"No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship." — James Comer
From Relationships to Collective Efficacy
Effective school improvement starts with relationships, but how are school leaders supposed to organically cultivate strong, positive relationships both with their staff and across their schools? Better yet, why prioritize it when compliance should be enough to get things done? Research consistently shows that collective efficacy—teachers' shared belief in their ability to achieve educational goals—has a significant impact on student outcomes. However, collective efficacy is not a product of mandates or policies. It develops through a process that begins with relationship-building, evolves into trust, and culminates in collaborative efforts that drive meaningful change.
For school leaders who may be struggling to build sustainable, positive relationships, the steps below may be helpful:
Step 1: Building Relationships as the Foundation
Strong relationships are built on trust and make it possible for successful collaboration. When leaders intentionally foster connection, they demonstrate respect, empathy, and care for their staff. These connections form the foundation for a positive school culture where teachers feel valued and empowered.
Strategies for Relationship-Building:
Inclusion Activities: Incorporate activities at meetings that give staff space to share their experiences, successes, and challenges. For example, opening meetings with a prompt like, “What’s one professional win from the past week?” helps humanize interactions.
Intentional Check-ins: Schedule regular, informal conversations with staff to understand their needs and concerns. Even brief check-ins signal that their perspectives matter. You can make these as casual as stopping by their classroom during prep period or formalize it with an “office hours” open-door policy each week.
Celebrate Contributions: Publicly acknowledge team efforts and individual accomplishments out loud, in writing, and online. Recognition fosters a sense of belonging and connection.
Step 2: Building Trust Through Consistency and Support
Trust is built when leaders are consistent, transparent, and supportive. Psychological safety—the belief that it’s safe to take risks and share ideas—is essential for trust. When teachers trust their leaders and colleagues, they are more likely to engage in honest conversations and collaborative work rather than working in siloes or just meeting minimum requirements..
Ways to Foster Trust:
Follow Through: Demonstrate reliability by following up on commitments and addressing concerns promptly. If you say you will look into a duty schedule modification that more effectively manages the cafeteria during lunch at a teacher’s request, show up with receipts at your next meeting, whether they be emails or conversation notes, even if you can’t make the requested changes.
Listen Actively: Create opportunities for staff input during decision-making processes to let teachers know their voices have an impact. This can be as informal as asking their opinions in staff meetings or one-on-ones, or opening up an anonymous “suggestion box” via Google Form. Refer back to number 1 to create buy-in on your active listening!
Provide Support: Equip staff with the resources, time, and professional learning needed to navigate challenges effectively. Don’t mandate unnecessary meetings or overcomplicate tasks with arbitrary paperwork and documentation, and instead focus on things that move the needle in the right direction quickly and clearly.
Step 3: Engaging in Collaborative Work to Build Collective Efficacy
Once trust is established, teachers are more willing to engage in collaborative problem-solving and improvement efforts beyond their standard teaching duties. Collaborative work strengthens their belief in their collective capacity to overcome challenges and achieve goals.
Strategies for Collaborative Engagement:
Co-Create Solutions: Encourage staff to work together to identify challenges and design action plans. For example, use structured protocols like brainstorming sessions or improvement sprints to guide the process, and then give your staff the autonomy to take those action plans and run with them - rather than posting the plan on a wall and never referring back to it again.
Peer Observation and Feedback: Implement peer observation cycles where teachers can learn from each other’s practices and provide constructive feedback. Make time for this a priority in the schedule by providing a rotating sub so teachers can take 30-60 minutes for observations without losing valuable prep time.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Foster ongoing PLCs that focus on shared goals and data-driven reflection. If these PLCs begin to feel like “just another meeting,” reach out to leaders in your circle to find ways to make them more productive, actionable, and collaborative.
The Ripple Effect: Trust and Collaboration Lead to Transformation
When relationships and trust are prioritized, collaboration becomes a natural part of the school’s culture. This collaborative work reinforces the belief that change is possible and achievable as a team, fueling collective efficacy. Teachers feel empowered, students benefit from stronger instruction, and the entire school community thrives.
By following this pathway—building relationships, fostering trust, and creating opportunities for collaboration—school leaders can cultivate a culture where collective efficacy flourishes and lasting improvements take root.
A Note on the Process: It's important to remember that school improvement doesn’t require waiting until each step is perfected before moving forward. Building relationships, trust, and collaboration often happen concurrently and over time. Leaders should engage in meaningful improvement work immediately while continuing to strengthen connections and trust along the way. Improvement is an ongoing process, not a linear checklist.
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