graham short executive director of educational and social services “the management of morale.”

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICES

Graham Short

Executive Director of Educational and Social Services

“The Management of Morale.”


………….,or “The Relevance of Field Marshall Slim to Scottish Education in the 21st Century.”


THE PLAN

• Why the interest in morale ?• What is morale ?• Should we manage morale ?• Can we manage morale ? • What will success look like ?• The challenge.


Why the interest in morale ?




“Scotland in the grip of depression. New figures show over one in ten Scots adults on anti-depressants.”

Front page headline in “The Scotsman” 28 September 2011



“Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and healthcare support workers in our NHS is plummeting.” Thersa Fyffe, Director of RCN Scotland quoted in The Scotsman 26 September 2011.



The same article cited “plummeting” morale which it variously attributed to:

• The number of nursing posts being lost• Only 30% of nurses thinking the profession offered them job security compared to 82% two years ago

• Only 38% would recommend nursing as a career• 74% reported increased stress at work



“How it feels to teachers on the inside is very different when morale is low in the face of a two year pay freeze and costly changes to pensions.......................Where McCrone focused on the teacher and building the self esteem of the professional, McCormac concentrates on what is best for the child.”

Gillian MacDonald in TESS page 04 Issue 2232 16 September 2011



However, the article on 23 September in TESS, issue 2233 pointed out:

“Scottish teachers earn more than most other professionals if high earners at the top of the pay ladder are taken out of the equation. They also work fewer hours than teachers elsewhere in the UK for roughly the same pay.”

Elizabeth Buie, page 05, quoting Research by Professor David Bell of Stirling University



And since we are interested in the link between morale and outcomes:

“There is no causal link from teachers’ salaries to student achievement”

Professor Bell quoted in 23 September in TESS.



“Morale is to the Physical, as 3 is to 1”

Napoleon Bonaparte


What is morale ?

What is morale ?


What is morale ?

• “The degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group: spirit of optimism” Collins English Dictionary 10th edition 2009.

Or:• The general level of confidence or optimism felt by a person or

group of people, especially as it affects discipline or motivation.

Or• “Morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together

persistently and consistently in pursuit of a common purpose.” Alexander H Leighton “Human Relations in a Changing World: Observations on the uses of the Social Sciences “(1949)


What is morale ?

Wikipedia:• Morale, also known as esprit de corps when

discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others. Applies particularly to military personnel, but also in any organisational setting, particularly in times of stress and controversy….. While the term is often used by authority figures as a generic value judgement of the will power, obedience and self discipline of a group tasked with performing duties assigned by a superior.


What is morale ?

more accurately it refers to the level of individual faith in the collective benefit gained by such performance.”

Wikipedia continued


What is Morale ?

“Morale is a state of mind. It is that intangible force that will move a whole group to give their last ounce to achieve something, without counting the cost to themselves; that makes them feel they are part of something greater than themselves.......morale must have certain foundations [if it is to endure]”

Field Marshal Slim, 1956, “Defeat into Victory”

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICESShould we manage morale ?

Should we manage morale ?

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICESShould we manage morale ?

All commentators seek to establish that there is a link between morale and outcomes. If we are interested in better outcomes for young people then we require to be fascinated by the management of morale as it affects staff, young people and our communities.


Pupil Attendance 2010 – 2011 (East Ayrshire)


Exclusions : 2010 – 2011 (East Ayrshire)


East Ayrshire Staff Absence 2010-2011

% Staff Absence

0123456

Aug-1

0

Oct-1

0

Dec-1

0

Feb-

11

Apr-1

1

Jun-

11

Aug-1

1

Month

% %


Can we manage morale ?




Attention to morale is the difference between administration and management on the one hand and leadership on the other.

We need to consider:• staff• young people• parents and the community

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICESCan we manage morale ?

6 factors which can have a negative influence on morale:

Job security – not knowing whether you have a future

Pay level - not getting a fair reward for the work you do

Communication – not getting the information you need when you need it

Supervision – not getting the support you need

Workload – too much is expected of you

Policy – you don’t have a clear idea about the direction of your employer’s policy.

Source : East Ayrshire Employee Attitude Survey commissioned from Edinburgh University



Some factors (1):• Job security for staff and job opportunity for pupils• Management or teaching styles:

– Demanding, rigid supervision that is over-involved in the work being done

– Unsupportive, weak supervision that does not offer enough support or guidance

• Staff, children and parents feeling that their contribution is valued

• Conditions of the workplace• Overwork or consistently heavy workload

(Source Google Search, October 2011)



Some factors (2):• Unjustified or unpopular appointments• Realistic opportunities for merit based recognition• Perceived social or economic value of the work being

done by the organisation as whole• Perceived status of the work being done by the

organisation as a whole• Team composition• The work culture.

(Source Google Search, October 2011)



Some Measures suggested to manage morale (1) :• Staff, pupil and parental complaints• Exit interviews• Know reputation of organisation in community• Watch discussions on intranet ??• Appraisal and 360 degree feedback• Coach managers and staff in treatment of colleagues, pupils

and parents• Communication between top managers and front-line staff,

pupils and parents (Adapted from Google Search, October 2011)



Some Measures suggested to manage morale (2) :• Telling staff, pupils and parents plus feedback• Show pride in your staff, young people and community• Celebrate achievements in a fair, transparent and consistent

manner• Open door culture• Train staff in how to deal with tensions in the workplace• “People can handle almost anything so long as they know what

is expected of them”• Cross training.• Clear direction and simple processes.(Adapted from Google Search, October 2011)



Intelligence



Intelligence

Hard Work



Intelligence

Hard Work

Lazy and Unintelligent



Intelligence

Hard Work


Lazy and Intelligent



Intelligence

Hard Work



Unintelligent and industrious



Intelligence

Hard Work



Bright and industrious




Intelligence

Hard Work





They do no harm – leave them alone



Intelligence

Hard Work






They make work for others –sack them immediately



Intelligence

Hard Work







Vital – retain them at all costs



Intelligence

Hard Work







Vital – retain them at all costs

Destined for the highest rank

(Source: von Manstein (1916))



Leadership :• Dedication• Values• Integrity• Charisma• Bravery• Motivation• Credibility

– Source, page 66 “Changing Lives: 21st Century Review of Social Work”



The 10 Rules of Eternal Heaven Leadership:

1. Reward loyalty

2. Be austere

3. Exercise self-control

4. Find talent where you can, and use it

5. Kill enemies without compunction

6. Oppose cruelty

7. Adapt and be open to new ways of ruling

8. Know that you have divine backing

9. Make your followers and heirs believe it too

10.Respect freedom and belief

Source: “Ghenghis Khan, Life, death and resurrection”, John Man, pp 277 – 281.



“These foundations are spiritual, intellectual and material. Spiritual first because only spiritual foundations can stand real strain. Next intellectual, because people are swayed by reason as well as feeling. Material last – important, but last – because the very highest kinds of morale are often met when material conditions are lowest.”

Field Marshal Slim, 1956, “Defeat into Victory”.



Spiritual = “belief in cause”

“……nor was it enough to have a worthy cause. It must be positive…not a mere passive or anti-something feeling….everyone had to be made to see where his task fitted into the whole….and to realize what depended on it…and to feel pride in doing it well…”

Field Marshall Bill Slim (1956)



• Congruence between:

– Own needs– The staff team needs– The community’s needs

• Coupled to:

– Clear locus of accountability» Professor Richard Elmore, 2007



“Ten years ago if I had a vision, they would have locked me up; now, I can’t get a job without one”Michael Fullan, speaking in New Cumnock 2004



“The WayCauses menTo be of one mindWith their rulers,To live or die with them,And never to waver”

Sun-tzu @ 500BC

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICESWhat will success look like ?

What will success look like ?


• Attainment above expectations• High pupil attendance• Low staff absence• Low exclusion rates• Low levels of classroom indiscipline• High involvement in CPD• Participation in innovation• Low level of complaints• Pride in range of achievements• High parental participation• Prompt responses• Good technical systems that are used


Or, what it will not look like :• “Don’t expect an increase in attainment for 5 years”• “Our children come from disadvantaged backgrounds you

know.”• “We have a lot of children with additional support needs.”• “We do not have enough resources…”• “Children these days…….”• “The children are performing at this standard, we just have not

assessed them.”• 1982……….

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL SERVICESThe challenge.

The challenge.


Resources, finances, levels of pay and pension contributions ?

The Union View – communicated by word and action…………

But not according to Slim…….


The Challenge

• The 4 Capacities?• The 7 Outcomes ?• The 10 Dimensions ?• The 5 National Priorities ?• The X number of local improvement objectives ?

Directors and headteachers MUST make sense of this for our people.


• The rhetoric of sound bite government – preventative spend, early intervention.

• Confused political accountabilities.• Funding streams• Class sizes of 18• Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act, 2010• Moratorium on rural school closures• Devolved school management• Increased centralism• Report of CoSLA submission to McCormac review.


“These days I cannot find any senior politician who can speak about Education, let alone speak for Education.”


• Where is the Vision and Narrative?

• What price the Morale of staff, pupils and parents ?

graham short executive director of educational and social services “the management of morale.”

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