New routes to headship As the crisis in recruiting new primary heads takes hold, Maxine Evans looks at whether there is a different way. Click here for a print version of this article. (WO)MEN WANTED: FOR HAZARDOUS Apocryphal newspaper advertisement for 1914 Antarctic Expedition, A friend sent me the above quotation the night before my interview for a headship. She thought I was mad, entering the 'lion's den', and would either come to my senses within a few months or worse 'fail spectacularly'. However, I got the job and am now in my third year as head of a 400+ primary school in Oxfordshire. I absolutely love it….. although, if I'm honest, much of the above from Shackleton rings true on occasions. It was then, with family commitments to juggle and becoming increasingly frustrated at working in a thoroughly 'male' environment where some colleagues were out of touch with their customers, I made a decision to go back to something about which I was most passionate. So, in a reorganisation I helped orchestrate, I took my exit pass and left not knowing quite what I was going to do next. Within a few months I'd contacted some of my previous customers (headteachers), ended up working for the Local Authority as a consultant and additionally became a business manager in the school of which I am now head. Those years in industry remain precious in many ways, but having now worked as a headteacher for a short period, I know they provided the best ever preparation. I would argue that any professional development in which I have subsequently participated comes nowhere close to the quality of that from which I previously benefited. In my most challenging moments as a head it is those skills, developed and honed during my time in industry, which I have drawn upon. They have kept me going and have been tangibly instrumental in any success I have had. As the crisis over headteacher retention and recruitment intensifies and the debate over 'work-life' balance continues, I sometimes sit back in wonderment. For me the problem is simple: the natural route to headship doesn't really prepare the individual for the role of headteacher in the 21st century; indeed, the title itself is now a misnomer. I would argue that our mandatory qualification for headship could be structured much more carefully to equip individuals for success and retain them in the profession. My observation is that teachers generally (and naturally) become 'experts' in teaching and learning as they move through the organisation and have little experience or exposure beyond that arena. However, if I reflect upon a typical week as head, much of what I lead and manage isn't about teaching and learning. I am CEO of a small company comprising a number of differing functions. My leadership skills are critical. I do not need significantly detailed subject knowledge in every area (although I develop that as needed), but I do have to be able to make good quality judgements, be clear about where we are going, lead, and take everyone along with me. If I was going to be really bold, I'd argue that as I am surrounded by experts in teaching and learning, I do not need to be an expert too. So what did my time in industry provide that has been critical in my role as head? Although I wasn't aware of it until I held quite a senior position, I was part of a 'fast-track', planned process. In twelve years I held seven roles across the organisation (succession planning underpinned development in the company), worked in a number of different functions, started a business from scratch, implemented a number of key projects, managed people from very early on, had experience and was accountable for 'operations' (finance, budget planning, business modelling etc.) and became proficient in the effective collection and use of data. I was 'skilled' in sales, marketing, customer management, complaints procedures, time management, PR and media handling, psychometrics, team building, performance and project management, ICT, and building systems and procedures for effectiveness and efficiency. I was mentored from day one, worked with consultants, had a coach and benefited from a professional development programme that was an integral part of my working life - not a bolt-on extra in my own time. I was privileged to work with some outstanding individuals who were inspirational role models. They encouraged and enthused me, gave me self-belief and honed my leadership capacity; had I stayed I would have been off to Harvard! Most importantly, I learnt that organisations are about the effective management of people and building secure teams. If you get that right, the rest will come. My ability to create high performance teams and spot, nurture and release talent are skills I learnt in industry, skills without which I'm not so sure I would be where I am today: still smiling, loving my work, in a high performing school, with a team of people I am privileged to be working alongside. Since becoming a headteacher, I have drawn upon everything mentioned above. I'd argue that being a sales and marketing 'expert' has been one of my greatest assets. The rules of engagement are the same, it's just that the customer set is different. Predominantly, I have invested in trying to create a 'learning' environment for all. Sadly, schools don't have the resources of the industry sector. Yet it is possible to generate a culture where it is the norm for everyone to be part of a personalised professional development programme, where individual talents are identified, nurtured and developed, and promotion in and out of the school is celebrated - because it's part of a succession plan. I often sit quietly during debates on the possibility of individuals outside of education becoming heads. I do believe it is possible and can be successful. There is just a need to be open-minded before making a judgment, and take a close look at what industry has been doing for years to develop its people as an integral part of its practice. Additionally, it might also be helpful to investigate, learn from and emulate some of what they do. Maxine Evans is Headteacher of Rush Common Primary School, Oxfordshire. What do you think? 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