Six D’s That Keep Us From Investing In School Climate and Culture Change

Although most administrators and staff acknowledge that a negative school culture and climate impacts the sense of well-being, safety, and job satisfaction, not to mention the learning potential of its students, it can still be a challenge to see resources and efforts devoted to making changes. If a healthy climate is so essential to thriving schools, why can it be so difficult to get people on board? Many of the barriers can be explained by denial, defensiveness, duties/ or dodging duties, a reluctance to recognize deficiencies, mistaking discipline for climate, and feeling disloyal if you focus on problematic staff. This post briefly discusses each of these factors in hope that understanding these roadblocks will make them easier to clear.

1. Denial - A big barrier to improving climate and culture is the tendency to deny or underestimate the problems that exist. We cannot change what we refuse to see. Denial keeps us from taking any critical first steps.

2. Defensiveness - When denial is no longer an option, we frequently turn to defensiveness. Our egos can lead us to believe that exposing and

discussing anything negative is an indictment of our own leadership. It takes confidence and selflessness to be willing to objectively look at systemic change and not feel threatened by the voices of others.

3. Duties/Dodge - Administrators and their staff, as well as students are universally busy and many are reluctant to take on additional duties- in fact many will dodge any new tasks, often with denial and defensiveness and other avoidance tactics. Its essential that climate & culture change does not fall on the shoulders of one or two people who “drew the short straw” nor leave the goals so broad and nebulous that no one feels responsible for taking concrete steps.

4. Deficiency - Most of us want to be judged by our intent rather than by results. So its not unusual for hard-working, passionate individuals to avoid looking for any deficiencies in the schools they love. An honest assessment needs to include both the highlights and lowlights. Every institution has deficiencies that can be addressed and the environment improved.

5. Discipline - Although equitable and consistent discipline are essential to all schools, it cannot be the entire focus of your climate and culture. There are many issues which impact feelings of security, fairness, respect, and belonging that don’t result in a quantifiable behavioral problem but are still corrosive or damaging to both individuals and their schools. Additionally, when discipline over minor infractions appears to take precedence over more serious issues, it can erode trust and impact well-being. A frequently voiced example is strict adherence to student dress codes yet very lax enforcement of wearing masks.

6. Disloyal - An in-depth climate assessment does involve looking at all the players within a system. That would minimally involve all staff and students, determine a clear picture of desired outcomes, and identify what and who might be impeding progress. It often makes people feel disloyal to their friends, subordinates, co-workers, or leadership if they honestly explore where others may be falling short. Real change involves both introspection as well as rooting out problematic attitudes or behavior of people we may have strong connections with. Loyalty is misplaced if it takes precedence over the collective climate of your district.

Empowered Actions is ready to assist school districts in better understanding their climate and culture through tailored surveys, focus groups, and confidential interviews of key constituents. Furthermore, we can help you develop a personalized, multi-level plan for addressing areas of concern or enhancing your current promising strategies.

#SchoolCulture #SchoolClimate #SchoolSafety #OrganizationalLeadership #Schools #EducationalAdministration