Forbairt

Foghlaim

www. pdst. ie
© PDST
Fís

2016
This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share
Alike 3.0 Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ie/. You may use and re-use
this material (not including images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Licence.
 The dynamics of the
relationship between
Principal and Deputy
Principal(s)
Tony Collison
&
Vivienne Hogan
www.pdst.ie

30/03/2017
 Aims of Session

What?
To clarify the collaborative and discreet roles of the
Principal and Deputy Principal(s)

Why?
To reflect on the importance of this relationship regarding all
aspects of school life

How?
To explore and identify the key elements in a sustainable
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positive relationship
 How are tasks allocated?
• Interest?

• Ability?

• Training?

• Experience?
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• Historical
“FIND THE BEST FIT”
 What tasks do Principals and
Deputy Principals perform…
• Jointly?

• Separately?

Examples:
BOM/Student-Parent Council/DES
Contact/Meeting Parents etc.
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 Roles: Principal & Deputy Principal
Shared Tasks: Separate Tasks:

• Joint Planning • BOM

• DES
• Joint Action
• Parent Council
• Joint Modelling • Student Council
• Joint Reviews • Staff Contracts
• Staff Leadership • Front--‐of--‐House
• Shared Vision • Yr Heads & Class
Tutors
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• Other
• Various Admin.
Actions
• PPOD
• Other
 Who?
April

• Assessments for new entrants

• SEC: Orals, Home Ec etc
• Ongoing work on Curriculum Plan
• Mental Health Week 3rd- 7th April;
Activities
• Finalise Reports from Primary School
• Prepare for Graduation Ceremony/ Check
arrangements are in place and
Certificates/ Pendants etc are ready
• Possible work experience TY/LCVP;
Garda Vetting
• Board of Management
• Timetable preparation
• Timetable training
 Activity 1
Cast your mind back over the last
few days in school and list (in no
particular order) the tasks /
responsibilities / roles you fulfilled
in that time.
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Write each one on a post-it please.

 Profile of School Leadership
Leading Managing
People the
Organisation

Leading
Learning

Managing
Leading
Self
Change
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Leading
Community
Forbairt

Blake Mouton Managerial Grid

www.pdst.ie
Foghlaim

© PDST 2014
This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0
Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ie/. You may use and re-use this material
(not including images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike Licence.
Fís

The PDST is funded by the Teacher Education Section (TES)

of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and is managed
by Dublin West Education Centre
 Activity 2
Key elements that
underpin successful
relationships between
Principal and Deputy
www.pdst.ie
 What are the ingredients needed for a
Successful Relationship?
• Respect
• Trust
• Communication
• Accountability
• Affirmation
• Acceptance (of Strengths and Flaws)
• Reflection
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• Others?
 Challenges for the Principal /
Deputy Principal(s) Relationships
• Lack of Clarity and Guidance in Role Definition
• Tensions of time and management
• Misinterpretation of communication
• Significant variation in duties (try to minimise
these– it could be you?)
• Dependence on the leadership style of the
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Principal
• Personality
• 170 NEW D P positions 2017/18
 Possible challenges for appointing
additional Deputy Principals.
•Division of tasks
•Avoiding ‘dumping’ up or down
•Need analysis -review of posts
•Defining roles
•Dynamics
•Perception of others
•Insecurities; management of self
•Considerations:
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•Duties
•Outside/ inside appointment
•Location of office
 Barriers to effective communication
• Hidden agendas
• Division of tasks; Multiple DPs
• Lack of Emotional Intelligence (inability to
read the situation)
• Absence of Feedback
• Stress and fatigue (timing)
• Climate of mistrust
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• Personal Communication Styles

• Lack of careful planning in advance of an
additional DP.
 Skills of Effective Communication
• Discretion • Being professional
• Context • Timing
• Tact • Language
• Sensitivity • Ethics
• Listening • Emotional
• Two way Intelligence/Situational
Awareness
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 Active Listening
‘Most people do not listen
with the intent to
understand; they listen with
the intent to reply. They’re
filtering everything through
their own paradigms,
reading their autobiography
into other people’s lives’
Stephen Covey
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 • Emotional intelligence is not about being nice all
the time. It is about being honest
• Emotional intelligence is not about being
‘touchy- feely.’ It is about being aware of your
feelings, and those of others.
• Emotional intelligence is not about being
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emotional. It is about using the information

from your emotions to help make better
decisions
 Ways to Deal with Conflict
• Accept that conflict is going to happen
• Deal with one issue at a time
• Choose the right time to resolve the conflict
• Avoid reacting to unintentional remarks
• Avoid quick resolutions
• Agree to disagree
• Do not insist on being right
• Avoid expanding the problem
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• Mediation
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Win win!
 Some Strategies for building trust
between Principal and Deputy
• Build structures for communication
• Share ideas and knowledge
• Develop a shared vision for the school
• Discuss issues and policies
• Consultation – regular meetings
• Clarify understanding
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• Disagree in private
 Activity 3
In relation to the key elements of Trust
(choose one):

• How do you build that element?

• What does it look like?

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 Some elements of trust
• Competence
• Reliability
• Integrity
• Communication
• Strength
• Independence
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 Recap
• Professional relationships – “fake it ‘til you make it”

• There is a shared interdependence

• It will be you one day - Acting up/Promotion

• The Principal has to have the final call/say – she/he is

the leader

• Support your Principal – affirm what is good and be

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strong enough to be “the critical friend”

 Core Principles of Leadership
COURAGE TO ACT

Improving Learning
SITUATIONAL
MORAL PURPOSE MODELLING
AWARENESS
“Walk the talk!”
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Sustainability
Through the empowerment of others
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Thank You