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This past week, I was listening to the Cult of Pedagogy's podcast with Elena Aguilar as the guest. During the podcast, Aguilar promoted her new book, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching, an updated version of the 2012 The Art of Coaching.
The ever-insightful Aguilar stated many things that got me questioning and reflecting on school culture and coaching. One piece that resonated with me was that if we want individuals to maximize their potential, their basic human needs must be met and not just Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Aguilar explains that when belonging, autonomy, competence, self-esteem, trust, and purpose exist, individuals within that organization can do amazing things.
This year and beyond, my hope for my school community is that we create an environment where individuals feel valued, significant, and a true sense of belonging while also achieving meaningful accomplishments every day. Additionally, I want us to be a community that values mistake-making as a pathway to learning and is responsive to the needs of all.
While all of this sounds incredible, the real work is yet to come. The work is in the day-to-day actions and interactions I have with staff, staff have with each other, staff have with students, and students have with students.
Aguilar explains that when belonging, autonomy, competence, self-esteem, trust, and purpose exist, individuals within that organization can do amazing things.
This trifecta of stakeholders must exist synchronously together. We can become a community where all individuals thrive. A community not driven by fear but hope and joy. A community that aspires to become greater and do better and not be beholden to past ideologies or practices.
So how does this come to fruition? What is within our control as leaders to accomplish this?
In this post, we will explore five practices any school leader should implement. Before we unpack these practices, I’ll review some of the existing thoughts out there about toxic environments and why they cripple productivity and inhibit us from reaching our full potential.
Unpacking Toxicity: The Impact on School Culture
Ever know someone who is just always negative or who always argues or points out errors? Pretty frustrating, right? These types of mindsets can be exhausting to deal with and can hamper productivity and the success of any organization.
Plus - it just sucks being around them.
Now, people like this might argue that leadership just doesn’t want to hear the "truth." That may be true for some, but I think for the majority of thew leadership, it is all about how things are communicated.
If someone’s tone is sarcastic or argumentative, or if they purposefully point out faults in front of the entire organization for self-aggrandizement or to satisfy a personal need, then that’s a problem.
As someone who wants constructive (notice the word choice here) feedback, for me it is how and where you communicate your perspective that matters. For example…..
How does this sound: “I just don’t understand what is going on at our district office because it never seems like they understand what we are dealing with.”
Even though you can’t hear the tone, this should read kind of caustic.
Now, let’s look at this: “What I’m really struggling with is that I feel there is a disconnect between district office expectations and what we experience day-to-day.”
Hopefully, this reads a bit differently. It still conveys some issues going on with district office and a misunderstanding or miscommunication but does so in a way that isn’t argumentative and accusatory.
Toxic work environments damage employee well-being and organizational health. When working within a toxic environment, individuals can become burned out leading to reduced productivity and high turnover rates. Porath and Pearson (2013) found that workplace incivility directly leads to increased stress, diminished job satisfaction, and decreased loyalty.
Remember Caesar and the Shakespearean interpretation of Caesar's demise? All the backstabbing, backchannelling, and outright nastiness destroyed an empire, and they can do the same to your school or organization.
Now, it isn’t just the staff or workers who can perpetuate an unhealthy culture. Leadership has a huge role as they can thwart the toxicity, look the other way, or perpetuate it with their own commentary. Tepper (2007) explains that abusive supervision fosters a culture of negativity and dissatisfaction, negatively impacting employees’ mental health and work performance.
Workplace bullying can also result in anxiety, depression, and absenteeism (Houshmand et al., 2012). These findings underscore the necessity for organizations to create inclusive, supportive cultures with leaders who fight against toxicity and negativity.
Toxic cultures within schools can be particularly damaging, as they not only affect educators but also students. Toxic school environments often manifest through micromanagement, lack of communication, and an absence of trust between administration and teachers (remember, trust is one of those core basic needs).
In such environments, teachers may feel undervalued, unsupported, and emotionally exhausted, leading to higher turnover rates and reduced teacher engagement (Schroeder, 2017).
Remember Caesar and the Shakespearean interpretation of Caesar's demise? All the backstabbing, backchannelling, and outright nastiness destroyed an empire, and they can do the same to your school or organization.
Research has shown that when teachers operate in negative school cultures, student outcomes also suffer. A positive, supportive culture is essential for fostering both teacher well-being and student achievement (Kraft & Papay, 2014).
Creating a healthy school culture requires clear communication, transparency, and shared values. According to Fullan (2007), when school leaders actively engage teachers in decision-making and build collaborative environments, schools thrive.
Conversely, toxic environments impede collaboration and creativity and ultimately affect teacher retention and student success. So let’s begin to shift the tide and implement five strategies that will lay the foundation for success, growth, innovation, and joy.
5 Ways to Foster a Healthy School Culture
A toxic school culture is like those plumes of fire and gas that permeate the air when an atomic bomb goes off. (I apologize for the analogy as I’ve been watching the seventh season of Fear the Walking Dead, so nuclear bombs are on my mind).
The noxious elements start out so tiny but then explode and are fueled by the oxygen within the atmosphere. If we do not foil the attack, it can be super challenging to counteract the fire and fumes. However, battling toxicity is not an impossibility, and you can start with these five strategies:
1. Lead by Example
As leaders, we can model the behaviors we want to see in our staff, students, and colleagues. When we embody positivity and joy while striving to foster connections, this can pave the way for others to follow. The time we spend engaging thoughtfully and kindly with others can foster belonging and trust - two essential human needs.
If you want to create a help-seeking culture or one that does not fear failure, then be vulnerable - admit to your setbacks and don’t be afraid to ask for help. This can be especially impactful for new teachers, who may feel hesitant to seek support in their early years. When they see experienced educators asking for help, it normalizes the practice and encourages them to do the same.
Additionally, how we handle negativity or argumentative individuals will also impact the overarching culture and whether or not individuals feel safe. When you notice behavior that goes against the culture you wish to create, you must address it. The moment you don’t is the moment your culture takes a hit. Over time, these micro hits will lead to toxicity. So be brave and lead by example.
When collaboration is celebrated and supported, it becomes a core part of the school’s culture, benefiting everyone involved.
2. Commit to a Vision
It’s crucial to create safe, brave spaces within your school where teachers feel comfortable and like they are working toward something greater than themselves. With a sense of purpose, there exists a compass for your organization.
In a previous post, I detailed how to create a vision for your school. To have a positive school culture, your vision must reflect what you aspire to become. With this vision, you could incorporate all of the basic human needs -- belonging, autonomy, competence, self-esteem, trust, and purpose.
Whatever you decide for your vision, make sure you also have community agreements that will help you reach that vision and keep you grounded.
3. Establish Community Agreements
The vision needs to be paired with adult community agreements. We’ve probably all created community agreements or norms with our students, but if we are to be a learning community together, we must do the same with staff.
Community agreements can combat toxicity and foster belonging and trust when designed properly. When designing a psychologically safe environment, you make it easier for teachers to seek support and share their challenges openly which can also prime the community for learning and growth or competence and self-esteem.
4. Encourage Mentorship
Mentorship programs are an excellent way to support healthy behaviors in schools. Pairing new or less experienced teachers with seasoned mentors creates a built-in support system while also encouraging autonomy and competence.
Mentors can provide guidance, share resources, and offer a listening ear. With this said, you need to ensure you select the right mentors who will move your organization forward.
The wrong mentors for younger staff in particular can poison the well and lead to more toxicity. Mentors are your generals on the ground and the ones a leader should lean on as they partner with staff to create a healthy culture.
5. Promote Collaboration
As I write this section, my son and I are watching one of the Justice League movies. What makes the Justice League such a strong team? Their willingness to support one another despite all odds. What's more, is that each member of the Justice League brings something unique to the team; they all have their strengths.
Distributing leadership and promoting healthy collaboration within your school community can support a thriving culture when guided by the vision and community agreements. Acknowledge the importance of working together and support staff with frameworks like professional learning communities to further beneficial collaboration.
When collaboration is celebrated and supported, it becomes a core part of the school’s culture, benefiting everyone involved.
One Last Thought
Staying committed to maintaining a positive, joyful outlook is not always easy. There will be “energy vampires” who try to sway you from your goal and infect your outlook and overarching culture with negativity and toxicity. Even if they do not intend harm (which I believe the vast majority of these individuals do not), if you permit the toxicity it will manifest like weeds in a grassy pasture.
As the leader of your school or organization, you must come prepared to work every day to counteract those energy vampires. It is your responsibility to incorporate the five strategies above so that your school environment will be healthy and thriving.
The work is not for the faint of heart, so gear up. Be in it for the long haul and stay committed. If you are this unwavering force, then the seas will change and the sun will rise once more.
References
Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change (4th ed.). Teachers College Press.
Houshmand, M., O'Reilly, J., Robinson, S. L., & Wolff, A. (2012). Escaping bullying: The simultaneous impact of individual and unit-level bullying on turnover intentions. Human Relations, 65(7), 901-918.
Kraft, M. A., & Papay, J. P. (2014). Can professional environments in schools promote teacher development? Explaining heterogeneity in returns to teaching experience. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(4), 476-500.
Porath, C. L., & Pearson, C. M. (2013). The price of incivility: Lack of respect hurts morale—and the bottom line. Harvard Business Review, 91(1-2), 115-121.
Tepper, B. J. (2007). Abusive supervision in work organizations: Review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Management, 33(3), 261-289.
Schroeder, J. (2017). Toxic school culture: Leadership, staff morale, and the tipping point for change. Educational Leadership, 75(1), 22-27.
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