Leadership to me often means leading by example. This can be true in so many ways, from demonstrating good time-keeping and being prepared to work the extra hour on the late shift, to showing respect and courtesy to even the most demanding of parents. Sometimes it can be more direct than this, such as dressing up for World Book Day!
At nursery we always celebrate World Book Day to encourage families to enjoy sharing a book with their children. One of the ways we celebrate is by asking the children to dress up as a character from a favourite book. We want this to be an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about books that they enjoy and so we have had to work hard over the last couple of years to persuade parents not to just buy the latest dressing-up costume from the Disney store.
I have found the best way to encourage staff and families to enter into the spirit of the occasion has been to dress up myself. It is good for the staff to see I am prepared to 'look silly' and it gives them the confidence to have a go themselves. Because my costumes are very much home-made - a pair of ears, a tail and some whiskers for Mog the cat, a home-made witch's hat and a long black skirt for Winnie the witch - I hope parents see that they don't have to spend a lot of money on a costume and that making a mask or prop with their child adds to the whole experience.
The children always think it is very funny to see me dressed up and it is a really good opportunity to spend time with them reading their favourite stories. Parents and staff see that I am involved at a very 'grass roots' level with the activities of the nursery and I believe this adds to my credibility.
It's good to seize opportunities to lead the nursery in a less formal way. It shows that you haven't lost touch with how much fun it can be to engage with the children. Anyway, actions speak louder than words!
