This time of year points everyone towards a little self-reflection on why they do.. what they do. Great employees can be lost quickly during this season, so take a few tips on how to keep them.
Not all employees motivate the same – I heard someone once say that promotion comes in three forms; a title promotion; a pay promotion; or a responsibility promotion. If you can’t give raises? (or the decision is globally not up to you) then you can always give the other two… Read On…
Promoting Through Responsibility – This is often the most missed promotion by managers. Give someone a special place on your team; a seat at your leadership table; or place them as the person “in charge” while you are out of the office. Have them lead the next professional development day or champion the next job fair on your behalf. The challenge here is delegating something you probably already love to do, but it can be great for someone else on your team to experience the challenge. They will feel a “higher calling” of responsibility, you will have grown them professionally, and they just might stop looking outside your team for a new job, because they have just fallen in love with the new one they just got.
Promoting Through Title – This one is equally as easy as the previous, simply because YOU have the power to make the change. This is not an HR decision, this is your decision! If you want to make a team member the “Master Teacher” for the month/year then do it! Great managers come up with a “career ladder” in their organization and you are the only one that really knows what makes sense for your building/department. I have seen “Peer Coaches” become “Mentor Teachers” for a season and then promoted to “Master Teachers” followed by even greater roles as “Director of Professional Development” and other titles- all within the same school. You have the ability to manage this career ladder right inside your own building or department, so why would a great staff member need to apply outside your building to get a promotion?
Promoting Through Pay – This one can be tough, but there are some simple tricks to at least passing along a little compensation. Too often roles within a school go to the “person who has been here the longest”. This is not only unfair, but it also may not be best for kids. If “department heads” or “team leads” are not required to “interview” to be promoted, then you are missing your chance to promote. Everyone should have a shot at these key roles, and if there is always an “heir apparent” then you are missing the opportunity for new ideas to be implemented into the role. Set up interviews at least every two years for these “career ladder” opportunities. When it comes to the actual dollars, call HR and see if a stipend can be split? Find out if district PD dollars can be paid for a “one-time project” like a PD teaching role? Ask the central office if you can have $500 to help out a struggling teacher with a peer coach, and promote from within your building? In the long run, the school will be much better off with the effort. As a last resort, raise money and apply for grants for the ability to provide increased pay. I have often seen business partners be willing to contribute to a PD day if they know what the day is about, and how it will impact students. If it is a “student career day” then see if a business will donate $500 to pay the two “lead teacher organizers” for the event.
(Here’s a Side Note on Pay…) We often look to the actual “dollars” that we feel need to be passed along for an “above and beyond” effort. Yet, there are other ways to “compensate” for someone’s effort. What about extra days off? What about the “right” to a new computer, smartboard, or other technology? You may want to establish a reward for extra duty by listing some of these “non-monetary” options.
Keeping Your Best – Through these efforts, staff will see a longer-range future with you as their leader. Start with the presumption that everyone wants to be there for the long-term, and let your staff know that you are open to discussing their vision for where they want to be in 5 years. There is no harm in looking elsewhere for a promotion when it is the right time, however, a great deal of learning and leadership can happen inside your own school or department without ever stepping away from your team.