Reflecting on Chairing my first ASL Meeting:
I have been an Across School Leader (ASL) for the Auckland Central Community of schools Kāhui Ako for a little while now. Although almost half of my time as ASL has been spent during lock down. Personally, it took a while for me to feel comfortable within my new ASL role. To be surrounded by such experienced teachers, who had also been an ASL for a while, was intimidating. But I knew in order to grow my own confidence and leadership I had to step further outside of my comfort zone like I did when running PLG meetings as an ISL, coaching new ISL’s as an ASL and sharing more of my voice during group discussions.
Recently all of the ASL’s completed Clifton's Strength Test. The test narrowed down our Top 5 strengths under the categories of: Strategic Thinking, Influencing, Executing and Relationship Building. It was no surprise to me that 4 out of my 5 strengths were under the ‘Executing’ category. I am known as a doer. I take responsibility, I am dependable, I act with accuracy & precision, I can create structure, I make everything I do purposeful.
Thursday 12th May was meant to be our first face to face ASL meeting being held at Auckland Normal Intermediate. However, late Wednesday night Jill Farquharson, our lead principal, made the decision to move the meeting to a Zoom, due to two ASL’s being absent and other staff needing to step into other leadership roles within their school. One of the other ASL’s had prepped the agenda and was going to chair the meeting before becoming sick. I offered to take over as chair and run the meeting.
With moving to Zoom we all had to be quick thinking, adaptive and flexible in how the meeting was conducted. As Chairperson, I ensured I was clear in what we would be doing for each section of the agenda, clearly calling upon each person to speak, ensuring everyone got enough time to share their ideas and opinions and thanking them at the end to ensure they had finished their thoughts. The other ASL I was working alongside for my agenda item and I needed time to rethink our approach, by bringing another agenda item forward. The group was quick on their toes taking a suggestion to use an online platform (PadLet) to post the discussion questions, allowing individuals to document and post their own thoughts. Moving to an online platform for sharing ideas worked absolutely brilliantly for all of us. We made use of the two groups (half working remotely from and staff at ANI) to break off into groups for these discussions. Where it was not applicable to complete agenda items, due to their nature, I offered a suggestion to move them until the next in person meeting. I thought that it was important as Chairperson to offer up suggestions for the team to agree on and progress with the meeting.
Overall I believe that in chairing my first ASL meeting I demonstrated leadership skills by leaning on my strengths and being a doer. I was able to lead a structured, well communicated, organised and efficient meeting and was clear in ensuring that all members were heard and contributed their ideas.
Next time I wonder how chairing a face to face ASL meeting might be different and if some of the organisation and outcomes might be the same. I felt proud of my first meeting and look forward to chairing another across school meeting either remotely or face to face.
