Tasks tasks everywhere – but Personal Interaction still takes precedence!

Considering the amount of tasks we have in the school (administrative task, committee task, implementation task, assignment task) sometimes as middle managers we become overly preoccupied with the list of tasks to be completed. Crossing off one task after another does give me a great feeling of achievement and make me believe that significant progresses have been made. But today in the staff room, I saw another middle manager “at work” and the gained experience based on my observation provided me with an insightful reflection on “why schools have middle manager and school leaders” as mentioned in my early blog. She was busy but not too busy to be polite and approachable to the teachers who came to her. Later the same day, she was still busy and yet I find her sitting with her students. All these made me realized that it is important to remember that all of the tasks which I am busy with are means of helping the teachers and the students, and such tasks are not as ends in themselves. Personal interactions with teachers and students are ultimately the key component of my role as middle manager. With this understanding, I will attempt more of this approach and put in some time in increasing my personal in-the-flash connections. There will be times when “my list of tasks can be abandoned” so that I can assist teachers with a problem or comfort students in distress. It will be my choice; the question is what is yours?