In the April 2008 edition of Leadership+, the journal of the Irish Primary Prinicpals' Network, Cóilín O Coigligh wrote about three aspects of communication, a critical element in the role of a school leader:

• essential elements of communication;
• barriers to communication; and
  
• overcoming the barriers to communication.
  

Cóilín's article is published with the kind permission of the IPPN. We hope that you find it a useful way to check your own communication style in your school. Follow the link below to read the complete article.

A primary school is a hub of human activity with many varied communication activities taking place. Parents,
people from the community, outside agencies, government agencies, representatives of the patron, pupils, Special
Needs Assistants, teaching and non-teaching staff, Boards of Management, Parents’ Association are just a few
examples of those engaged in communicating with schools. In the centre of the hub is the Principal and a central
part of his/her job is to relay information to the teachers from the many groups who have contact with the school.

Lunenberg and Ornstein (2004) describe communication as “the lifeblood of every school organisation” explaining it as “a process that links the individual, the group and the organisation”. They refer to a study by Minzberg (1997) which found that administrators spend 80% of their time in interpersonal communication and they conclude that “school administrators therefore need a clear understanding of the process of communication”.

According to Whitaker et al., (1998): “…communication skills, in order to work effectively, …are all very necessary for the
performance of the head’s job”. Rees (1998) states that “Communication in organisations is a great deal worse than most people realise” and therefore “… it is critical to communicate accurately”.

Essential Elements
The main ways that a Principal communicates with teachers are written and verbal. The main written forms are:

• Memos
• Noticebaords
• Newsletters
• Staff room whiteboard
• Staff room calendar board
• Notices in post boxes
• E-mail
• Texts.

According to Rees, it is essential in using written communication that the Principal spends time and effort in ensuring that what s/he is writing is exactly what s/he intends to convey. Because “written communication is one way…the recipients have, for the time being at least, to rely on the writer’s accuracy of expression”. Rees also states that “accuracy in communication is usually much lower than is assumed”. Southworth (1998) states that it is best not to rely solely on verbal
communication, written communication “is important because otherwise too much may rest on memory”.

The main verbal forms are:

• Staff meetings
• ISM meetings
• Intercom system
• Informal consultations
• Formal consultations
• MBWA (Management By Wandering About).

All bar one of these involve face-to-face communication, which is “usually the most effective kind”. Giles and Proudfoot, (1990). Hoy and Miskel, (2005) add that this enables the receiver to “assess the accuracy of the other person’s message in order to be sure that they are both heading in the same direction”.

Non-verbal communication
As well as written and verbal communication, we must not forget non-verbal communication. We communicate as many messages non-verbally as we do verbally. The way we look, how we stand or sit, whether we stand or sit, where we stand or sit, how we look at someone, whether or not our arms are folded or our legs are crossed, whether or not we make eye contact and so on, “conveys messages to others”. Lunenberg and Ornstein. We also “communicate by our manner of dress and appearance, the automobile we drive and the office we occupy”. They add:

“You cannot not communicate. Everything that you do is a form of communication, verbal and non-verbal. The way you walk, your facial expression, and your silence are interpreted by others, so you might as well do it right”. Lunenberg and Ornstein.

So, although in schools the verbal and written communication (i.e. the formal lines of communication) often conveys the content, “the informal ones (non-verbal, previous perceptions etc.) convey the true intent”.

Barriers to communication
The above are the nuts and bolts, and practical applications of written and verbal communication. The most common barriers to communication as paraphrased from Rees are:

1. Listening problems: Not all Principals appreciate that they need to spend more time listening than talking and should not presume that good communication is synonymous with the imparting of information and views…If everyone concentrates on imparting information and views, just who will be left to receive all these messages?

2. Lack of feedback: You cannot establish how successful your communication has been without feedback…Feedback will improve our communication, for the future.

3. Resistance to criticism: Sometimes managers get feedback but resist making the changes needed to improve, if this feedback turns out to be unfavourable...Managers get the communication they deserve.

In order to communicate effectively, Principals need to avoid the above traps, according to Rees.

They also need to listen more effectively; choose the time and place very carefully to encourage others to communicate with them; be careful in their choice of language (both written and verbal) and avoid jargon; recognise cultural barriers; be
aware what their body language is communicating and give careful thought to the accuracy of the written word.

Overcoming Barriers to Communication
Lunenburg and Ornstein identify five communication skills to overcome barriers to communication:

1. Repetition: This involves “sending the same message over and over again, using multiple channels”. They give examples of telephone call, face-to-face discussion, memorandum, or letters. If this is done, “failure is less likely to occur”. Hoy and Miskel agree that “using multiple commun-ication strategies increases the probability of shared understandings and new learning.”

2. Empathy: This is standing in the other person’s shoes and understanding their frame of reference. Having done this,
Principals should “attempt to anticipate personal and situational factors that might influence the subordinate’s interpretation of the message”.

3. Understanding: This is transmitted in communication as well as messages. “School administrators must encode messages in words and symbols that are understandable to the receiver”. Hoy and Miskel add that “For effective understanding, verbal and non-verbal messages must convey the same meaning.”

4. Feedback: This is crucial in establishing whether or not the message has been received and understood. Sending a memo oes not guarantee that communication has taken place. Written messages provide “much less opportunity for feedback than does face-to-face communication”. Face-toface communication “allows the individuals communicating with each other to receive both verbal and non-verbal feedback”.

5. Listening: They estimate that over 30% of a Principal’s day is spent listening and that they only listen with 25% efficiency. “Successful communication, therefore, requires effective listening on the part of both the sender and the receiver”. They mention ten ways of listening more effectively and identify “stop talking” as the most important way. The old adage that you have two ears and one mouth and that you should listen twice as much as you should talk, came to my mind while reading this advice!

Patton and McCalman (2001) add:

6. Set the appropriate tone: Offence can often be caused if the tone has been perceived to be inappropriate, for example patronising, flippant, condescending or impudent. Think before you act and always remember that the whole body sends the message: dress, body language, medium and the words set the tone.

7. Set the example: If you are asking others to respond to the communication… ensure that as the sender you have done as requested. Be consistent and at all times practice what you preach!

8. Ensure penetration: The medium selected to deal with the communication must be capable of achieving the required
penetration within the organisation.

Hoy and Miskel state that:

9. Informal networks are closely related to formal networks. Both “…can be complementary, and are critical to the
school organisation.” Lunenberg and Ornstein stress the importance and effectiveness of the grapevine.

10. Communication style is important also. Fraze and Hetzel (1990) talk about “Management By Wandering Around” (MBWA) and Potter and Powel (1992) who identified the accessibility and visibility of the Principal as “essential ingredients of success”. The Head in their study became “committed to maintaining a presence around the school in corridors, classrooms and the staffroom”.

To become better communicators, Principals need to spend more time on the interpersonal skills of listening, consistency, empathy, being aware of the tone of their message and the body language they use and to be accessible and visible around the school. They need to ensure that written and verbal messages convey the same meaning and to use different methods of ommunication to convey the same message. Important factors in written communication are clarity, simplicity, avoiding the use of jargon and care in choosing the most appropriate means.