The humble leadership of the Mid-managers

The ones who get things done, bring about changes and make things happen

School is not just a place anymore. The pandemic has boosted its transformation into a three-dimensional, hybrid and ubiquitous space, where learning to read, to understand, and to provide answers and solutions to the unpredictable, to the uncertainty.

How can we transform the school into a flexible organization? The most inquisitive and committed school leaders know that the organizational model of the school is out of date. The VULCAN era needs us to lead communication and action networks where we can connect, share, compare, carry out... And to do it with simple, clear and efficient structures that enable talent and the best solutions.

In this network organization chart, the “Mid-managers” play a key role. Those are the ones that connect goals with people. They are the true Agents of Change in school, the ones who get things done, who make change possible, who make things happen.

How can we get Middle Management to stop being UMO (Unidentified Management Objects)? How can we prevent them from becoming trompe l’oeil, entrampment positions, in the organizational chart? What key leadership competencies do they need to develop if they want to achieve this? Why do they need to be experts in Micro-changes and Scenario Management in order to facilitate solutions and develop team talent? How can we manage the difficult art of being in the middle and humble become a bridge?

This is a book addressed to Mid-managers. But your bosses should make sure to read it to.

Lourdes BAZARRA is an expert in Innovative Methodologies; Olga CASANOVA holds a MIT diploma in Leadership for Innovation. Since 1998 they have been directors and partners of ArcixFormación (www.arcix.net), the learning scenario they designed to answer the questions to the compass that is guiding us to the school of tomorrow. They have accompanied and trained thousands of teachers and management teams, both in Spain and in Latin America. They plan and develop workshops and lectures that help understand and experience the multidimensional school of today. They are specialist in innovation and also work as consultants in Learning and in Organizational and Professional Architecture. They devote a lot of time helping to develop and articulate the structure of educational processes and projects for teams, centers and institutions.

They have published several works, among which the following books stand out: Being a teacher and managing teachers in changing times; Leadership of smart schools; The school is not longer a place, and Educational influencers.

INTRODUCTION

A. THE DIFFICULT ART OF BEING IN THE MIDDLE

• What does being a “Mid-Manager” mean?

• Why an M.M. can become a entrapment position?

• E-fit of a M.M.

• Models and styles of Mid-Management

• Why headmasters should read this book?

B. THE DIFFICULT ART OF MANAGING A MICRO-CHANGE

• Talking about change, in times of pandemic

• What does an Mid-Manager need to know about changes? Why?

• Why is it so difficult to change and bring about a change?

• How can a Mid-Manager can bring about a Micro-change?

• Map and steps for designing a Micro-change

END: How do Mid-managers get things done, bring about changes and make things happen?