At Southend High School for Boys, in England, we have learned to recognize the importance of our behavior as leaders in securing a climate for growth, excellence, and job satisfaction. Our state-funded school is located on the outskirts of London, serves an economically and socially diverse community, caters to 1,200 students ages 11–18, and has a national reputation for success in academic outcomes and sports. We know that sustaining the right climate—through holistic leadership—improves a school's reputation and effectiveness and secures greater efficiency, fewer absences, and reduced staff turnover (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2008).
All leaders in the school are evaluated annually by their team members using, in part, 10 dimensions of holistic leadership. It's an unusual and pioneering approach, but the behaviors we seek to adopt are the same we demand from others. Our understanding of holistic leadership involves all staff working together to
- Eliminate unnecessary tasks and unproductive ways of working. "If there's a better way, share it!"
- Provide mutual support for colleagues across the school. Everyone needs a trusted friend.
- Recognize and avoid unprofessional negativity. If something's not right, say it first to the person who needs to hear it.
- Assist struggling colleagues before they become swamped. Keep an eye out, offer a hand, and encourage efficient working practices.
- Watch out for the vicious cycle of excess workload leading to reduced productivity and a snowballing workload. We do what needs to be done, we do our best, we plan to make it happen, we stop when it's too much (and if we feel we cannot stop, we talk with our manager), and we fit the task to the time.
- Ensure that all colleagues are sustaining a healthy lifestyle and encouraging one another to pursue interests and activities that provide genuine relaxation, physical fitness, cultural stimulation, challenges, and rewards out of school.
- Make sure instructions for all tasks are clear, simple, and consistent. Clarity takes longer than confusion but ultimately saves time and reduces anxiety.
- Consider how we promote empathy as well as excellence and efficiency as well as effectiveness.
- Examine how we respond under pressure. We learn the signs of pressure in ourselves and in our colleagues and practice the tools to manage pressure before it overflows.
- Identify barriers to becoming more effective. We provide permission and trust for colleagues to develop their professionalism in the workplace.
Figure 1 illustrates the importance of each of the 10 dimensions. This single-page summary of these ideas explicitly states the benefits of each facet of holistic leadership and identifies unproductive leadership habits. It is an excellent tool for self-evaluation. Even better, you can use it as a tool for team reflections and ask your staff how, together, you might improve.
Figure 1. Ten Dimensions of Holistic Leadership
Ten Dimensions of Holistic Leadership-table
Dimension | Effectively deployed if colleagues … | Unproductive if colleagues … |
|---|---|---|
| Clarity | can fulfill their roles knowing exactly what is needed and when, with tools and resources readily available. | provide a level and detail of instruction that is out of proportion to the task or becomes micromanagement or include explanations that don't need to be part of the message. |
| Assertion | are confident about communicating clearly with the relevant person about issues within their work environment. | make statements that disallow alternative views, afford no time for reasonable responses, or offer commentary on another colleague's competence. |
| Openness | are ready to listen and consider alternatives (from any source) and willing to contribute freely to improvements (in any area). | present positive suggestions as critical evaluation, take the rejection of an idea as a personal slight, or make further suggestions unwelcome. |
| Trust | are assumed to understand and be able to fulfill their responsibilities and recognize the need for monitoring and evaluating approaches and outcomes. | confuse trust with a lack of support, use trust to justify a lack of clarity or resources, or perceive monitoring and evaluation as interference and criticism. |
| Permission | know the extent to which they have flexibility to make decisions about their work practices and are free to make responsible choices. | use the freedom to adopt individual working patterns as an excuse to do less, or make judgements about other colleagues' dedication or diligence based on their choices. |
| Professionalism | apply the highest standards of integrity and judgement within their role. | confuse professional status or position with superiority, or apply standards to others that are not reflected in their own conduct. |
| Self-responsibility | can regulate their own workload, manage their own pressures, plan for known demands, and accommodate unexpected demands. | allow the opportunity to take responsibility for oneself to become an excuse for allowing others to flounder. |
| Regard for others | are mindful of the well-being of others, don't escalate pressure or conflict, ease the way to be managed by others, and help others follow when being led. | show an intrusive concern for others, gossip about others' welfare, allow passivity to prevent progress, or tolerate underperformance. |
| Appreciation | recognize the efforts and contributions of those around them, even when the task or role is routine; say "thank you." | express thanks only in recognition of public or special efforts or use appreciation to flatter the recipient into accepting further demands. |
| Positivity | respond to challenges with a "can do" ethos, differentiate between what they can change and what is inevitable, and help others do the same. | don't notice or support abnormal pressures or don't identify or act upon key issues of difficulty. |
Source: Southend High School for Boys, Essex, UK, 2017