Principal and Communication Skill

“Communication works for those who work at it.”

-John Powell

Communication skill is the art of transferring one’s feelings, thoughts, messages and orders to an individual or a group. Principals are educational leaders of their schools and as such frontline managers of the hub of learning i.e. school. Their areas of leadership cover curricular issues, students’ welfare, personnel management, utilization of resources and relationship with the community & hierarchy. Principal of an educational institution and his communication skill are interlinked as a wheel and its arrows fitted in. The Splendor of school depends upon how effectively the principal communicates his message amongst his staff, students, parents and members of community. For improving the management capability they have to develop certain skills. Communication is one of the most important skills involved in administrative process.

It is an imperative need that principal of the school should be in useful and adequate contact with the members of his staff. Regarding the direct contact with them, there are a few certain patterns:

1. It is very good and practicable to have a vice-principal or a senior most teacher between the head and the hands of school but it is proper only if he is a real heart. He acts as a coordinator among teachers both on academic and other subjects. He can also be a shock observer between the rule conscious head and right conscious subordinates.
2. While the school starts the principal can be little early to the school and take the stand at the point where all the staff members walk in. He has a piece of paper with some communications meant for teachers and even pupils. He greets them and transacts the business briefly and pleasantly. The same routine is workable when the school closes. Thus for the majority, the principal is available at a point of time. This effectively reduces their visits to his room. Problems come to light without any effort and only solutions need be found out.
3. The rounds of principal are another opportunity to see his staff in working. Instead of sending for a teacher to see principal in his room, it is always better to chat out a matter briskly and finish it on his rounds. If a Teacher is called out of the class for a short period of time, there should not be resentment about it. The consequent relationship of the staff and head in a school enhances their prestige in the minds of the pupils.
4. The traditional contact of principal and the staff in face-to-face meetings, group-meetings and periodical staff meetings serve a limited purpose within the framework of daily routine. It is the informality of the contact that draws out best of both sides and such contact supplements successfully the formal aspects.
5. Internal communication- The way the communication is carried on between the principal and the staff, staff and student, the principal and students is important in building up an atmosphere conductive to healthy feeling and working of a school. It can be done as follows:
6. Communication through circular to staff and students- Circulars should be in simple and unambiguous language acceptable to all.
7. The talks in the morning assembly or in staff meeting should be as broad based in principles and as near to practice as possible. They should not be dominated with first person “I”. There is no harm in bringing others together and make it “we”.
8. Staff meetings and
9. Communications to parents- The personal conversation to individual members of the staff the most desired effect can be brought out by the personalization of it. A few hints in this regards are:
10. To be courteous to everyone.
11. To acknowledge person’s opinion cordially.
12. To talk with calm assurance.
13. To refuse idle gossips.
14. To be a good listener.
15. To avoid arguments.
16. To praise honestly.
17. To radiate friendliness, enthusiasm and good.

With these hints we can make communications agreeable and effective.

In communication three points play an important part i.e. Time, Place and Person. Principal usually adopts two method of communication. These are- Oral or Spoken Communication & Written Communication.

Oral Communication is used more frequently in school administration. While speaking or communicating orally, a principal should be more careful because in spoken communication, there is no chance of correction but every chance of distortion of your statement by others if it is not very clear and specific. Therefore, vague statements should never be made while communicating orally with an individual or a group. Effectiveness of oral communication depends upon selection of words to be used, tone and pitch to be articulated and above all facial expression of speaker which is termed as gesture or paralinguistic approach. Even a practiced smile on being said “good morning sir” can make one crazy (literally a change in behavior) whereas an unwillingly said “good morning” can function adversely.

In any type of communication, person to whom message is to be communicated also plays a very vital part. What principal wants to communicate does not lie in how splendidly he knows about the subject being referred, but much more depends upon how much he knows about the person to whom subject is to be communicated. A principal cannot and should not use the same style of oral communication, some choice of words and save gestures while communicating with a group of students, a group of teachers or a group of parents. It has to be different. The quality and capability, the age and ability of audience should always be kept in mind while communicating with an individual or a group. Normally a principal has to communicate with the students, staff, parents, members of society in general & superiors in department. For effective communication the approach of principal with every group has to be different. While communicating with seniors or superior authorities, principal should be more polite and respectful. His choice of words should be more proper, precise and business like (semi-formal).

All educational institutions need to make formal and written communication with all stakeholders to convey/seek necessary information, request, suggestion, progress and guidance.  Any such official communication needs to be in black & white for future reference. In written communication he should be more specific. Creating unnecessary background of the topic and very lengthy story telling type description of topic is never desirable. In minimum possible words and sentences he should be able to send his message.

While communicating with his staff or students (orally or in writing) he must develop some mechanism to get proper feedback from the receiver. He should continue to assess whether the person or the group, to whom he addresses his message understands exactly what he is saying. The communication should always be a reciprocatory process of interaction. Principal’s non-verbal / verbal communication should project his message as an elder brother to his staff and as a father to the students. Memorandum (written) should prove to be a part of suggestion not terror. Gone in principal’s office the person should come out with a smile not with a cry.

Principal himself should be a message like and advertisement where verbal and written communication may be only supplementary to it. His own behavior and conduct will communicate his message to the staff and students much more easily than any lecture or written order.

The communication need not be always vocal or written. They can be nodes, denials, assents, appreciating looks, any movement expressing an idea or feeling, but it should have a background of understanding between the two that are communicating.

Once the consistency in communications is accepted, good intentions understood, the whole exercise becomes pleasant, automatically understood and confirmed. What we cannot communicate properly and well, better not communicate it at all because an unsaid word does little harm in human relationship. Let us not write any word that cannot be said at ease.

Lastly, I would like to mention that principal is like a glowing bulb and its rays are his communication skill. The color of the rays will be according to the quality of bulb and so will be the impact of horizon.

“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.”

– Brian Tracy.

Written by :

Ambrish Kumar Gupta

Principal

Kendriya Vidyalaya Rajkot. Gujarat.

Email- akgkvs@gmail.com

Education- M.A. in Ancient Indian History & Archaeology, B.ED.

NET Qualified in History, Archaeology, Indian Culture.