Andy Hargreaves, Alma Harris and Alan Boyle on leading performance beyond expectations
Andy Hargreaves, Alma Harris and Alan Boyle talked about 'Performance and leading performance beyond expectations (PBE) in education business and sport'. They suggested that the higher you set expectations, the higher the achievement over time.
Their research premise was that we can learn from asking ‘what does leadership look like in very different sectors and , in particular, what characteristics make organisations of different types sustainable far beyond expectations?’. There were difficulties in gaining access to business and sport (a bit like a homeless person asking for a seat in a top restaurant suggested Andy). That said, selection was rigorous to comply with key research PBE criteria that all had to meet.
The nine key cases in education included primary, secondary, local authorities and a special school. In the business world the five different leadership models examined were Marks and Spencer’s, Scott Bader, FIAT, shoebuy.com and Dogfish Head Brewery. In sport they looked at Burnley and Walsall football clubs, Australia cricket team and Hull Kingston Rovers rugby club.
What are the key factors of PBE Leadership? The team identified 15 ‘F’s:
- Fantastic Dream - aspired to and articulated
- Fear - confront past failure to commit to change
- Fight not flight - in the face of obstacles
- Fundamental Futures - bond change and tradition
- Firm Foundations - years of building needed.
- Fortitude - go against the flow
- CounterFlow - be prepared to go against or round mainstream
- Fast and Fair tracking - meaningful measures to monitor progress
- Feasible growth - sustainable rather than fast
- Fusion Leadership - blend of leadership styles, defying dichotomies
- High Fidelity - keep people with you
- Fraternity - engage with important communities
- Flair, Flow and Flexibility - vibrant teamwork
- Fallibility - acknowledge mistakes
- Friendly rivalry - creatively combine collaboration and competition
The researchers looked at how these finding relate to education, highlighting a key quote from Marco Polo to emphasise the need for a building process “without stones, there is no arch".
Kathy Seddon
