Leadership?

 Our Education Board seem to have a number of problems.
 
They’ve no precise idea what constitutes a good education nor how to go about achieving one. Their Vision seems to say that they don’t like what we’ve got but it stops short of setting out a blueprint for what they want to replace the existing model with.
 
They’ve no real grasp of the problems getting in the way of Guernsey students achieving better results nor of how to resolve such problems. If they have then they haven’t told the rest of us. 

Maybe they just don’t want to wash their dirty linen in public. 

Understandable but I’d rather they tell the truth and shame the Devil if we’re trading old sayings.
 
They don’t even know precisely what they or the Guernsey public want or how to achieve it. To be fair though, nobody on the planet has yet come up with a gold standard education which we might all be willing to sign up to.
 
All of these problems has resulted in a Vision which lacks clarity, which doesn’t seem to know where it’s going or how exactly to get there.
 
These are mere assertions but I feel backed up by the fact that nobody reading the Vision or anything else coming out from The Grange at the moment will come away being able to tell you any of the above.
 
Maybe it’s just too big a problem to tackle all at one.
 
Maybe it would be better to fix what’s broken at the moment and then look for further improvements.
 
But first, you’ve got to know what’s broken.
 
Make a list.
 
Then take each item on that list and say why you think it is broken and what you think are the reasons contributing to it not working.
 
Then take each of those reasons in turn and state how you are going to change them to result in a better outcome.
 
Finally show what the end result will look like and how you will know when you’ve got there. Concrete expectations and concrete measurements of results.
 
If we do this and that measurable outcome happens, then we will deem our intervention a success.
 
I think it’s a variation of the scientific method. Factual, logical, and a model of clarity.
 
None of this sounds difficult but don’t be deceived. It is next to impossible if you don’t have a firm and thorough understanding of your remit as a base line to start from.
 
Maybe our Education Board do know exactly what they want and how to achieve to it but I doubt it.
 
Why else would they introduce the concept of Federation without setting out precisely what problems they need to solve, how precisely they intend to solve them, or what the criteria are for a successful outcome.
 
Instead they’ve come up with a vague idea and asked the Heads involved to be responsible for its success and implementation. Oh, and by the way, if it doesn’t work it’s because you’re not committed enough to our Vision and we won’t hesitate to blame you for its failure.
 
Is this the best way to lead?
 
No, of course not.
 
Maybe it’s time to revisit that Vision and put some meat on the bones.
 
Say it as it is and have the courage of your convictions. Be prepared to defend your position and to admit it if you are proved wrong. 

Even be prepared to admit that you don’t have all the answers and that perhaps those on the ground might just know better.
 
You’ll never be able to carry everyone with you but you should be able to convince the majority of your workforce that you know what the problems are and that your proposed solutions represent the best way forward to a successful resolution.
 
If you can’t convince your workforce, who will be the ones delivering your solution, then how are you going to convince the rest of us?
 
Of course, none of this is rocket science so I can’t see why it’s not being implemented. After all, our Education Board is made up of intelligent people.
 
So what am I missing?
 
Why does this Board seem to want to take an autocratic approach to everything and impose their will on the rest of us. Haven’t they learned the lessons from the past?
 
It doesn’t work!
 
What would I do?
 
Well, let’s take the Federation issue as an example.
 
I’d put together a survey to send to every teacher likely to be directly affected by our proposals.
 
These are the individual problems as we see them. Do you agree? Yes or No?
 
Are there any other problems?
 
These are what we think are causing these problems and these are the solutions? Again, do you agree? Yes or No?
 
What have we missed?
 
This is how we think the solutions should be implemented and these are the results we will measure our success by. Same questions as before.
 
Can you improve these suggestions?
 
Then I would give my email address and ask for input.
 
Are we looking at the right problems or have we missed something more important?
 
Have we identified the main drivers of those problems or are there more?
 
Have we got the best solutions and the best way of implementation?
 
Have you got any better ideas?
 
Then, after considering the responses, I’d feed back the responses in percentage terms for agreement, disagreement, and  no response.
 
I’d also detail the other problems and solutions identified and set out the reasons for my agreement or disagreement.
 
Finally I would set out the amended proposals having taken on board all of the feedback.
 
By now I would have a way forward which represents a broad consensus of those professionals affected by the changes.
 
So I have shown leadership by setting out my committee’s original proposals. I have listened to the feedback and I have amended our proposals to represent a consensus approach to the solution.
 
Then I would appoint a team to oversee implementation but with me as the Chairman and with overall responsibility. If it fails, it’s down to me.
 
That’s how I see strong leadership working.
 
Anyone agree?