclusion.
Belonging - All team members can be their authentic selves and feel accepted and valued. Team members share experiences and expertise openly, participate and take risks.
Diversity - Diversity is embraced to positively impact cultural exchange. All team members are able to integrate and feel comfortable. Anti-racist practices are intentionally taken to actively identify and oppose racism.
How might you use these indicators as a tool for discussion with your team to promote individual and collective growth?
Our ‘Indicators for a Thriving Team’ draws on the work of Lencioni for team effectiveness, Seligman for wellbeing / positive psychology, Bennett for intercultural sensitivity, and Aguilar for coaching teams.
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FURTHER READING:
Seligman, M., (2010) Flourish: Positive Psychology and Positive Interventions