5 Steps to take this summer to improve Campus Culture and Climate

Principals, you know that fear of failure has a killing effect on the campus culture. It will starve the instructional climate, infuse teams with intimidation and distrust, and stop innovation in its tracks. Here's the post where I've listed the effects that fear of failure has on teachers and administrators. Now, let's tackle the fear of failure and provide solutions to campus culture. Here are five simple steps you can take this summer to drastically change the culture and climate of your campus.

1. Ask Questions
2. Synthesize the Information
3. Give Feedback
4. Invite Change
5. Do It

Step One: Ask Questions

Now that the teachers can breathe, can relax, and live without the intensity of 30 students and minute by minute pressures, let's talk to them. More importantly, let's listen. Here are two questions that will give you valuable information:

• What are two things that went really well this year at our school? Two things that helped you or your students perform well?
• Off the top of your head, what are two things you think we could change to make our work more successfully? There are a lot of things we may not be able to change, but what are two things that pop into your mind we could improve?

On summer work days or professional development try to show up. In the mix of summertime banter, be sure to do this critical step, ask questions. Then make a phone call to your teachers who you haven't spoken to in person. Share your appreciation of them. Then ask the two questions. If there is anyone you haven't heard from, be sure to finally use email.

You might be amazed at the information you will gather. You will have to listen, though...there will be a variety of valuable perspectives.

Step Two: Synthesize the Information

Don't stop at step one. If you list all of the responses from your teachers and staff, you will have several dozen different statements. Useless. It needs to be processed...what are the trends? What is really being said? If two teachers said, "we could use a shared calendar" and "we could use more communication", it's likely they are saying the same thing.

In three sentences, summarize the most commonly expressed answers to your questions. Then make a short list of the 5-8 most frequently mentioned areas for improvement. Everyone loves a list! And three sentences keeps you to the point!

Step Three: Give Feedback

Now it's time to take a risk. How well did you listen? You're about to share your synthesized information back to your teachers. You listened, now you're telling your campus what you heard. (Why is this important...its one of 9 traits for effective principals!) Email them to thank them for their honesty and share the three sentence summary and the 5-8 bullets. Keep the invite open for anyone who wasn't able to talk with you the first go round.

Step Four: Invite Change

With the feedback, invite teachers who want to be a part of an action team that will meet a couple of weeks before the start of school...somewhere in August. The team will meet for no more than three hours. Their role is to help you create no more than 3 steps for action. They will discuss the feedback and decide on the steps needed to make improvements. CAUTION: we are not creating a 30-page document to be given to the central office and sit on a shelf! Teachers must be assured of this. This is a real team, for real action.

Oh yeah, dig deep and show appreciation for the teachers who get involved. Gift cards, fun location, good food, etc... Remember, we are shaping the culture and climate...not grinding an ax!

Step Five: Do It

Experienced teachers are worn out with surveys, meetings, and plans that collect dust. The worst thing that can be done for your culture and climate is to do nothing after steps 1-4! If the plan is 3 or less steps, then it is doable. If it really addressed teacher input, then your campus will want it done. And that's the magic of these 5 steps. You don't have to sell them. You don't need "buy-in". You have commitment to the plan because it wasn't your plan. It belongs to the teachers'. And when you have commitment, you have just destroyed fear of failure. You have replaced it with genuine involvement and innovation!

Good luck this summer!!!

Here's the recent post that explains why campus culture is more important than curriculum & instruction for school improvement.

A simple change to give teachers voice in their accountability.