What were the qualities that made leadership teams effective?
The structure of the leadership teams had all changed in recent years to become small, tightly focused groups. The interviewees felt that the following factors made them effective: • individual members of the team were knowledgeable and committed • the team members had complementary skills and experience • they like working together and had strong relationships • they listened to one another and debated differences of opinion • they worked collaboratively and were open and flexible • everyone was clear about their role within the team • the team members supported one another. How far did distributed leadership extend? Four out of the five schools involved middle manages in the work of the leadership team. Teachers were given opportunities to develop initiatives such as Gifted & Talented and Key Stage 3 within the school. This promoted the professional development of these staff and increased their motivation. “From a professional development point of view, [the broader leadership team]
