Leading for Creativity Bill Lowe Newman University Birmingham Thinking Schools Conference 2014.

Leading for CreativityBill LoweNewman University Birmingham

Thinking Schools Conference 2014

Purpose:

Explore the strategies used to lead creative teams in industry and see if any can be applied in educational settings

In order to:

•Confirm what we do well and help others to learn from our expertise

•Learn from successful colleagues

•Have a good understanding of what we can’t realistically do... at the moment

Working from:Leading creative people: Orchestrating expertise and relationshipsMumford, Scott, Gaddis and Strange (2002) The Leadership Quarterly 13 p705-750

Effective leadership of creative colleagues in English primary schoolsBill Lowe (2010) Management in Education Vol 24:2 p69-73

The Creative LeaderBill Lowe (2013) School Leadership Today Vol 5:1

A premium on creativity

Leaders have a particularly powerful

influence

Leadership of creative people requires expertise

Tactics need to be consistent with the needs

of creative teams

There are some things we think we cannot do in

schoolsThe one thing we can’t offer?

Process

As a group: work through Mumford’s Propositions

in order to

• Identify what we already do•Consider what we could do•Explain our rejection of what we cannot do

Why is this an issue?

•Some leadership styles inhibit innovation•Creative potential is not always related to

performance•Creative work needs sustained attention

and will often have negative feedback• It is demanding, time-consuming and

resource intensive

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Albert Einstein

“Good ideas are a dime a dozen. What’s

hard is taking an idea and turning into something special.”

Stan Williams. Hewlett-Packard Research Fellow.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.jhunewsletter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/B7_albert_einstein.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.jhunewsletter.com/2013/10/18/whats-so-special-about-albert-einsteins-brain-60202/&docid=IbvTaByN6I4H0M&tbnid=nBFzEuL3K_AnBM:&w=400&h=511&ei=kbCMU-BowYbIBOjLgNAG&ved=0CAIQxiAwAA&iact=c

A ‘creative culture’ is where

•Effective leaders make innovation (and therefore institutional growth) possible

•Leaders have the technical expertise and problem solving skills that:

- provide credibility

- exercise influence

The way we do things

here...

“If you enjoy what you do, don’t be afraid of expressing your enthusiasm. Enjoyment is infectious and you will bring others along with you.”

Terminology

• ‘Creative teams’ understood as however your institution is structured (e.g. size related) so it could be the whole school/ department/ phase and so on. Those working on a project that can be seen as ‘creative’.

Categories:

•Monitoring, Evaluating and Reviewing (6)•Staff Inclusion (3)•Leadership and Management Culture (3)•Management Systems and Structures (7)

Expect some overlap

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review (1)

Vision and direction of creative work is framed in concrete terms to define goals and clarify paths to goal attainment.

The definition of goals and how to achieve them provides a strong framework of progress indicators

Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...


Evaluation by fully participative staff informs decisions.

When carried out by colleagues who have full engagement with the project, representing all levels, there is accurate reflection. It is the people who work with a project who are best placed to evaluate, not those who simply observe



The planning activities of the Head/SLT focus more on the structure, timing and objectives of projects than the specific content and delivery of the work.

Having a clear view of time frames and providing a structure within, facilitates MER by providing milestones and checkpoints.



Monitoring and recognition of progress is used for inducing and maintaining structure in creative work.

Supporting your colleagues by monitoring their work and recognising what has been achieved is a way of showing genuine interest. By setting, for example, completion dates where progress is recognised, the need for a structure is made explicit

and perceived as positive.



Team leaders report back on set-backs and achievements to encourage creativity and innovation.

Colleagues will see that set-backs are a part of the

innovation process and this can lead to increased creativity.



Leaders of the creative group screen and evaluate projects being carried out in other schools to see what others are doing.

By comparing what others are doing to what we can learn

from others mistakes and successes and develop and adapt projects to our own organisation. Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...

Staff inclusion (1)

Leaders of creative groups recognise the expertise requirements, delegating activities when they lack requisite expertise.

Knowing when you need to delegate and who to delegate to is a

leadership skill. The range of staff involvement will be wider, therefore increasing colleague involvement. Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...

Staff inclusion (2)

Staff with different skills are invited and encouraged to contribute to the innovation process.

This is about knowing your colleagues. A leader might invite

targeted colleagues but encouraging everyone to contribute is a sign of the schools innovative culture.


Staff inclusion (3)

Whole school involvement is increased by actively engaging all colleagues with key decision makers.

A rigidly hierarchical management structure is unlikely to foster a

creative culture and is unlikely to be one to encourage innovation. The more colleagues are able to be in meaningful dialogue with senior staff, the more innovation will be encouraged.


Leadership and Management Culture (1) When moving away from the more

prescribed strategies and frameworks colleagues rely more on the Head Teacher’s expertise and creative problem-solving skills.

The Head is seen as an innovator (even ‘lead innovator’). This will have huge impact on the culture of the school. If they are keen to take the responsibility of and are fully accountable for successes and failures, colleagues are more likely to be encouraged to be creatively engaged.Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...

Leadership and Management Culture (2) Leadership is built on understanding and

trust. It enhances creativity and innovation through motivation and intellectual stimulation.

Senior leadership clearly shows trust in the development of

creative projects. This is a clear example of the culture needed to drive innovation.Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...

Leadership and Management Culture (3) The Head/ SLT actively participate in idea

generation efforts. The willingness of senior to get involved in the creative process

will encourage others. They need to be aware of hijacking and domination of the project.


Management systems and structures (1) Effective leadership of creative projects is

embedded by those with substantial planning skills.

The school’s planning systems are used to formalise the

development of the project.


Management systems and structures (2) School Management provides people

working on creative projects with multiple forms of support (e.g. funding, time and social support).

Budget and time allocation are part of the School Improvement Plan.Yes and it looks like... We could but we need to introduce... We can’t because...

Management systems and structures (3) A range of both intrinsic and extrinsic

rewards are provided for meeting expectations and people are not ‘punished’ for failure to meet expectations provided there has been adequate progress.

A suspension of high and immediate expectation needs is applied.

The management of the school provides a reward system to encourage innovative staff to create new projects. PM pay links?


Management systems and structures (4) Careful project selection means that the

project is worth doing and is a clear statement of the school’s vision.

There is rejection of ideas not seen to contribute to or enhance the

school vision. Monitoring against the values of the vision will keeps the project on course. ‘Brand awareness’?


Management systems and structures (5) Head/ SLT seek to buffer creative groups,

or creative individuals, from off-task organisational demands.

This could be off-timetabling, release from other meetings and

extra-curricular activities etc.


Management systems and structures (6) Structure and formalisation are increased

as projects move from generation to development and implementation.

Good understanding of the practical application of structures and

systems is needed for this type of fluidity. It needs robust and well used management protocols and frameworks.


Management systems and structures(7)Long-term impact is preferred to short-term

gain or maintenance. Creative teams are allowed short-term failure when seen as a step to success. ‘Incubation’ time is encouraged.

Projects are given time to develop, often at short-term cost. Incubation time is seen as an investment.


To conclude:

Have we confirmed our successes and shared them with colleagues?

Have we got any ideas form others that we can adapt/ modify/ adopt?

Do we have a clear idea of what cannot work for us and genuinely know why?

Leading for Creativity Bill Lowe Newman University Birmingham Thinking Schools Conference 2014.

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Transcript of Leading for Creativity Bill Lowe Newman University Birmingham Thinking Schools Conference 2014.