Continuing Professional Development - Leadership - Can you make the grade?

The august surroundings of Great Fosters country house in Egham, Surrey, provided the backdrop for a two-day leadership training course delivered by Sue Overton Associates. On the first morning 18 delegates and four trainers gathered in the conservatory area of the hotel to receive their briefing, the Leadership Challenge, from Ms Overton.

She wasted no time in explaining what would be expected of the delegates. Their task would be to work in teams to address the problems of a failing nursery and deliver detailed action plans based on their understanding of what makes a nursery sustainable and of high quality. Participants would have to exercise their early years experience, their communication and negotiation skills, their creativity and their ability to work to deadline in order to produce a winning proposal.

Ms Overton says, 'Set around the simulation of a failing nursery, teams were asked to find a solution. Slated by Ofsted, yet strategically important to the local authority, teams were challenged to create a diagnostic overview and develop an in-depth plan on what should be done. Is it doomed for closure or is there scope to rescue? They were told they will need to tackle the unco-operative and unhappy staff, sort out the setting and soothe the concerns of parents.'

MEETING CHALLENGE

According to Ms Overton, the course has been designed as an opportunity for practitioners to push themselves further and test their leadership and management skills in a safe and reassuring environment. On this occasion, delegates came from a wide geographical area and represented a spectrum of roles and experience levels.

She says, 'It is very much about working collaboratively and as none of the delegates had ever met before, they had to very swiftly develop a working relationship.'

Creating the right mix of individuals on each of the three teams is key to ensuring everyone is challenged and fully participates. In order to guarantee this mix, delegates are given a Belbin questionnaire to fill out prior to the course, which provides a snapshot of how they perceive themselves in their professional roles. The Belbin Team Role Inventory is regarded as a behavioural tool rather than a psychometric instrument.

'Delegates have to read a variety of statements and allocate points to those they feel best describe their behaviour. These statements are under various categories, like what I believe I contribute to a team, reasons for job satisfaction and dealing with difficult tasks.

'On the basis of the responses we can then gauge an individual's level of assertiveness, confidence and values. When it comes to organising the individuals on the team, it is important not to mix more passive individuals with dominating personalities, as the former will not be challenged.'

Ms Overton testifies to the Belbin scores as being a reliable strategy to organise groups which work well within the course. On the first morning it was evident the Green team comprised high-flying, confident leaders who all believed they had the best ideas to offer.

'We saw this team initially wasting a lot of time because all of its members were vying for leadership and couldn't agree on how they should organise themselves to be effective. This was eventually resolved and the Green team went on to win.'

POSITIVE EVALUATIONS

Shelagh Knight, childcare manager of the Pre-school Learning Alliance's Links Under Fives, in Southall, who was on the winning Green team, praised the 'excellent planning and organisation' that went into the setting up and delivery of the two days.

'The course was very relevant to my job role,' she says. 'It allowed me to reflect on my own personality and that of others. I liked the challenge of working with new people and within time constraints; this made me think outside of the box and identify the need for structure, time management and delegation.'

Manpreet Sethi, director of Stadium Nurseries in Ealing, London, backs this up. 'Completing a task within the restraints of time is a challenging task with a group of people we had just met. We had to learn about the personalities of the people and how to harness their strengths and make the most of what we had. In real time you have more time to achieve this.'

The part of the course that required teams to give presentations about their strategies was deemed a challenge but also valuable. Shelagh Knight says, 'I am not confident in presenting, but I feel I am improving. Presentation skills are very relevant to my role and I was pleased to be able to practise and receive input. I also learned a lot from watching the expertise and approach of other groups.'

For Ade Labinjo, manager of St Michael's Day Nursery in Hackney, the presentations were both fun and enlightening. 'Listening to other groups' viewpoints and witnessing their collaborative efforts was helpful for developing my own presentation skills,' she says.

Ms Overton's colleagues Katharine Finkhill, Alice Lewes and Brian Hardy were praised by delegates for their enthusiasm and ability to engage everyone.

Siobhan Jackson, manager of Playtime Day Nurseries in Tolworth, Surrey, says, 'Katharine was very knowledgeable in the learning environment and had strong ideas, while Alice was a great team leader within our group and gave me personal feedback, which I felt was accurate and helpful.'

Yvonne Daley, early years co-ordinator of One World Nursery at Hackney Community College, says, 'Brian was superb in helping me to think about my strengths and I feel I will now be able to evaluate my own setting and work with the staff team to create a more enabling environment.'

For Claire Deadman, deputy manager at 197 Early Years Nursery in Kingston, who had attended a previous course with the company, this was all about being inspired. 'I hope this type of training will be available more often,' she says. 'It makes you feel valued and recognised for the contribution you make in your workplace. It also inspires you to be pro-active to challenge practice and points of view about how to deal with staff.'

THE FAILING NURSERY - WHO SHOULD STAY AND WHO SHOULD GO?

Should it be Charlotte - the undermining and outspoken deputy?

The mature Margaret - who has always done it 'that way'?

Natalie - young and over-enthusiastic with no idea?

Chantelle - the manager and owner's daughter. Is she really up to the job?

FURTHER INFORMATION

Sue Overton Associates provides a range of training courses covering sustainability, marketing, whole team training, time management, assertiveness, room supervision, customer service and self-esteem, as well as management consultancy services. Sue won the Nursery World Trainer of the Year Award 2008. Tel: 01347 830034; info@sueoverton.com; www.sueoverton.com