Staff retention: part 2 - Leading questions

Being a good early years leader means systematically reflecting on the usefulness of what you are doing. When it comes to staff retention this self-reflection doesn't stop. Though when someone leaves, it may involve asking the difficult question, 'Is this something to do with me?'

When an employee joins an organisation you can assume they believed that it was the right move, and when they leave something has changed. It is unlikely that the location, pay, resources or the nature of the job have altered drastically, but the filter through which they view these things may have. That filter is shaped by the leader. A Gallup poll of one million workers in 2014 found the top reason people left a job was not pay, but bad leadership. When people talk about issues such as 'morale', 'poor communication' or 'lack of progression', leaders must ask to what extent they are responsible and how they can improve these factors.

Early childhood practitioners are often reluctant to see themselves as leaders and managers. The Effective Leadership in the Early Years Sector (ELEYS) study from 2006 noted that, 'Several of those who apply for leadership positions do so reluctantly or are unconsciously ill prepared.

'There also appears to be a misconception that one's success as an early years staff member will naturally translate into a successful leader.' It went on to say that many childcare leaders struggle to manage adults. In my experience, good practitioners who are promoted might be unconfident about leadership, and about the time leadership takes out of their work directly with children. A common issue is reticence to give constructive feedback. I have witnessed leaders complaining about the practice of particular practitioners, yet found that this performance is not being managed or their latest review doesn't echo these concerns.

The issue of gender is also significant. Leadership generally is still a male-dominated area, especially at the top: just 9 per cent of all executive roles in FTSE 100 companies are held by women. Many leadership programmes outside of the sector thus rely on research that is seen through this male lens. Yet only 2 per cent of staff working in the early years are male, making much of standard leadership training irrelevant.

As Aline-Wendy Dunlop, emeritus professor for childhood and primary studies at the University of Strathclyde, wrote in 2008, 'Past models and traditional leadership theories may not have been appropriate to the early childhood field in that they reflected a hierarchical, top-down, male-oriented orientation mostly adopted from those used in the business world... Many women in early childhood education thus feel that most 'masculinised' leadership models are inappropriate to early childhood education as they do not recognise and respect the collaborative aspect.' However, there are early years-specific leadership programmes available, even for those with time constraints (see column).

How do you define leadership? Effective leadership creates the atmosphere, ethos, vision and direction for employees to follow. It encompasses decisions, support, feedback, and training. Various studies show that good leadership is an indicator of quality early years provision. On a more prosaic level, good leadership is recognised by Ofsted. Chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has repeatedly endorsed the link between good leadership and good quality outcomes in education at all levels.

While there are many definitions of leadership, in early years the most important factors relate to a leader's ability to create a shared vision. Put simply, you and your team all have to want the same things. In the ELEYS study, ten categories of 'effective leadership practice' were defined as follows:

1. Identifying and articulating a collective vision.

2. Ensuring shared understanding, meanings and goals.

3. Effective communication.

4. Encouraging reflection.

5. Monitoring and assessing practice.

6. Commitment to ongoing, professional development.

7. Distributed leadership.

8. Building a learning community and team culture.

9. Encouraging and facilitating parent and community partnerships.

10. Leading and managing: striking the balance.

Most of these points involve the input of the rest of the team. Leaders who share, rather than impose, power inspire faith. This also includes vision. Employees want to work in an environment with high standards and for a leader with desirable priorities.

In a vocation like early years, quality practitioners want to know that they are working to achieve more than just the desired Ofsted grade or bottom-line profit; they want to know they are doing the best things for the children. A 'good' or 'outstanding' then becomes the outcome of high-quality work, rather than the goal itself.

Clear expectations are part of this. Where there are grey areas, staff will be forced to make assumptions about what is expected of them. Staff may feel that the workload is not spread evenly throughout the team or may feel that they are being asked to do things that are impacting on their personal lives, such as feeling the need to purchase resources because there are no clear guidelines on budget for restocking. Assumptions, whether correct or not, can lead to disengagement, and disengagement is a slippery slope to resignation.

Two equally challenging jobs can make us feel completely different. This difference can come down to whether we feel appreciated or not. For me there is nothing better than coming home after a busy day and finding a handwritten note thanking me for something, and I count myself lucky to work in a culture where that isn't a rarity.

Of course, high achievers should have their performance highlighted, just as those who are underperforming should have this addressed. But it is also easy to forget about those in the middle. The steady performers can be unintentionally forgotten in the rush of busy working life.

I fondly remember working with a 'steady performer', who hadn't been top dog or a concern. I focused on her, giving her new challenges and tasks that she hadn't done before, some of which were out of her comfort zone. I was met at first with fearful expressions, and her saying 'I am sure I am not the right person for the task', but with encouragement she started to flourish and went on to take a promotion as a result.

Everyone is different, and a good leader recognises this, even when it comes to something such as giving praise. An excellent leader I once worked with had a real dislike for public recognition yet was fairly routinely praised in meetings. After seeing her squirm I suggested a quiet word over a cup of tea rather than her name up in lights on a presentation might be the best option.

Generally, leaders who are able to discuss with individuals what their motivations are, whether it be recognition, personal principles, progression, identified responsibility, training, activity levels, competition, interest, status or others, are able to match their style to the needs of their team.

Does this interplay between leadership and retention mean that leaders need to keep everyone happy all the time and be friends with their staff in order to keep them? Absolutely not. While some leaders do sustain friendships alongside professional working relationships, having faith and belief in a leader has nothing to do with friendship and everything to do with effective leadership.

In among the busy management tasks, the leader is constantly impacting on their team, whether they know it or not. The right training is essential for leaders learn to understand things such as the difference between conduct and capability, how to manage both, and how get the best from their team. Leaders themselves need to reflect on their approach, and need to listen to their teams to understand the impact they personally have on retaining staff.

Part 3 in the series (18-31 May) will look at employee engagement and how achieving engagement achieves greater staff retention.