Breakout Session 6 - 17th September at 2:00 - 2:40
Motivating others and ourselves: Sports psychology skills for educational leaders.
| Presenter/s: | Sylvia Robertson and Ross Notman |
| Type: | Workshop |
| Keywords: | Motivation; Sports psychology; Transformational school leadership |
Abstract
The world of sports psychology offers useful parallels with the work of educational leaders. In education, transformational leadership is often cited as an approach that engenders motivation and builds positive school culture. Transformational leadership behaviours include setting directions, building relationships and helping people, developing the organisation to support desired practices, and improving the instructional program (Leithwood et al, 2020). In this workshop, we explore the strategies that sports psychologists and coaches use to motivate improved performance such as engaging an individual’s authentic identity, utilising coping strategies to manage pressure, setting targeted goals, and building a strong performance culture. These skills are then linked to the motivational challenges faced by centre/school/tertiary leaders in their work context e.g. managing values conflict, emotional regulation, self-efficacy, team-building, maintaining hope, and building trust. The workshop includes time for shared discussion and consideration of ways to apply these skills both professionally and personally.
Biography
Sylvia Robertson and Ross Notman
Dr Sylvia Robertson is a Senior Lecturer in Education Studies and Director of the University of Otago Centre for Educational Leadership and Administration (CELA) in Dunedin, New Zealand, and Co-Director, UCEA Centre for the International Study of School Leadership. Sylvia has given presentations and authored publications on school leadership and principal preparation, leading through change and crisis, and leadership identity. Her research interests continue in these areas with a current focus on the personal and professional resilience of school leaders.
Emeritus Professor Ross Notman was formerly director of the Centre for Educational Leadership and Administration at the University of Otago. Distinctions in educational leadership include the Dame Jean Herbison Scholarship for research into school principals’ centres in Canada and Australia (2007); Visiting Fellow at the University of Nottingham (2009); Fulbright Scholarship to Alaska working with rural principals (2011); and Visiting Academic at the Universities of Edinburgh, Nottingham and Oxford (2014). Ross currently works part-time as a consultant in educational leadership.