Ensuring the right people are in the right posts, and then striving to get the very best out of each team member is a critical component of any successful school striving to be able to meet all its priorities. This is reinforced by Ofsted where leadership is assessed at all levels across the school for effectiveness. But the fact is that senior and middle leaders often have poor communication and even hostile, resentful relationships. How can they work together more collaboratively to further develop the success of their schools?
Strong relationship building by senior leaders and middle leaders is at the heart of effective leadership. Despite senior leaders claiming they try to treat all middle leaders in the hierarchy equally and fairly, this remains a very challenging task in practice and there will be some disparity. It may be senior leaders are reflecting on what they would actually like to see happening and over inflate their perception of the quality of the working relationship with middle leaders, as opposed to what is actually happening in practice.
Some middle leaders are really engaged and produce excellent results and are perceived to be part of the ‘in-group’ with the senior leadership team. Other middle leaders will not feel they are treated in the same manner as their peers. They may be perceived as not being as strong or having the same promotion prospects to those perceived to be in the ‘in-group’ by senior leaders. These middle leaders may be difficult to motivate and engage with, challenge and cause conflict within the team and perceive themselves to be part of the ‘out-group’ with the senior leadership team. So, how can senior leaders close this gap and work towards developing a cohesive team so all middle leaders are perceived as being part of the ‘in-group’ and work together as a collegial team?
Being aware of how senior and middle leader working relationships can hold back, or help grow people in the team is very important in the current climate due the current retention and recruitment crisis. If poor working relationships and dynamics exist, this may result in a withdrawal by middle leaders to engage with tasks or meetings other than through enforced compliance. There will be a resignation they are not able to effect change at beyond departmental level, possible low productivity, low job satisfaction and lack of promotion prospects and this can impact on the effective running of the school.
Leader member exchange theory (Graen and Uhl-Bien.1995) is one lens through which senior leaders can try to improve and develop collegial working relationships across the senior and middle leadership team. This theory crystalises what senior leaders can do to strengthen or weaken the leadership dynamics within senior and middle leadership groups.
Senior leaders and middle leaders can explore and unpick the theory in practice through three separate stages.