What can we learn from a Superintendent of the Year who has reviewed dozens of books by educational leaders about school culture for his PhD?

I spoke to Dr. Jamie Nutter recently, who currently works closely with superintendents in 31 school districts in Wisconsin as Executive Director of CESA3.

As we're wrapping up the school year and starting to think about the new one in the fall, his conversation came to mind as an important thing for district leaders to think about over the summer.

I was blown away by his ability to blend both academic theory with practical application for a "squishy" topic like culture.

It came as no surprise then when midway through our chat he brought up the OG of Organizational Psychology, Edgar Schein at MIT.

"If you think about culture as a whole, you have to be intentional about it. What is it's purpose?"

Schein of course, believed that the purpose of culture was to solve an organization's external problems - culture doesn't exist in a vacuum, but it is a powerful tool for organizations to accomplish their goals.

Dr. Nutter tied this to the problem of learning and achievement in schools.

To the extent that leaders are the stewards of culture in their organizations, educational leaders therefore need to be intentional about how they do so.

Leaders need to create their culture by design, not by accident.

Spoiler alert: this goes beyond hanging a poster of our strategy, vision and values in the office lobby.

So how should top educational leaders build culture intentionally?

We go back to guideposts that Schein suggests.

1. Artifacts

Don't get me wrong. There's no hating on posters of the 5-year strategic plan, vision and values around the school district.

In fact, these are important artifacts of culture within the organization.

However, we need to take these artifacts further.

Dr. Nutter mentioned a rise in the role of Communications Directors within school districts. There's an increasing recognition that it's important to tell the story of each district.

Because of how deeply embedded into our communities our schools are, there are numerous competing narratives in social media, casual conversations, and other channels.

Educational leaders need to be deliberate about their key message not getting lost in the sea of opinions. Short weekly newsletters, monthly videos, and engaging the PTA and bringing them on board with stickers and swag are just some of the other artifacts that leaders have shared.

2. Espoused Values

These artifacts are really important to tell outside world about your brand, vision, mission statement.

There's subtle reinforcement each time you hear someone yell "Go Pathers!" (or insert relevant sporting animal) at a baseball game.

By sharing these values outwardly, economists refer to this as a "commitment device".

Basically you're more likely to behave the way you say you will to others.

But it's also important to tell each other in our district and schools what we're about.

Rejecting a project because it may have negative implications on equity for student minorities.

Campaigning for a levy to fund digital literacy and safety for our kids.

Negotiating fair agreements with the unions.

Every activity we do as leaders will either strengthen our values and culture, or detract from them. Espousing these values is as much talk as they are action.

3. Underlying Assumptions

Underlying assumptions are the most difficult level of culture to change because they are deeply embedded and largely unconscious.

They significantly influence behavior, decision-making, and interactions within the organization, but are rarely documented or explicitly stated.

Some examples of underlying assumptions include:

• Assumptions about the nature of human activity (e.g., proactive vs. reactive, individual vs. group)
• Assumptions about the nature of human relationships (e.g., hierarchical vs. egalitarian)
• Assumptions about the nature of the environment (e.g., stable vs. dynamic)

The most effective way to ensure that the underlying assumptions in your schools are aligned with the culture you are trying to design is to practice what you preach.

People need to know that what we're saying aligns with our practices. When it does, the right underlying assumptions are cemented and fortified.

When it does not, other assumptions take root, and can be insidiously difficult to remove.

Measuring What Matters - School Culture Triage Survey

Dr. Nutter and I also spoke about Wagner's School Culture Triage survey, which helps to quantify some of Schein's work in the school context.

The survey consists of 17 self-report statements that teachers and administrators rate on a 5-point Likert scale based on the frequency of occurrence at their school.

It covers three main dimensions:

Professional Collaboration

Statements related to teachers and staff discussing instructional strategies, curriculum issues, being involved in decision-making regarding materials and resources, and working together to develop the school schedule.

Affiliative and Collegial Relationships

The sense of community, appreciation for each other's talents, celebrating successes together, and engaging socially outside of school.

Self-Determination/Efficacy

Aspects like empowerment to make instructional decisions, seeking alternative solutions to problems, defining problems rather than blaming others, and choosing to work at the school because they enjoy it.

We spoke about how supporting behaviors that emerge from the results, such as a mystery bus tour for staff that ends at the bowling alley.

These activities might not build culture in themselves, but may allow the conditions for individuals to build more trust with each other.

That's important because we have to trust the people we work with - an important building block of a cohesive culture.

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As leaders, we have to be intentional about all our practices to build culture. While it's nice to have high morale, culture cannot just be a feeling.

It has to be about systems and practices that drive accomplishment and success.

(Team) members have to feel that and earn that, and the leader's job is to help them do so.

This summer, as you let your team take a well-deserved break, use the time to reflect on the kind of culture that you want to design in your schools.

Has it been supported by artifacts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions?

What could be changed or improved in the new school year to help strengthen the culture you're trying to build?

If it helps, I've recorded the chat with Dr. Nutter, and you can listen to it on the Engaging Leadership podcast from the 19:13 mark.

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CT (CheeTung) Leong

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