The Role of the Staff Governor Exploring how you feel about the role Sharing experiences of others Exploring how to prepare for meetings and asking strategic questions – using a Professional Dialogue approach.

Being an effective Staff Governor

How effective am I as a staff governor? On a scale on 1 – 10 How effective am I as a staff governor? What I do really well is....

Identify one thing that would make a difference and move you up a point on that scale?

Experiences Strategy Operational Comfort Discomfort DisempoweredEmpowered

What makes a good Staff Governor? The ability to ask strategic questions and engage with the college governance from the perspective of a member of staff.

Asking powerful questions Questions can be a like a lever you use to pry open the stuck lid on a paint tin. Questions can have many purposes. Validate Challenge Create forward movement/development Appreciate achievement Reflect Gain information

Consider……. What teaching and learning observation grade profiles have you got? What would you say are your innovative practices in your teaching and learning? Why cant we get our success rates up? How can we improve our systems to the reduce admin on staff? If you could change one thing that would improve teaching and learning in your area, what would that be?

Asking powerful questions Crafting questions is a skill you can practice. Step one ; Identify the purpose of your question. The Art of Powerful Questions – catalyzing insight, innovation and action by Eric E. Vogt, Juanita Brown, and David Isaacs.

The architecture of powerful questions Construction – Who, what, when, where, which, why, how? Scope – The question is within the boundaries and needs of the situation Assumptions – Questions may have assumptions built into them, and unconscious beliefs. Powerful questions surface and challenge assumptions.

The power of the question So what makes a powerful question; One that: Generates curiosity in the listener Surfaces underlying assumptions Stimulates reflective conversation Channels attention and focuses inquiry Evokes more questions Creates energy and forward movement

Crafting questions How do you prepare for meetings? Crafting questions - Strategic development - Monitoring - Scrutiny - Innovation and creativity

Practice and reflect