Recent high profile resignations in politics and sporting organisations have come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the demands of people in leadership positions over the past couple of years. The extraordinary challenges experienced by leaders at all levels has taken its toll, and some are finding it is time to take a step back. But what of the leaders in education who don't have the ability to step back and take time off, needing instead to keep working despite the stress they might be experiencing?
Leadership training
For some leaders working in school and early childhood education, the demands of education leadership can be overwhelming. Many of these leaders are younger than their counterparts in the corporate sector, and often lack the specific leadership training and skillset that can help them succeed and stay the course through challenging times. They haven't trained as leaders initially - they cut their educational teeth instead on mastering lesson planning, class management, evidence based reading practice and child centred planning. They often didn't set out to become leaders,; it was just something that happened along the way.
Early career leaders can find it challenging
without a strong set of leadership skills
Early career education leaders
These younger, early career leaders are often stuck in the unenviable position of needing to work in a student or child facing role, as well as carry out their leadership responsibilities. And for someone who may only be in their twenties and without access to a range of leadership skills in their toolkit, this is a tall order. Little wonder then, we are seeing many middle level education leaders heading for the door or buckling under the weight of stress. This isn't stress like 'oh I've had a hard day today,' but deep, lasting and overwhelming stress., which eventually turns to burnout - and that's damaging for educators, education systems, children and young people and the wider community.
Stress can lead to burnout which can be damaging for educators and students alike
Finding leadership solutions
So what solutions can we apply to help young leaders in education? Here's some useful tips to support early career education leaders manage their twin responsibilities of teaching and caring along with leading a team:
Take time for you - it might sound like a no brainer, but setting aside specific time each day to have lunch, take a quick walk or a stretch and some quiet time can work wonders. A few minutes dedicated to personal time each day can be really effective in reducing stress and preventing burnout.
Reflection journals - these are great for helping you take stock of situations when they arise and learning from them. The simple SEAL acronym is a handy one for writing or drawing your ideas about the Situation, the Effect it had, Action taken in response to the situation and the Learning you took away from it.
Sharing the load - a great leadership tool at this level is to learn how to share the load rather than doing everything yourself. Master the art of delegating tasks then checking back in to make sure they've been done.
Leadership style - find the right leadership style for you, your team and the situation. If your education team has lots of diverse skills and experience, make the most of it and encourage others to share, collaborate and work together to achieve the goals of your team. Conversely, if you are leading an inexperienced team you might need to lead from the front and provide lots more direction and clear instructions about what you want, when and how.
Professional development - look out for PD which can help you quickly and simply build a strong set of leadership skills. This doesn't mean accessing a year long training program but rather seeking out those nuggets of useful information that you can use as tools when the situation is right. Build leadership into your PD plan so you are ready to capitlise on professional learning opportunities when they arise.
Mentoring - this is a great way to build some handy leadership skills, particularly if your mentor is an experienced leader who knows the theory behind what works, and can give you some tips on putting evidence into practice. Watch what your mentor does and notice the verbal and body language they use, as well as how they approach challenging situations and avoid becoming overwhelmed themselves.
A reflection journal is a handy way of analysing
experiences you have as a leader
If you or someone in your team is a young or early career leader in education, remember to allow some time and space for learning the fundamentals of leadership. Good leaders take time and guidance from many dimensions before they feel really comfortable in their role,. The effort is well worthwhile in the long run, as these young leaders become the senior managers of tomorrow, and will be well placed to direct our schools and early childhood settings into the future.
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