LKeyteach Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Hello All I am taking over as owner/manager of a very succesful nursery. The team seems supportive of the change, the parents too. Does anyone have any advice to support a smooth transition for staff, parents and the children. Needless to say I am looking forward to the challenge, but am a little scared at the same time. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Just want to wish you every success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spiral Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Best advice I ever heard was smile always (even through gritted teeth), because it is for the children you do it! Also, the most important bit is to ensure you don't get into a habit of bringing it all home with you - enjoy it, during the working hours! Take care, Spiral x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 just wanted to wish you luck - ensure you speak to your staff and find out what they think works well/or dosnt and if you need to make changes get the staff on board first and make them slowly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Just want to wish you every success. Thank you for your good wishes. I'm sure I will be asking for help along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Best advice I ever heard was smile always (even through gritted teeth), because it is for the children you do it! Also, the most important bit is to ensure you don't get into a habit of bringing it all home with you - enjoy it, during the working hours! Take care, Spiral x Thanky You. I am practicing my smile as I type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 just wanted to wish you luck - ensure you speak to your staff and find out what they think works well/or dosnt and if you need to make changes get the staff on board first and make them slowly Thank you. I like the advice of slowly. The setting is successful and there seems very little to change, but change will have to happen to continue to improve. Do you have any ideas of how to keep the team positive and enthused by the change in management. Also what about the parents, has anyone tried any activities to bring the parents on board? At present I am a distant figure to the parents, as I don't officially take over for a few months. I am investigating what issues they may have with the change of ownership. What issues do you think they may have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted May 27, 2011 Author Share Posted May 27, 2011 I know lots of you have looked at this topic, so how about some more advice. I've got a wonderful staff team, who have taken on a multitude of responsiblities within the setting, how do I keep them motivated? The obvious is to keep them trained, so will look out for courses, but there are also other members of the team who don't want more responsiblities than they have already got, or may be they have chosen not to take on a specific role. I accept this, but how do I keep these team mebers motivated, training in this case may not be what they want. This is a bit of a hypothetical question, but I'm trying to build up my portfolio of experiences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Possum Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Have you got the opportunity to meet with your team before the changeover? Can you give them all a sheet of questions - • Immediate improvements which could be made in relation to your job. • Longer term improvements which could be made either to your job or the Preschool. • How you would like to see your job develop in the coming year. • New areas of work or responsibility that you would like to take on. • Any areas where you would like additional training. • Any difficulties which you are experiencing in the work. That way you can give yourself the opportunity to meet with them individually and talk to them about their responses. It shows up front that you are interested in their views and opinions. Do you have a parents' newsletter that you can use to introduce yourself to the parents? Could you hold an 'open day' to meet them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Have you got the opportunity to meet with your team before the changeover? Can you give them all a sheet of questions -• Immediate improvements which could be made in relation to your job. • Longer term improvements which could be made either to your job or the Preschool. • How you would like to see your job develop in the coming year. • New areas of work or responsibility that you would like to take on. • Any areas where you would like additional training. • Any difficulties which you are experiencing in the work. That way you can give yourself the opportunity to meet with them individually and talk to them about their responses. It shows up front that you are interested in their views and opinions. Do you have a parents' newsletter that you can use to introduce yourself to the parents? Could you hold an 'open day' to meet them? Sounds like you've done this before! Yes have plan to meet with team individually and your questions were what I had planned. In terms of the open day, I wonder about how to approach the staff about that, would they worry that this might be the sign of things to come in future, more events outside of the working day. I probably wouldn't be able to do it during the working day because it would affect fees, the current owner may not agree. Your thoughts?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frances2 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Hi Just caught this thread and wanted to say hope it all goes well. I took over as owner/manager in April 2009 of the pre-school setting where I had worked for the previous 14 years. There was lots to do to improve what we were doing but I feel it has been worthwhile especially when you see how much fun the children have and how they have progressed. Agree with the comment try not to take it all home with you - I made that mistake to start with and at times still do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Congratulations! I would take things slowly; no-one really likes change even though they may welcome it (does that make sense?!), definitely get your staff team on board, I think you will have to win their hearts and minds to be able to take things forward, involve them were you can, ask for ideas suggestions and delegate if possible, allow them to take ownership of some things. When you do change things that may come up against some opposition I would suggest you explain the why and wherefors of the change. I also used the phrase "I may not get it right all of the time and I appreciate and acknowledge your input, I will, however, make the final decision". I also read alot on "managing change" I speak from experience as both a new Manager going into a setting and also having a line manager coming in above me and making changes in my nursery. In my opinion my line manager got it completely wrong; didn't bother to get to know us; was sarcastic, rude, made changes without consulting me or my staff team and ordered toys and equipment, which was lovely, however, very undermining for me as manager when things arrived and we didnt know where they were to go or what they were for! Good luck; I'm sure with all of the excellent advice you receive on here will help you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Thank you all for your advice. It all helps the confidence building! Not much has happened since except for Ofsted. The suitable person and premises interview, went well. So I'm waiting for the registration to go through and am beginning to talk to the staff. I devised a form with some of the questions you have suggested, so I am looking forward. I am so focussed on the leading managing, I musn't forget the children!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thank you all for your advice. It all helps the confidence building! Not much has happened since except for Ofsted. The suitable person and premises interview, went well. So I'm waiting for the registration to go through and am beginning to talk to the staff. I devised a form with some of the questions you have suggested, so I am looking forward.I am so focussed on the leading managing, I musn't forget the children!!! I've just caught this thread and Iv'e just started as a new manager in a setting so I know what you might be feeling! The smile advice is good advice, always treat the team / children and parents with respect ( obvious, but it seems the last manager at my new job had problems with this!!) A good book, full of thought provoking advice and research about change and team building etc....by Jillian Rodd,about leadership in early years is worth having, not exactly sure of the title, but do a search in Amazon. Also Early Years management in practice by Daley, Byres and Taylor is quite good. My advice would also to be take it slow, find time to have a chat with each team member and have a team meeting fairly soon after starting, the team will be expecting one......mine is tonight.....introduce yourself to parents but also write up a bit about yourself in the next newsletter. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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