Fearless Schools: Building Trust, Resilience, and Psychological Safety

by Douglas Reeves

He reports that it is not low salaries alone that drive teachers out of the profession but a lack of autonomy a...

They cling to a command-and-control style of leadership in which information is held closely and procedures on everything from hallway passes to curriculum to assessments are regulated in exacting detail. The minute-to-minute message to subordinates is that they may think they are professionals, but we trust them less than manual laborers. It is not that we are without the research and knowledge of how to build trust but that we lack the courage to trust our colleagues and subordinates.

There are three ways in which leaders can display data: humiliation, distortion, and learning.

Humiliation is commonly associated with data displays. Results such as test scores, attendance, and discipline purport to show the successes of some teachers and schools and the failures of others.

The central problem with most data analysis is that it assumes a single cause for a single effect.

if high school graduation is what is expected, then they could produce it through the magic of courses that granted credit without the burdensome tasks of teaching and learning.

path of learning. This requires the leadership courage to elevate facts over fantasy and reality over wishful thinking. It also requires a spirit of resilience and confidence in which teachers and administrators face unpleasant data on student performance with the belief that they are trusted to use the data in a constructive manner and that, in turn, they trust their leaders not to use the data to harm them

No one will be blamed for the data.

Our accountability is not about the data; rather, it is about how we respond to the data.

Action and constructive response are required, and indifferenc...

We cannot assume, however, that physical presence is equivalent to mental and emotional presence.

Researchers have identified two types of trust among colleagues: swift trust and passable trust

Swift trust is a function of direct interaction. It is the result of an immediate decision, informed by physical, facial, and behavioral signals.

Swift trust can be aided or undermined based on how new members are introduced to the team.

Passable trust is more subtle than swift trust, as it depends upon some inquiry and inference by the person granting the trust.

The “givers” in Grant’s terminology are not pushovers or doormats, but they build reputations for helping colleagues and, in particular, for helping colleagues who are lateral or junior to them in the organization.

Her expertise is designed to help the entire school and world of education, whether or not there is reciprocity for her efforts.

Although passable trust can be more ambiguous and difficult to establish than swift trust, it tends to be more permanent.

Trust that is swiftly established can also ev...

trust among colleagues is exemplified by the culture of learning that happens when we not only celebrate success but also discuss mistakes and the learning that can, in a high-trust environment, follow.

students and adults display personal responsibility.

They take pride in their accomplishments and take responsibility for their inevitable mistakes.

The culture of responsibility is the opposite of a...

long before anyone else can point an accusatory finger at someone responsible for an error, they hear, “I own this,...

trusting and fearless environment is the ability to set boundaries and respect t...

High-performing colleagues are reluctant to decline a request to serve on a committee or task force. They are known as “fixers” becau...

The problem with fixers is that they are enmeshed in an unwinnable game of Whac-A-Mole: Every time they fix o...

these leaders use the “do not disturb” function on their phones, receiving only calls and texts that are genuine emergencies.

they are fully engaged with the students and colleagues they serve.

Fearlessness, in brief, is not about individual heroes, but about cultures in which thoughtful questions are more important than rhetorical certitude and brave-sounding boasts.

trust—or lack of trust—is not always a rational decision but can be influenced by reactions deep within our brain that are related to fear and confidence.

fear is the thief of trust.

Leaders build trust not with orations and slogans but with their personal example. They persistently replace the illusion of perfection with appropriate vulnerability, accepting cr...

data, information can be used to threaten, intimidate, and embarrass our colleagues, or it can be used to seek o...

effective data an...

an energizing and engaging tr...

as important as the quantitative data may be, there is always a qualitative lens through which we ca...

trust is directly related to the ability of leaders and team members to display personal responsibility.

A culture of blame undermines trust,

culture of personal responsibility encourages open communic...

The credibility of leaders and the organizations they serve is based on the rhythm of promi...

Listening—especially deep listening without interruption—is an astound...

Highly skilled professionals are often much more skilled a...

than they are at asking question and then, with exquisite patience, listening for...

Research suggests that high levels of trust are related to powerful chemical reactions in the body.

when you experienced such a “natural high” in which you felt a sense of empowerment and joy.

What feedback during your work on this task did you receive?

What was your reward at the completion of the task?

Think of ...

when data were weaponized—that is, the numbers were used to threaten, intimidate, and bul...