He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.
What is the food of the leader? It is knowledge. It is communication.
Module Objectives:
- Critically analyse and evaluate your own communication style and its impact on various stakeholder groups within the school and wider community.
- Strategically apply advanced communication techniques to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and foster shared understanding amongst diverse teams.
- Develop and implement proactive strategies to cultivate and maintain high levels of relational trust with staff, students, whānau, and external partners, even amidst challenging circumstances.
- Articulate the nuanced relationship between relational trust, effective communication, and their role in leading school-wide initiatives and fostering a positive school culture.
- Evaluate and apply relevant leadership frameworks and research to inform their approach to communication and trust-building within a leadership context.
As Deputy and Associate Principals, you are pivotal in shaping the relational landscape of your kura. This module challenges you to consider communication and trust through a strategic leadership lens.
Deepening Understanding of Communication Styles:
For Deputy Principals, a nuanced understanding of communication involves:
- Contextual Agility: Recognising how different contexts necessitate adaptable communication approaches, considering power dynamics and potential sensitivities.
- Strategic Messaging: Crafting clear, consistent, and compelling messages aligned with the school’s vision and values.
- Active Listening and Inquiry: Employing sophisticated listening techniques to understand perspectives and facilitate constructive dialogue.
- Non-Verbal Communication and Presence: Cultivating a leadership presence that conveys confidence, empathy, and approachability.
- Conflict Navigation through Communication: Utilising advanced communication skills to mediate conflict and guide teams towards resolution.
Resources:
- MindTools – offers numerous articles and tools on communication skills. Explore what is useful for you, from effective written communication to listening skills and everything in between!: https://www.mindtools.com/c_CommunicationSkills.htm
- TED Talk: Julian Treasure – “How to speak so that people want to listen”: https://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_how_to_speak_so_that_people_want_to_listen
- Article: “Four Ways to Communicate with More Empathy” – Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2022/08/4-ways-to-communicate-with-more-empathy
Elevating Relational Trust in Leadership:
For Deputy Principals, building relational trust involves establishing a school-wide culture of trust through:
- Leading with Transparency and Integrity: Demonstrating consistent ethical behaviour and fostering open communication.
- Empowering and Distributing Leadership: Trusting staff with autonomy and fostering shared ownership.
- Strategic Vulnerability: Demonstrating appropriate vulnerability to encourage shared learning and support.
- Navigating Difficult Conversations with Empathy and Courage: Addressing challenging issues directly and with empathy.
- Building Trust with Diverse Communities: Adapting communication and engagement strategies to build meaningful partnerships.
- Accountability and Follow-Through: Consistently following through on commitments.
- Systemic Approaches to Trust Building: Implementing school-wide initiatives that promote trust.
Resources:
- Article: “The Trust Factor” – Educational Leadership (ASCD): https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-trust-factor
- Video: Brené Brown – “The power of vulnerability” (TED Talk) – while not education-specific, offers valuable insights into building trust through vulnerability: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability
Task:
Reflecting on Communication and Trust in Practice:
Consider a recent situation where effective communication significantly contributed to building or maintaining relational trust within your school, or conversely, where a communication challenge impacted trust.
Discuss with your learning partner the key communication strategies employed (or not employed) and their impact on the level of trust. Post a summary of your discussion and key insights on the forum (150 words maximum).
Assessment:
- Completion of all readings.
- Participation in the online forum discussion.
- Conversation with learning partner and subsequent post on forum
3 Responses
This was a timely topic for me as I start my new role in a larger school environment and how I adjust my communication strategies to suit. Having been very comfortable in my previous school; having strong trusting relationships and understanding the various ways to communicate with the different personalities, it is a challenging move to find yourself in a new space where you are not sure about the communication strategies to use with staff and nor are they sure about you – some confusion and misunderstandings need to be carefully navigated.
If Jane Modoono is correct, and I think she is, trust is the foundation for collaboration which is what makes organisations excel. I think then the most important job to do on arrival into a new position is to build trust.
The biggest challenge has been working for the first time with a second DP alongside me. One who has communication skills that are massively different to my own. Trying to find that space where we both recognise and appreciate each other’s way of communicating and responding so as to best serve each other in our collaborative role has been challenging. We had a very real (courageous) conversation just yesterday, which left me exhausted and feeling very vulnerable, but today at school, there is a clear change of behaviour and a newfound respect for each other’s perspective, and both of us are working hard to meet the other’s needs. Those challenging conversations are raw and jarring, but (in this instance) so worthy of the time.
Communication and Trust Reflection
In a recent situation, trust was impacted when a team leader consistently shut down team input regarding daily meetings, leading to frustration and disconnection. After discussing the issue with the team leader, I drew on Brené Brown’s concept of “armoured vs. daring leadership” from Dare to Lead, encouraging her to consider vulnerability as a strength. Initially, she reacted defensively and left the meeting abruptly. However, the following day, she demonstrated a shift—emailing her team to reduce meetings to once a week. This action aligned with daring leadership and helped rebuild trust by showing she was willing to listen and be open to change. This experience highlighted that effective communication, especially when grounded in empathy and courage, can repair strained relationships and foster a more trusting team culture.
It was great to catch up yesterday, Sioned. I think your example perfectly demonstrates the powerful act of being vulnerable and showing courage The team leader had to swallow her pride a little (this refers to Brene Brown’s connection between vulnerability, shame and connection. The team leader’s courage to be vulnerable allowed trust to be built within her team.