What is the right balance between challenge and support?
The importance of providing both challenge and support is well established in schools, and I think my own answer to the question of the right balance between challenge and support used to be: in equal measure. Turns out I was wrong.
By ‘challenge’, I mean, essentially, holding people to account for what they do in relation to what they should be doing, and for their performance in relation to expectations – performance management targets, The Teachers Standards, any leadership responsibilities, the school’s expected performance standards, policies etc…; . And asking sensible questions – how are things going with…? Why did you do it that way? How well did that work? How can we improve…? etc… And listening carefully to the answers.
By ‘support’ I mean: being visible; offering advice, encouragement, judicious praise and frequent thanks; regular catch-up; getting involved in the doing of things when that’s needed; attending to colleagues’ professional development; and being there – especially when things are tough, standing shoulder to shoulder with someone is probably the most important thing we can do as leaders.
I used to think that providing challenge and support in equal measure was effective leadership. I now believe that most of the time, what people need is support. I’m not saying accountability and well-judged challenge aren’t important, but I think the right ratio is about 3:1 – three times as much support as challenge. In my experience, this reflects the day to day reality of working in schools – working in a school is challenging, and teaching is a tough job – what good people mostly need is good support.
Clarity is essential, too: when everyone is clear about the outcomes we want; when the expected standards are clear; and when everyone understands their part in the whole, it is so much easier to provide challenge and support in the right way and in the right measure. Having this clarity makes it reasonable, and far easier, too, to challenge individuals whose performance is below the standard expected.
Staff are any school’s, and any organisation’s, key resource. They flourish when standards are high, support is a visible and strong part of the culture, and challenge and accountability are clear, and measured, and in proportion.
Getting the balance right matters.
Mark Patterson
