How to retrain your brain for more effective conversations
By Dr Jacqui Patuawa on October 14, 2024 in Leadership
The complexity of the middle leader’s role is not to be underestimated. To mediate the tensions within the dichotomous nature of their role, middle leaders must be proficient in collaboratively solving achievement problems that impact teaching and learning.
However, research shows that middle leaders find it difficult to broach conversations about problematic teaching practices, and they often feel unprepared for these tough conversations. If you feel the same, you’re not alone.
These conversations are hard because middle leaders often struggle with the tension between resolving the complex problems they are faced with and keeping good relationships with teachers. To reduce this tension, they often prioritise the adult relationships and in doing so, avoid tackling the challenging issues that result in persistent inequity. This approach is explained by what we refer to as "control-focused" thinking and action (CFTA).
Control-focused thinking and action (CFTA)
CFTA is based on three motives:
Unilaterally defining goals: This causes leaders to pursue their goals and interests without learning about those of others, state their views as truths, and persuade others to their point of view.
Unilaterally controlling the process: This causes leaders to privately decide what can and cannot be discussed and to assume shared agreement.
Unilaterally protecting self and others: This causes leaders to avoid showing any hint of ineptness or impoliteness and to suppress feelings, and to avoid conflict or upset to others.
While most leaders advocate for high-quality conversations, in practice, many of these conversations are control focused. A literature review on professional conversations (Timperley, 2015) suggests that leaders talk in generalities, fail to make tacit knowledge explicit, gloss over differences to avoid offence, rarely seek clarification, and revert to telling others what to do.
So, if our intuitive response to challenge, which is suggested to explain 98 per cent of all human interaction in such circumstances, is ineffective, how do we go about changing our approach to reach a better outcome?
A more effective approach to problem solving
Learning-focused thinking and action (LFTA) provide an alternative and more effective approach to problem solving. This interpersonal and organisational process is one that fosters learning, trust, and effectiveness.
Originating in the seminal work of Argyris and Schön in the mid-1970s, LFTA comprises a theory and practice of how to have conversations that simultaneously resolve educational problems and maintain relationships.
LFTA is based on three motives:
Maximising valid information: This requires leaders to explicitly test the validity of their own and others’ thinking, reasoning, and feelings. This is critical to effective problem-solving because when leaders make their beliefs and the grounds for holding them transparent, teachers can understand the “why”.
Respect for self and others: This requires leaders to listen deeply and with curiosity, believing others to be well-intentioned, capable of learning and contributing to others’ learning. Showing deep respect facilitates open and honest disclosure about a problem’s nature and causes, the explicit checking with others for their agreement, and genuine inquiry to better understand teacher practice.
Building internal commitment: This requires leaders to build a sense of reciprocal accountability through ensuring ownership of decisions about how to progress the problem.
In essence, LFTA is effective because decisions are based on quality information and a commitment to shared outcomes.
Unlearning CFTA is the biggest challenge to learning LFTA. I describe it as a journey, not a destination! Our workshops use behavioural evidence to help you self-assess your default approach and improve it where opportunities present for you to do so.
If you are like many other middle leaders who feel ill-equipped and lacking confidence to navigate the challenges problem-solving conversations pose, you are not alone. There is limited PLD in Aotearoa NZ directly targeted to middle leaders’ development. We can help - book a consultation here.
Together, we can help you transform your ability to navigate the challenges of middle leadership.
To learn more get in touch with Dr Jacqui Patuawa today
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