What is being a leader?
Within an early years setting the management structure often starts with a manager, then deputy manager, then senior leader, practitioners, apprentices and students. This varies slightly from setting to setting but that involves the main elements. Each person has a key role to play and the leaders role is particularly important. A leader is different to manager and will have different roles and responsibilities. Management is more based around office duties, creating policies and procedures and ensuring the best practice possible is happening. The leaders role would normally involve:
- Inspiring a team to be the best they can be and creating/sharing a vision
- To influence best practice through sharing skilled and sound knowledge
- To bridge the gap between management and practitioner
- Discover the strengths and weaknesses of practitioners and use this
- Lead the room to be as functional and effective as possible
- To share and gather ideas around all aspects of the setting and EYFS and to create an ultimate decision
- Be an example and show practitioners the way forward
- Motivate the team
- Not being afraid to take a step back and listen to others and act upon this. Creating leaders is just as important as being a leader.
How to be an effective leader
Understanding the role of a leader is the first key step to becoming a truly effective leader. Once you have established the role of the leader it is then important to become the leader in an effective way. Leadership in the early years is very varied with each individual taking on their own approach. The important part to remember is the best outcomes for the child need to be achieved and this will only happen through effective leadership. Ofsted will be rating leadership and management skills when they inspect a setting so ensuring leadership is at its best is crucial.
Some top tips to being an effective leader are:
- The ability to inspire – As a leader you need to be able to inspire your team. Get to know your team well to find out what inspires them and how to create inspiration.
- Communication – The ability to effectively communicate with those around you. Communication involves listening and acting upon this also
- Lead by example – Share your vision and act upon it, practitioners will then follow and you will gain their trust and respect
- Delegation – Just because you are a leader does not mean you have to do everything. Trust that your team are more then capable of completing out certain tasks. This will create confidence and two way respect.
- Be knowledgeable – Empower yourself with knowledge any way you can, read the company policies and procedures, complete extra research and additional courses where possible. Your team will turn to you in times of difficulty and you need to have the knowledge to make the rights decisions and share best practice.
- Be confident – Be confident in your vision and decisions. Do not become arrogant as this will not inspire or motivate your team but feel assured that you are doing the best possible job you can.
Recommended Book: How to Be a Great Leader in Early Years