In yesterday’s podcast with Superintendent Mary Beth Mueller (Diocese of Phoenix), Mueller talked about her role as supervisor and administrator.  She shared that she needs to get out of her office and walk around and build relationships with her team members.  It’s important to note that those meetings take place in their spaces.  She doesn’t call them into her office.

When you are meeting with teachers after following up an observation, do you come to their classrooms?  If you call them into your office, you are sending the message that your time is more valuable and you are causing unnecessary anxiety.

When you are meeting with people in your offices (parents, students, or teachers) how have you arranged your office?  Do you come out from behind your desk and sit with them?  This subtle tactic reduces anxiety and leads to more honest conversations.

Mueller talked about her role as administrator/supervisor for team members who have jobs she couldn’t do (e.g. Hispanic ministry).  Her role is to listen to them, guide them with the right questions, and be available to answer questions and to help solve problems.  Many administrators forget this role as supervising—instead opting to dictate and demand.  We need to walk with our team members and sometimes the subtleties of where and how those meetings take place makes all the difference.

Here is the link to the podcast on iTunes. Please subscribe to the podcast so new episodes will automatically download. The show is also available on Stitcher and Google Play. If you don’t have accounts with any of those content providers, here is the link to my basic page with the podcasts.