Monday, January 26, 2009

Reflection makes a true leader..............???????????

Indeed reflection is an essence for improvement as it necessitates the engagement in thoughtful and careful reporting and analysis of past practices and experiences, thus offering valuable insight into one's leadership progress.....One important lesson I learned at the recent training programme I attended. It is necessary therefore for me to move from the basic level of acceptance of the way things are in my way of working, to a level of critical examination, self assessment and new visions.
Our PTteacher is a person who would rather be left off responsibilities and at the same time would grumble if someone is appreciated or rewarded for a work well done.I have been able to smell a senior----junior conflict brewing in the staff room. SO IT IS BECOMING ALL THE MORE NECESSARY FOR ME TO MOVE ON TO A NEW VISION.....
Due to an unprecedented shoot out and supposedly police encounter with terrorists in the area where i stay, it became impossible for me to go to my school for the flag hoisting ceremony on the republic day.Normally the principal hoists the flag and all the teachers and students in the locality join the ceremony. This year I wouldnt be able to reach for the flag hoisting, but the ceremony has to go on.. instead of being disappointed, I decided to make this into a positive venture to change things.
I immediately called the PT teacher and told him my problem and asked him to plan things as per his insight.I was actually aiming at projecting a reflective leadership by wise delegation and effective conflict management.well........................
Around 10. I got a phone call from the PT teacher. He was unusually eloquent and gave a detailed account of then entire ceremony and also that he felt the senior most teacher who is due to retire in two months time should me the one to hoist the flag.he gave me the minutest detail as to who all attended, how many students came etc etc....He was totally excited and thanked me profusely for trusting him....and so on....the icing on the cake was yet to come....after about 10 minutes I received around fifteen calls in quick succession from various senior and junior teachers.senior teachers praised the effort and leadership of the PTI and the junior teachers were thrilled at the recognition given to a junior teacher and they vowed to work hand in hand with the senior faculty members henceforth.........
Oh GOD!!!!!!!My mission accomplished!!!...may be this is the beginning of reflections passing on to my teachers too.I feel certain now that I will be able to provoke in teachers the ability to notice odd and unexpected things, become curious, enquire and explore and adjust student learning processes accordingly.I feel I have set the ball rolling and there would be more of interactions among my teachers. This is my chance to project the kind of leadership quality i attained from the recent training. and the wise delegation has helped me to manage and erase the conflict in the staff room to a great extend i hope.I would definitely have more people catching the ball of responsibility when i throw it at the group, rather than having to thrust the ball on the same person/persons always

1 comment:

Indian Home Maker said...

That was a good experience... and smart working :) You are a Principal in a school? I read Usha Pisharody's blog too and I read your post on asking children and faculty to write what they understood by holding hands, lovely idea!