Transcript Leadership is 100% Communication

This is a slimmed-down version of my presentation at
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Leadership is 90%
Communication
Geoff Barton
Download this presentation at www.geoffbarton.co.uk
(Teacher Resources 70)
Leadership is 90%
Communication
Discuss.
Download this presentation at www.geoffbarton.co.uk
(Teacher Resources 69)
Communication
within school
Essential
ingredients of
good writing
Communication
beyond school
What …
How …
The Literacy Club
Good writing:
the essentials
Describe the room
you are in …
Structure
Sentences
Words
1
Keep it brief. Aim for one side
of A4. If you must write more,
provide a summary box of key
points
2
See everything from your
readers’ viewpoint: what will
help them to absorb your ideas
as efficiently as possible?
Eg bold, boxes, bullet-points,
spacing, sub-headings
3
Think ‘readability’ for all
audiences – especially
pupils and parents
4
Think ‘short’ and ‘long’ sentences
2 sentences:
Seven of the 33 buildings in St James’s Square, in
the heart of one of the most expensive parts of
the West End, display For Sale or To Let signs. The
sight of some of the capital’s most exclusive
business addresses languishing empty – when not
long ago they were snapped up as corporate
headquarters – brings home the impact of the
recession as financial controllers cut costs by
letting out spare space vacated by staff who have
been made redundant or exiled to less costly
locations.
6 sentences:
St James’s Square is in the heart of the
West End. Seven of the 33 buildings in
display For Sale or To Let signs. Some of
the capital’s most exclusive business
addresses languish empty, when not long
ago they were snapped up as corporate
headquarters. This brings home the
impact of the recession. Financial
controllers have cut costs by letting out
spare space. This includes moving staff
to less costly locations.
5
Use connectives to signal the
direction of your ideas.
On the other hand
Despite this
However
Also
Although
As
Therefore
In contrast
In summary
In addition
For example
Similarly
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A different approach is … hghg hghg hghgh
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Another strong idea is … hghg hghg hghgh
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It could also be argued …. hghg hghg hghgh
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A different approach is … hghg hghg hghgh
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6
Be clear about punctuation:
•
•
•
•
•
Full stops to signal the end of a sentence
Commas to separate items in a list or create
islands of words
Dashes – in pairs – to create emphasis
Colons: signal something to follow
Semi-colons allow you to link related ideas; they
add balance to a sentence
7
Avoid clichés (ready-made phrases)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Come on stream (get under way / start)
A hands-on approach (practical)
The jury is still out (is not yet decided)
Meet with (meet)
Put in place (prepare)
Take on board (accept)
User-friendly (easy to use)
8
Avoid unnecessary repetition
(tautology):
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Absolute certainty (certainty)
Added bonus (bonus)
Added extra (extra)
Quite distinct (distinct)
End result (result)
Past history (history)
Really excellent (excellent)
Revert back (return)
Moment in time (currently)
What …
How …
Communication:
Within School
Why…
The Margaret
Thatcher Book
of Memorable
Quotations
“Don’t bring me problems:
bring me solutions”
“Never underestimate
the power of an
announcement”
Communication within school
1. Use “we” and “our” not “I” and “my”
2. Know and keep restating key messages with
emotive vocabulary (“powerful, terrific,
astonishing”)
3. Redundancy matters
4. Never underestimate the power of an
announcement for creating momentum
5. It’s not just about words: it’s also values – think
images, signs and plants
A Note on Death-by-PowerPoint
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Simple backgrounds (eg white on black)
Minimal text
Words to reinforce your key message exactly
Tell stories through images, never clip-art
Watch Steve Jobs
Communication:
Beyond School
Have a school website that
people look at
Make your site the number 1
hit for your school name
Shaping the
Media
Agenda
Shaping the Media Agenda
1. Have a website that changes, preferably daily
2. Have a newsletter that includes comment
3. Send newsletters routinely to all media
organisations
4. Follow those organisations on Twitter
5. Give a 60-minute guaranteed comment on any
education story
Leadership is 90%
Communication
Geoff Barton
Download this presentation at www.geoffbarton.co.uk
(Teacher Resources 70)