From crayons to perfume: Getting beyond contrived collegiality

Abstract

Based on reflections from over a decade of research, scholarship, and programmatic applications, this article provides evidence of impact from the work of Professor Andy Hargreaves with a specific focus on his concept of contrived collegiality. Explorations into matters of emotion provided an entry point through which the author has addressed the potential for overcoming patterns of contrived collegiality. Early research resulted in a theoretical framework of emotional epistemologies which has been foundational to the design and delivery of professional development and master's degree programs as well as further research into the evidence of impact from this approach to leadership development. The engagement with emotional meaning making, when treated as a way of building trust and developing collaborative learning communities, has proven a good match for the otherwise relatively contrived collegiality that Professor Hargreaves identified. Professor Hargreaves' contributions to the author's journey are a feature of the piece.

Understanding the Human Side of School Leadership: Principals’ Impact on Teachers’ Morale, Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Commitment

“…Examples of this voice might include hearing teacher input on new directions for the school, or in addressing issues like student absenteeism. In this way, this study endorses the view taken by Beatty (2011), in the importance of authentic conversations between leaders and teachers. While participants understood that school challenges are not easily solved, and even though teacher input in and of itself might not help to alleviate the problems under consideration, they nonetheless felt empowered and buoyed by the mere act of being listened to.…”

“…The reasons for this likely relate to the inauthenticity of "announced acknowledgement." If the acknowledgement given was in some generic or rote form, the eventual effect was often the opposite of the intended one (for a similar discussion, see Beatty, 2011).…”

Product stewardship: Linking waste back to primary production

“…The previous tendency towards making an emotional connection has been reappraised as being self-serving rather than self-developing. A professional discourse that is grounded in purposeful meaning, presents an opportunity to move the group to a place of understanding, rather than a place of agreement based on the urgency for progression or the influence of an individual's argument (Beatty, 2011). Creating a sense of belonging historically has therefore been self-serving for the researcher.…”