Q. I’ve recently started as a nursery manager in a new setting. I am finding it a very hostile environment among the staff, with the long-term ones having no respect for the newer ones or myself. How do I start to bring everyone together as a team?
Sarah Steel, chair and founder, The Old Station Nursery
‘Begin by holding a meeting for all members of staff in which you discuss the main issues that need to be addressed. Try to find out what the longer-term workers are concerned about, but do not single them out. Ask everyone in the meeting to state his or her main challenges.
‘Often there are things that you can change easily. Discuss this together, as it is helpful for each room or department to be aware of each other’s challenges.
‘Try and bring everyone together under a common, unified goal. One way could be to all work together towards a particular project. You might ask for a volunteer to lead on this, so it’s not all up to you.
‘You could also build team relations by organising a social event. Again – will someone volunteer to lead this? Activities like bowling are good, as groups within the staff can move around, and as the manager you can spend time with everyone.
‘Finally, ensure everyone is aware of your background, experience and what you can “bring to the party”. You could do this during a staff meeting or through a more vocal team member.’
Laura Hodges, regional manager at Fennies Nurseries, and leadership coach at HQ Early Years
‘I find the best way to re-engage a team is to rediscover their passion. I am very passionate about understanding the “why” around things. You could start by asking the team some simple questions, such as: “Why do we do an activity? Why do we choose to show up each morning?” Early years is not a job you do to become a millionaire. It is a job you do through passion.
‘Have a staff meeting and do activities with the team to explore this. We are all different practitioners who come from different backgrounds and have different experiences. People’s “whys” vary.
‘From a leadership perspective, staff are more likely to be committed if everyone shares the same vision. While exploring everyone as an individual, also try to rediscover what the whole team wants to work towards. Once that vision is clear, you can work ina more unified way. I like to illustrate this with the example of how geese fly in a V formation. The reason for that is it enables each bird to see where they are flying. If you can get your team focused in the right direction again, they are likely to be more committed.
‘Finally I would encourage you as a manager to show some vulnerability. We are all here to try and do the best for our children in our settings. We all have good and bad days. Allow yourself to be an authentic person, not just a leader and a manager. That brings people together and develops trust and respect.’
Sandra Johnson, nursery manager, Kindred Bournemouth Day Nursery and Pre-School
‘Firstly, come in to work smiling and be approachable. I have seen myself how a nursery manager lost her team’s respect because she did not let people get to know her as a person. That was disrespectful towards the staff, and respect is a two-way thing.
‘In order to understand the dynamics of the team, do one-to-one supervisions with each member. Don’t accuse anyone of hostile behaviour. Ask them about their strengths and weaknesses and get them to open up.
‘Once you have discovered what might be bothering them, develop strategies to improve the situation. Set measurable outcomes and give assurance you will support them. Afterwards, keep checking in with staff. Show them you listened and you want to find out how they are managing.
‘As well as observing staff, find other people to help you, such as managers from another branch. Other people can report back if dynamics are different when you are absent.
‘It is important to break up cliques and to get the right mix of skills in a team. Try to match strengths effectively. Natural leaders should be paired with people more likely to follow. You might get the arrangement wrong at first, but do not let that deter you.
‘Change is not an overnight process, so be prepared to take steps forwards and backwards. If you set small, achievable goals for your team, and praise their efforts, the end result will be positive.’