Helping your teams to thrive in autumn term 2

I’m not a huge believer in obvious or cliché claims of cause and effect. Even as a child I found it irritating when someone linked being outside for too long with catching a cold. Sometimes, things just happen! Don’t read too much into it.

But, when you run staff surveys throughout the school year, you tend to notice trends that correlate both to the season, and your school’s own calendar of events. Unsurprisingly, I’ve always found that staff morale takes a dip in November and December. Indeed, cross-sector research shows similar patterns – it’s just not much fun to work during late autumn, into winter! And that’s before we even think about individual workplace cultures.

For one thing, we all get sick of not being able to see our own houses in daylight. The pitch black commute soon wears thin, then we become tired, and, if you’re like me, more irritable. I was cursing the insanely bright headlights ricocheting off my eyes within the first hour of a dark drive to work in October, and yes, I say that every year.

The autumn term is gruelling, even if you are lucky enough to get a two-week break in October! Often 15 weeks in length, the autumn term brings with it a litany of events and actions to add to our already high workload: mock exams, assessment cycles, data drops, parents’ evenings, open evenings, school admission windows, build-up of admin, pastoral and safeguarding is at full tilt… I could go on!

It’s also at this point, a couple of months in, when we notice what sort of habits are embedded since the start of September. At this point in term, what is student behaviour like? Is that thing we introduced actually working? What was the impact on that timetable change we made? Staff are noticing which norms are going well, and which are adding to stress or workload.

Teams have a lot on their plate in the latter stages of the autumn term, and it’s no wonder that morale and contentment can diminish. I should add at this stage, that I love working in schools, and education is the most wonderful profession. But this is a tough time of year, so thinking of strategies to support our staff is no sleight on teaching!

So, here’s what teams and their leaders can ask and evaluate to help their teams thrive, whatever the time of year.

Does the team have a voice?

Challenges arise in busy moments; during long weeks, obstacles can lead to resentment, if there isn’t a vehicle to voice your views and ask for help. The team leader should proactively check in with team members, and consider regular surveys to help understand climate and the effectiveness of certain processes. You don’t have to be able to solve every problem that the team are experiencing, but listening to concerns and taking note of what the realities of the team are will go a long way.

Are things being followed up on and improved?

Healthy teams provide a lot of feedback and feel open to contribute their views and ideas. The leader’s role is to decide which things they can improve and act upon, and which to log for later. Adam Robbins writes about keeping a ‘snagging list’ for teams to fill in, which is a brilliant idea to collect feedback from the group. However, the team will lose faith in the process if things aren’t returned to. Use team meetings to discuss which feedback you’ve been able to act upon, and which you haven’t. Be honest – share what’s possible and what’s not, or why you’ve made some changes and not others.

Are the team focusing on their vision and purpose, and doing purpose-filled work?

We know that people feel good, and work well, when they possess an inherent sense of purpose about their work and making contributions to things bigger than themselves. In September, we may have outlined our vision, purpose, and mission, with gusto and inspiration. It might have been a brilliant launch to the year, full of shared mission and sense of pride at what could be achieved. But, two months down the line, is this being lived out? Does the team still share these feelings? Or has the build up of work and a ‘head down’ approach meant that morale is starting to fade and our purpose has been forgotten?

Sometimes when November roles around, those purposing conversations feel like a distant memory. So bring them back. Remind the group of who they are and what they are trying to achieve. Make vision and purpose part of the every day. And, if you can, reduce administrative or other tasks that are less purpose-filled, and find ways to help team members spend time on activities that help contribute to their mission.

Are the team learning things together?

I often find that teams start off with good intentions about their learning together, but this often peters out. Leadership Teams start off by doing leadership CPD on a rota at the start of meetings, but it might fade once operational activities becoming demanding. English departments might do knowledge or research sharing, only to replace it with moderation when the mocks come in. But teams should always prioritise their learning as a group. It’s enjoyable, enriching, energising, and most importantly, feeds back into your team’s processes and effectiveness. Don’t let November and December distract you from team learning!

Does the team acknowledge challenges and successes, to build collective efficacy?

When the going gets tough, it’s easy to get your head down and just plough on through the jobs list. Teams can build improve collective efficacy by acknowledging their current challenges and successes. If successes, then start with what worked well, why, and explore some gratitude towards this; if challenges, then discuss what is challenging, how can we overcome it, and, when we have faced similar challenges, what did we do as a group to succeed?

It’s important not to bury the good or the bad – every experience the team has can be reflected upon to see how we have, could, and will solve problems together as a group.

Team behaviours

Sometimes, busy people fall out, assume the worst in each other, or just become detached when they are trying to get through the week. Great teams discuss what their values and behaviours are. How will we treat each other as a group? How do we ask for, or offer each other support? When things go wrong – how do we respond? If one of us drops the ball, how do the others respond? If we feel aggrieved by something that goes on within the team, what do we do to resolve it and move forward together? These conversations are important, and will equip the team well during the busy times.

Teaming, under the bonnet, has many domain-specific elements to it. Every team has an established body of knowledge that it requires to succeed. But teaming is also a people a game. And we must look after each other in this busy term, so that we can fulfil our purpose, manage our workloads effectively, and increase our belonging and professional joy at being part of something effective and bigger than ourselves.

Thanks for reading.

http://www.x.com/mr_crome