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A question of management: conflict, pressure and time
Liam F. ... Heaney, Southern Education and Library Board, Open University, Belfast, Ireland
Abstract
Discusses three important aspects of school management, namely, managing conflict, coping with pressure, and managing time. ...
Keywords: Time management, Organizational change, Stress, Conflict, Bureaucracy.
Content Indicators: Research Implications** Practice Implications** Originality** Readability**
The International Journal of Educational Management
Volume 15 Number 4 2001 pp. 197-203
Copyright © MCB University Press ISSN 0951-354x
Pressure, pushing down on me/pressing down on you (Queen and David Bowie, Under Pressure, 1981).
Setting the scene
Many of us can readily identify with the lyrics of the song Under Pressure. The hectic pace of daily life and the increasing demands of work are at the heart of what we commonly call pressure. Moreover, many schools, colleges and universities will feel an affinity with the words "under pressure", given the unprecedented range of developments that have occurred in recent years. ... This has led to additional and sustained pressure for schools, and for headteachers, in particular. ...
However, the requirement to have in place such additional documentation, to demonstrate that appropriate policies and procedures have been developed and implemented, has resulted in much additional work for schools, which in turn has increased the pressure on both headteachers and teachers in the classroom. ... Bottery (1992), in The Ethics of Educational Management, claims that bureaucracy has "its uses but it also has its abuses". ... The point is that the considerable time and effort expended in producing policy documents are often lost or dissipated, because the documents either are put to one side and ignored, or are simply forgotten. ...
These are issues that bring additional pressure to bear on schools. ... Moreover, some would say that, given the increased complexities of modern life and living, this pressure will continue to be an important issue for schools. It follows from these observations that the management of learning and teaching, in a more technologically advanced society, becomes more challenging and more demanding.
Managing schools
Given my previous comments, there can be little doubt that the efficient management of a school is a complex, challenging and demanding task. ... In effect, relationships play a central role in the daily life of schools and it is this aspect of management, managing relationships and conflict, that underpins the next section of this article. ... Nonetheless, it is important to highlight these issues from the outset and to be clear about what happens in schools on a day-to-day basis before we can address issues associated with conflict, pressure and time management.
The purpose of this article is not to explore the complexities of school management in its totality. ...
In this article, I will discuss three important aspects of school management, namely: managing conflict; coping with pressure; and managing time. ... Many theories of management have been presented and comprehensively addressed in the literature by eminent writers, such as, Whittaker, Fullan, Handy and Bruner. ...
Managing conflict
Conflict within schools has many origins and arises from relationships with teachers, pupils, parents and external agencies. Consider for a moment an occasion when you experienced conflict in your working environment. ...
Conflict is a fact of daily life and living. ... We have all experienced frustation at some time in our lives, whether it be on the roads, stuck at an airport terminal or hassled by someone at work, even if you are the boss. The potential for conflict is prevalent all around us. ... Conflict makes news, it sells papers and increases viewing figures. ... Whether on screen or in real life, conflict can be divisive and can readily lead to an unsettled working environment for all. ... Whittaker (1993) points out that "effective behaviour is never that simple, however, and dealing with conflict by formula is not to be recommended". ... what is essential, if we are to avoid falling into either the aggressive or the submissive trap, is to develop a capacity to own and express our feelings in conflict situations. ...
When faced with conflict in the working environment it is often helpful, first and foremost, to take stock of the situation. ... Managing conflict effectively in the school context is an important aspect of leadership and management, but it is also a key element in ensuring that change is brought about more smoothly.
Obviously, some approaches to conflict are more suitable than others in particular circumstances and it is one of the skills of successfully managing conflict to know which strategy (or strategies) is best to apply in a given situation. The essential aim of any conflict situation is to ensure that reason prevails and that a resolution is achieved to the satisfaction of all concerned. Thus, some useful approaches to managing conflict might include:
Think positively. ... Some principals and teachers have told me that one of the best ways of dealing with conflict is to "go shopping" and to buy oneself a new item of clothing. ...
Coping with pressure
If dealing with conflict is an important aspect of management within schools, coping with pressure is equally so. When individuals are under pressure, conflict often arises. Thus, reducing the pressure on ourselves and on others is very important. It is true to say that each one of us, at some stage in our working lives, has been under "a pressure" which has stifled our ability to think and act effectively. This has generally arisen from having too much to do and not enough time in which to do it.
A degree of pressure is sometimes good, in that it helps to focus the mind and encourages us to get things done. However, it has been well established by doctors, psychologists and therapists alike that too much pressure results in stress and, in the longer term, stress inhibits effectiveness. ...
So what practical measures can be taken to cope with pressure and thus avoid the debilitating symptoms of stress? ... Setting oneself or the school too much to do in a year can have the effect of putting individual teachers under considerable pressure and in turn undermine confidence. ... However, prioritising what needs to be done now and what can be left to a later date, is an important means of reducing pressure on oneself and on staff. ... This of course, does not mean avoiding the issue or problem, but it does mean leaving it to a more opportune time.
Approximate Word count = 5181
Approximate Pages = 20.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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