Te Whai Toi Tangata Workshops

I have had the privilege to attend the Twilight Middle Leaders workshop presented by David Bradford. It was a full-on session with lots of practical ideas and 
guidance as to how to be a good leader. 

Here are some of the main points that stood out for me: 
- Allow people to talk - fairness is key. Don't share war stories. 
- If you go into a debate too soon, it is the loudest person that is heard first. 
- Start with dialogue, before discussion and/or debate. 
- The foundation for how we communicate is the school culture will influence
how we communicate. What are our shared understandings, the ways in which 
we engage e.g. giving the agenda out in advance. Riding the boundary - 
knowing when to do what - asking things like what is a priority - not just 
accepting things thrown at you. 
- Having a professional agency - where there are restorative practices and difficult
conversations. 
If colleagues are not doing what they are asked, start a conversation like this e.g.
"We've had this conversation before..." I have to ensure that I have my dates and 
data aligned, and have my facts straight. Work through the issue. If you don't, 
come to an agreement, shake hands and park things. 

This linked in with my initial appraisal meeting. My goals as a leader this year is to 
have a bank of tools so that I can make informed decisions about the best course of
action. 

So what:
I have to filter when colleagues ask me for help, is this something they can solve themselves, or is it something I need to help them with.
Research tools and put them to practice. Test and try.
Learn to prioritize in order to make deadlines.