Most go into education because of a passion for subject. When moving into management, few count on the daunting remit of balancing education quality and business effectiveness, administration and people leadership.^*

In more than twenty years working with education leaders, increasingly I see a rift hampering success. No-one wanted it, no-one designed it, but the rift happened incrementally because of a conflation of the above factors, and it is doing damage … unnecessarily!

“So often, leaders are seen as remote, uncommunicative, and locked in a world of pressure, while staff are locked in an operational vacuum, denied a sense of their worth in the strategic agenda.”

My advice: Shrink the divide with increased interaction with staff!

Muster your able skills to communicate—update, ‘close the loop’ on information and decisions, articulate the strategic message, explain the reason for change; and REQUIRE those reporting to you to connect similarly with those reporting to them. The results may be astounding.

With mindfulness and a little time, expect to see a new order of engagement and productivity emerging.

Find out more about simplifying your approach to leadership with COACH www.ownthegame.com.au

*Drew, G. (2006). Balancing Academic Advancement with Business Effectiveness: The dual role for university leaders. The International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management, 6(4), 117-125.

Dr Glenys Drew’s extensive research and practice has greatly benefitted the field of Organisational and Leadership Development in the education sector—delivering highly regarded organisational culture-building expertise through COACH, and previously at The University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology. Glenys is a recognised leader in facilitating empowering 360 feedback and growth processes for leaders, contributing 12 internationally refereed publications in this field.