Here at Just For Schools, we believe that ESS achieve peak performance when they understand the immense power of their team dynamic. In the whirlwind of daily tasks, it’s easy to overlook the subtle behaviours that can ‘make or break’ a team and ultimately impact your overall well-being. How each action, each smile, and each helpful hand shapes not only the school’s reputation but also your own job satisfaction and stress levels 

Healthy Teams, Happy Everyone 

The good news? Creating a remarkable ESS team isn’t a distant dream. It all starts with recognising the crucial role of health and wellness in the workplace. This national focus should resonate deeply within us, especially when faced with deadlines, challenging parents, and unforeseen roadblocks. But fear not because cultivating a positive team culture is the secret weapon against stress and the key to unlocking success. 

Signs of a Winning Team 

• Open communication and collaboration: Ideas flow freely, and everyone feels heard and valued. 
• Mutual respect and support: A helping hand is always extended, and differences are addressed constructively. 
• Shared goals and celebrations: Victories are savoured together, creating a shared purpose. 
• Resilience and adaptability: Challenges are tackled with optimism and a willingness to learn. 

Red Flags: Behaviours to Avoid 

• Gossip and negativity: Negativity breeds negativity, draining team morale and productivity. 
• Lack of trust and communication: Closed doors and unspoken assumptions lead to misunderstandings and conflict. 
• Unrealistic expectations and blame games: Pressure cookers don’t build happy teams; focus on collaborative solutions. 
• Lack of recognition and appreciation: Feeling undervalued demotivates even the most dedicated team players. 

Practical Positivity Boosters 

• Start your day with a team huddle: Set intentions, share challenges, and celebrate small wins. 
• Practice active listening and empathy: Give your colleagues your full attention and build deeper connections. 

• Express gratitude frequently: A simple “thank you” goes a long way in fostering appreciation. 
• Celebrate diverse strengths and perspectives: Embrace inclusivity and learn from each other’s unique talents. 
• Prioritise breaks and self-care: A recharged team is a productive team; don’t neglect your own well-being. 

Remember, you are not just ESS; but a vital part of the school’s engine. Your positive actions and attitudes ripple outwards, shaping the learning environment for students and enriching the work experience for everyone. 

Just For Schools (JFS) understands the power of strong ESS teams. We offer professional development programs like ESS Team Success to equip your team with the skills and knowledge to build a positive, productive, and successful team. Visit our Contact page or call us on 0457 290 825 and take the first step towards building a remarkable ESS team that makes every day a win-win-win! 

Let’s create a future where ESS teams shine, schools flourish, and the joys of education bloom for everyone. 

The post Building a Brighter Future: Your Guide to ESS Success appeared first on Just For Schools.

Below is an overview of an interaction I recently had at a clothing store – maybe you can relate.

I walked into the store……

• I received an instant happy greeting with eye contact from what appeared to be a genuinely “pleased you are here” staff member.

• Staff member asks “How can I help you?” I said “I’m just browsing”. I kept my head down and moved away from the staff member

• Staff member didn’t take the hint. Staff member me and suggested I check out the specials.

• I say, “OK, sounds good – I’ll check them out in a minute”.  I hoped that would be enough to get them to leave me alone. It wasn’t, they kept hovering and offering more things.

• When I go to pay for the item I came in for, they told me just how great the store was and asked for my details so I can get a discount next time

• I like discounts so I fill out the required form and leave…almost tripping over myself in my hurry to get out the door.

• That same week I get a text message from the store saying I need to follow 3 easy steps to open my account and a link to do it. I don’t do it, I don’t have time. I didn’t do it later, I forget.

• Two months later I return and I don’t get a discount. I ask why and the person who serves me sighs and say’s ‘I don’t know’ then hands me the forms to start again.

The same scenario can also happen in a school environment.

• A new staff member joins the team and spends the first day sitting at a desk filling out forms with no understanding of why the forms are important. They miss signing in 2 spots and miss a section on 1 form completely..

• Staff have to advise parents/guardians of a new process. They advise this on the website and in the newsletter in the hope that people read/click, understand and ‘obey’. Many parents keep doing the old process and many more do the new process wrong.

• Some staff are sick of co-workers not cleaning up after themselves in the staff room so they put signs up reminding them it must be done. The staff room remains a mess.

When we tell people what we want them to do and how to do it, it leaves out respect and empathy for the person receiving the information. This can damage not only the reputation of the School, but the job satisfaction of all staff.

When we want others to do something new or different we must engage them early with a WHY – a WHY that inspires them to take action and/or a WHY that will have a positive outcome for them.

But, you also have to sell yourself whilst you communicate the WHY and HOW ie: be self aware, use positive body language and tone of voice, offer empathy, actively listen and encourage questions. These thoughts and actions are collectively referred to as Soft Skills.

The WHY and HOW communicated with excellent soft skills entices people to BUY products/services or BUY INTO processes, try new thing and embrace change.

Often the reason for leaving out the WHY is because we are busy. 

Emotionally intelligent ESS know that only telling people what and how, can lead to disharmony, mis-understanding and probelms with future interactions. More work and more time is then needed to repair the damage caused but not thinking and sharing WHY in the first instance.

Having the skills to ‘sell’ is a key part of any role in any business, including ESS in Schools. It allows them to confidentally sell ideas, sell change and sell new, better or different ways.

To sell well, ESS need highly developed soft skills.

Soft skills are our ability to communicate in a way that leads others to trust us, to want to listen to us and to recommend us to others. Soft skills make people feel valued and respected.

How do you improve the sales skills of your ESS?  Click here and all will be revealed.

By Cate Schreck – Author of “The A – Z of Service Excellence”

The post Why ESS need top level sales skills appeared first on Just For Schools.