Building Your Team from the Inside Out – PART 2

Part 2 – Linking Staff Values
In Part one of Building Your Team from the Inside Out we showed you what motivates a person to action.  In this article we are exploring how to align the values of your team to the ethos standards of your school.
Each team member is a special piece of a puzzle that assists in creating the full picture of your vision.
The Force
There is a powerful force that glues people together by igniting emotional connection which is linked towards a higher purpose or goal and that is inspiration. Inspiration is true authentic power that connects people at the heart and ignites creative powers. The ability to tap into and ignite this authentic power within ourselves and individuals is the ultimate make or break in any real relating experience and or creative endeavours. As leaders we must keep inspiration alive within ourselves and our team because inspiration is the magic in all that we do and all that we are.
Everyone has a unique key that unlocks their personal genius and inspiration. However cliché this may sound, many people are actually unaware of their key to their own magic. We live in a world of reaction and over stimulation where inspiration has often been mistaken for instantaneous gratification. The discipline of truly intimately connecting with the essence of who we really are is easily labelled in society as ‘New Age’ talk, however tapping into a lasting force of power requires just that, knowing ourselves.
Until we understand the science of really knowing ourselves we are limited in our ability to know other people and know how to lead others.
The Ground Floor
When employing or contracting teachers for your dance school it is important to ensure that you have the right person contributing to your school not only regarding skills but with the right attitude consistent with your school values. As a school director the more certain you are with how you want the operations of the school to run and the culture of the school (‘how we do things around here’) including class structure, school technical standards, ethos business management and values, the clearer you will become with knowing what teachers and staff to employ/contract. Having a clean ground floor includes clearly defined roles and responsibilities and contractual agreements. This means that both parties are clear in the fair exchange of the service. When your ground floor is not clear, expect a volatile, emotionally driven, short lived and unproductive working relationship.
Know Yourself
Knowing yourself is not about conjuring up pseudo fluffy warm fuzzy feelings. Knowing yourself is about the ability to be completely honest with you. This is how you discover YOUR values and the values you want for your school.  Ask yourself the following questions and once you are clear on your role then use this process for your teachers;
The Big Picture
1. What is the purpose and mission statement of your school? What makes your school unique? What makes it special? Why do students come to learn from your school?
2. What quality teaching do I want? How do I want my teachers to treat my students? Am I about being the best or about providing opportunities for students to enjoy ‘dance’ and to achieve their potential whatever that may be?
3. How do you want your students to feel after class? What do you want your community to being saying about your school? What values do you want your school to reflect?
How Do you fit into your School Picture?
1. What are your favourite tasks in running your school?  E.g., teaching, managing, choreography, administration? What is it about your favourite tasks that you love? E.g. leading, communicating, creativity, developing structure, organising?
2. What are your least favourite tasks? What is it about these tasks that you despise?
3. What are you good at? Where do you get results?
4. What are you weak at? Where do you need assistance, more training or education?
Knowing yourself is vital to the success of your business.  Take a good honest look at what your strengths and weaknesses are without over exaggerating or minimising.
Once you are clear on the big picture of your school (the end result, your desired outcome) and clear on how you fit into this picture, then like a jigsaw puzzle, you will know how to place your staff in order to actualise the big picture or end result of your school.
Then you will fly…
Yours in Dance
Kate Histon