Have you ever felt frustration with your school administration?  Disagreed with a school-wide decision that was made that you were forced to implement in your classroom? Or perhaps you didn’t gel with your administrator’s leadership style? 

If you have felt or experienced any of these things and it led to you feeling stuck, like you had no power to change the situation, then I am talking to YOU. 

The truth is, most teachers at one point in their careers experience one or more of those situations and it can lead to many issues, ranging from conflict among the staff to a widespread toxic school culture. What’s important for you to know is that it doesn’t have to be that way.  YOU have the ability to influence your school leadership and lead from behind. 

If you’ve never heard that phrase before, I must admit I was right there with you not too long ago.  I first heard this phrase when I interviewed Dr. Joleen Smith.  She is a collaborative specialist with over 35 years of experience in education, and she is currently the executive director at my school, and she’s had many years of experience in school leadership and corporate leadership as well.

So, let’s start with the basics… Leading from behind, what does it mean? Basically, you don’t need a titled leadership position to lead in your organization and make change. Every member in an organization has a scope of influence, and although you may not see yourself as having that much, Dr. Smith shared with me some ways to maximize the influence you do have to lead from behind. 

First of all, you need to change your perspective on what you have to offer.  If you are someone who thinks you have little to no impact on your school as a whole, that’s just not true. If you think that you don’t have a voice, that’s a downright lie. 

The first step to leading from behind is believing the truth about yourself.  You have unique skills, experiences, and expertise that add to your organization.  YOU ALREADY ARE AN INFLUENCER!  You influence your own students in your classroom, and, even if you don’t think you do, you also influence your colleagues, and everyone you are surrounded with at your school. Everything you say and do creates an opportunity to influence others around you. 

So, how do you use that influence to lead from behind? Here are 3 simple ways:

1. Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak

We’ve all probably experienced one of those wonderful staff meetings where a new school-wide initiative is introduced and you have a strong negative reaction immediately.  Perhaps you have even been the one to raise your hand right away in the middle of the meeting to express your intense concern or dislike of the proposed change.  I’m here to offer you a new way to approach this situation.  

What if you kept your thoughts to yourself for a bit?  What if, instead of regurgitating your dislike immediately in front of everyone at the staff meeting, you allowed yourself some time to process and think about the situation first?  What if, instead of talking about it with all of your colleagues immediately following the conclusion of the meeting, you abstained from those conversations, or even redirected them in a positive way?

I will tell you what will happen if you do those things, you will influence others and positively change the way that you and your fellow staff members respond to things they disagree with.  Now, this won’t happen right away, but over time, if others notice that you are quick to listen and slow to speak up, they will see the benefits of it.  

What are the benefits you may ask? 

Well, it prevents you from saying something that you may regret. It allows you to have more time to think through the situation and make a wiser decision.  It allows you more time to do your own research on the situation and seek knowledge that may change your feelings about it. 

2. Have One-on-One Conversations at the Source

Here’s one way to create a toxic culture at a school, or any organization really: GOSSIP.  When we spend all our time talking to other people about an issue without bringing it to the person or people it directly involves, it causes a lot of problems.  If you want to lead from behind, one way is to refuse to participate in gossip with your co-workers. 

Learn how to abstain from gossiping conversations and redirect them.  Ask others questions like, “Have you approached so-and-so about this already?” or “What did they say when you asked them about this problem?”  If they haven’t spoken to the person yet, then kindly encourage them to do so and acknowledge that they may not have all the information if they’re just hearing other people’s perspectives.  Take that advice for yourself as well. 

If you have concerns, schedule a one-on-one meeting with your administrator, or whoever is the decision-maker in that instance.  Have a discussion with them about your concerns in a respectful way. The more you pour into that type of culture, the more the organization will change for the better. This will also create trust between the leadership and the staff, which will give the staff more of a voice and allow for more positive change. 

3. Model the Process

Be a model of the processes mentioned above, not just with your colleagues, but even in your classroom.  Create a healthy culture in your classroom and replicate it outside as well. When others see how you conduct yourself among your students, you are already influencing them.  They can see that your class is different, and they can see the impact on your students. 

This is a powerful way to inspire positive change.  If your administrators see the culture of your classroom modeled and the outcomes thereof, I guarantee they will be more receptive to you when you do choose to speak up and voice concerns (not in the middle of a staff meeting, of course). 

Ultimately, YOU can make a BIG impact in your school.  You don’t need to be “on the leadership team” to lead.  Be encouraged.  If you are feeling stuck or frustrated, take ACTION to make things better.  Your voice matters.   

1. What are some ACTION steps you can take NOW to begin the process of leading from behind in your organization?

2. Is there anyone else in your organization who would benefit from this article?