AD Connect
April 8th 2019
Getting the Most From Your Team
Getting The Most From Your Team
At some point in most people’s careers, they have felt underappreciated or undervalued. In stressful times, it’s easier than ever for leaders to come across as demanding and maybe even insensitive to the needs or concerns of employees. I’m sure I’ve unintentionally been guilty of doing that myself. While it’s an understandable human emotion, it can kill your team’s productivity. The moment that your employees begin to feel that you don’t appreciate them and that they’re only on board to row, you’ve immediately impacted their output.
Here are five suggestions that will help you to avoid the hard and soft costs of poorly engaged employees:
Suggestion #1—Form Relationships Built on Trust
Strong, effective relationships are built on trust. If you don’t have strong, trust-based relationships with your people, everything you do to recognize them will be seen as manipulation. When employees feel that you are using recognition to “get more out of them” rather than to show that you value them personally, they begin to emotionally disengage and morale suffers.
Suggestion #2—Show Them Respect
One of the best ways to demonstrate respect is by defining employee expectations and avoiding micromanaging. Most employees respond well to being given enough rope to hang themselves, as long as their job is well defined and they are allowed to fail periodically without fear of unrealistic retribution. Respected employees are more alert, creative, and productive. When they do make a mistake, they’ll fix it, move on confidently and won’t make that mistake again.
Suggestion #3—Nurture Creativity
Trusted and respected employees with leaders who reinforce the fact that they have some flexibility to try new things will surprise you with the creative ingenuity that they bring to their work. The best part is that you get this for the same price you’re paying unhappy employees who are doing just enough to get by.
Suggestion #4—I See You
In the hustle and bustle of our days, it’s easy to walk through the halls of the school and not meaningfully engage with our staff. Take the time to make 1:1 check ins about the professional and personal parts of people’s lives. “I know you spend a lot of extra time working on that project, and I appreciate it. What are you working on now that you are really proud of? What’s hard right now, and how can I support you? How was your daughter’s event last night? How is your mom recovering from her surgery?” And sometimes...a simple “thank you” will do.
Suggestion #5-Our Work is More Than a Job
Keep employees feeling their work is more than just a job.
Everyone wants to feel that his or her work has a higher purpose. Sometimes, though, that purpose gets lost in the day-to-day grind.
When The Cat's Away...
Coaching Focus
Below are some of the topics we will discuss during upcoming coaching visits. I will add more detailed notes/questions to your coaching document prior to us meeting, but please be prepared to discuss the following:
STAAR/SSI Plans -What is the plan for borderline students or students projected not to meet standard while we wait for SSI I results? Does your plan included the following components: student groups, calendar of review days, identification of high leverage SEs, daily LOs and DOLs, system to monitor how teachers track progress, daily schedule that maximize instructional time?
Tracking progress towards T-PESS goals -Artifacts for your consulted performance review are due on May 2. How have you been tracking progress toward your goals? What artifacts do you have that shows progress? What are your next steps?
Stay and exit interviews -Recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers is the single most important thing we can do to improve student performance. What systems do you have in place to ensure you are retaining your most effective teachers or helping ineffective teachers move on to other careers?
T-TESS -The deadline to conduct summative conferences in May 8. Be sure that all checks are green in Performance Matters. What T-TESS or ALFTA observations do you still need to finalize? Here is a copy of the T-TESS timeline from Human Resources to remind you of all related deadlines.
Campus funds - With changes to the fiscal year, it’s more important than ever that you pay close attention to timelines and utilize your full budget within the timelines provided to you. Together we will discuss remaining funds and final plans for expenditures.
STAAR Reminders
A couple things to remember as we prepare for testing next week:
*Be sure each teacher gets their conference time. If you need to schedule it for a different time, do so as soon as possible and provide the time in increments no less than 45 minutes.
*Ensure each teacher gets a duty free lunch every day.
*Monitor, monitor, monitor. Make sure you have adequate supervision in place to address issues as they arise.
District Principal Advisory Committee
I am excited to announce that the principal advisory committee has been selected to represent our area. Here is a list of each representative by area. I will share more information about the date and topic for the first meeting soon.
Elementary:
Raelyn Scroggins
Keith Ellis
Jeffrey Waller
Patricia Tatum
Teresa McCutcheon
Jill Vincent
Cheryl Alexander
Amie Pennington
Jackie Rhymes
Secondary
John Fishpaw
Darrin Hemphill
Coleman Bruman
Don Hernandez
Holly Hines
Counseling
Data Analysis and Student Goal Setting
IST Reassurance
Great Site that integrates with Google Classroom and Google slides...Thanks Jill!!!
Check out how Northlake is influencing the Eating habits of their learners!
New Data Reports
Every Date that you Never Knew you always wanted to know...
April 9 - 5th Math and 4th Writing STAAR
April 10 - 5th Reading STAAR
April 12-GEF Golf Tournament
April 15-Excel Awards at CCC
April 22-New Image Awards at CCC
April 23-Teacher of the Year Luncheon
April 19-Student-staff holiday
May 3-T-PESS Consolidated Performance Assessment due
May 6-GISD Retirement Celebration
May 8-Last Day for T-TESS Summatives
May 13-3rd & 4th Math STAAR
May 14-3rd & 4th Reading STAAR
May 22-MAP window closes