Sandwiched in the Middle
Leadership Contingency 1 - Sandwiched Negotiator
Leaders can’t do it all - and they almost certainly never have. What they can do is solve tightly specified problems while leveraging other sources of influence to help them along the way. This refreshing perspective is presented in Suze Wilson’s "Thinking Differently about Leadership" (2017). Wilson proposes a flexible, conceptual framework that allows for the invention of forms of leadership that are uniquely tailored to the specific problems we face. This approach treats leadership as a contingent invention, a process uniquely adapted to its context. This is in contrast to large, unwieldy leadership frameworks which setup an ideal that is almost impossible to live up to.
Drawing from my decade-long experience as a Faculty Leader of Maths and my collaborations with over 100 Heads of Faculty in that time, I found myself pondering how to extend Wilson's concept. Could we identify leadership behaviours or actions, "Leadership Contingencies," that are essential for Faculty Leaders to develop in a school-based context?
This exploration isn't about crafting a perfect leadership framework but instead identifying common threads from research literature that could serve as a 'Top 10' for Faculty Leaders. In this post, I will delve into the first of these Leadership Contingencies, often overlooked but immensely critical.
Leadership Contingency 1 - Sandwiched Negotiator
The Faculty Leader often finds themselves in a challenging position, having to translate key school policies into a succinct message for their team, while also ‘pushing back’ to the school’s senior leaders on behalf of their team. This dual role creates tension between advocating for senior directives and defending faculty interests. That is, alternating between being a Senior Leadership Advocate and a Faculty Team Defender. This requires them to be an expert as the Sandwiched Negotiator.
Here are three typical scenarios that illustrate the tensions for the Sandwiched Negotiator:
Scenario 1 - Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Consultation Conundrum
One common scenario is the SLT announcing a decision and expecting the Faculty Heads to advocate for it. While Faculty Heads may have been included in some discussions, the decision may not have been partially or fully endorsed by them. The challenge arises when the Faculty Leader has to communicate and advocate this decision to their team, especially when the decision is contentious. For example, it could be a change to the Faculty timetable, a staffing decision, a new teaching and learning policy or a request for curriculum planning documents. This calls for the development of strategies to handle such situations, which often involve careful negotiation and trade-offs for the benefit of the team (and students).
Scenario 2 - Navigating the Competency Trap
Another challenge is overcoming resistance to new methods, technologies, or practices - the essence of the Competency Trap. For example, let's consider a situation where the SLT introduces professional development around Cognitive Load Theory. The Faculty Leader, now advocating on behalf of the SLT, must carry this torch and resolve resistance from their team. The act of constant pivoting between advocacy and defence often leads to feelings of isolation among middle leaders as they often end up in a camp of their own.
Scenario 3 - The High Need for Affiliation (HNF) Dilemma
Leaders with a HNF often prioritise harmony and approval over difficult decisions or providing critical feedback. Over time, strong leadership emerges as Faculty Heads accept the need to push for unpopular reforms. For example, using the results of assessment to make ongoing adjustments to curriculum delivery may not prove popular because of the time it takes. However, it is better to focus on building strong foundations than to move on with teaching regardless of student progress.
Conclusion
A Faculty Leader needs to find a balance between being a Senior Leadership Advocate and a Faculty Team Defender, while also pushing through their own reform agenda. This 'Sandwiched in the Middle' phenomenon is perhaps one of the most taxing challenges for emerging leaders and requires assuming the role of Sandwiched Negotiator. While it has the potential to lead to feelings of powerlessness and isolation, it can also present an opportunity for growth. The ability to navigate these tensions and produce positive outcomes is indeed a valuable skill for any leader. This exploration has just begun, and in future posts, I will delve deeper into the Leadership Contingencies critical to middle leadership in schools. Stay tuned!
References / Further Reading
Bennett-Powell, G and Thorpe, A. (2014). The perceptions of secondary school middle leaders regarding their needs following a middle leadership development programme. Management in Education, 28(2), 52-57.
Busher, H. (2005) School Leadership & Management. Being a middle leader: exploring professional identities. School Leadership & Management. 25:2, 137-153.
Busher, H. Hammersley, L. Turner, C. (2007). Making sense of middle leadership: community, power and practice. School Leadership & Management. 27:5. 405-422.
Brundrett, M & Irvine, P. (2016). Middle Leadership and its Challenges: a case study in the secondary independent sector. Management in Education, 30:2, 86–92.
Gleeson, D. Glover, D. Gough, G. Johnson, G. (1998). The Meaning of Management: The Development Needs of Middle Managers. Educational Management and Administration, 26:3, 279-292. .
Wilson, S. (2017). Thinking Differently about Leadership: A Critical History of Leadership Studies. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.