We’re thrilled to share with you the video from our recent webinar, “Life on the Line: Supporting Men’s Mental Health in a ‘Tough it Out’ Culture,” presented by headversity. To everyone who joined us, your participation and engagement made it a truly impactful event.

In this engaging session, held on November 22nd, our expert speakers, Jesse Fehr and Brad Blaisdell, provided valuable perspectives on the landscape of men’s mental health in the corporate setting. They delved into the stigmas and challenges men face around mental health and offered actionable steps for employers to build a supportive environment. The webinar also featured success stories showcasing the real impact of mental health initiatives.

We hope you find the webinar insightful and encourage you to share it within your networks. Together, let’s continue to redefine what it means to be resilient.

Are you ready to gain valuable insights and strategies that can transform your municipality’s workplace culture? We invite you to watch our recently recorded Municipality Roundtable webinar, “Overcoming Challenges and Building a Culture of Respect” a thought-provoking discussion designed exclusively for leaders in HR and administration within Canadian municipalities.

Event Recap:

In this engaging and insightful webinar, our expert-led panel discussed the critical topics of respect, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within municipal workplaces. Our panelists included Marjorie Munroe, Human Resources Lead at the City of Calgary, and Michelle Phaneuf, Partner at Workplace Fairness International, with the event hosted by Brad Blaisdell, VP of Workplace Solutions and Compliance at Respect Group.

Key Highlights:

Elevating Mental Health Initiatives: Discover innovative ways to prioritize mental well-being, reduce stigma, and create an environment where employees can thrive personally and professionally.

Driving EDI Transformation: Learn how municipalities are driving practices around equity, diversity, and inclusion that foster organizational growth, enhance community relations, and attract top talent.

Navigating Challenges: Gain strategies for overcoming common hurdles faced by municipalities, from limited resources to resistance to change, and turn them into opportunities for positive transformation.

Who Should Watch:

• Senior municipality leaders
• HR professionals working in municipalities

By watching this municipality webinar, you’ll be equipped with actionable insights and real-world experiences that can help your municipality foster a culture of respect and inclusivity, drive EDI initiatives, and overcome workplace challenges.

Join us in taking a step toward building a thriving, respectful, and inclusive workplace environment. Watch the recorded webinar now and be part of the positive change in your municipality.

Your journey to a more respectful and inclusive municipal workplace culture starts here. Don’t miss out! For immediate guidance on implementing our Respect in the Workplace program and fostering a culture of respect and inclusion, connect with one of our dedicated representatives by clicking here.

Brad Blaisdell
Leading positive change
Vice President – Workplace Solutions and Compliance – Respect Group

At Respect Group we’ve had the opportunity to work with more than 40 municipalities across Canada, working with their leadership to build Respect in the Workplace. In the same breath, we’ve connected with hundreds of municipality leaders and uncovered some common culture-building challenges many of them are facing. Here’s a look at some of those unique challenges.

Municipalities are the bedrock upon which our communities are built. They are responsible for delivering essential services, fostering economic growth, and ensuring the well-being of their residents. However, behind the scenes, many municipalities grapple with a challenge that transcends budget constraints and administrative hurdles: company culture. It might seem surprising that organizations dedicated to public service struggle with something as intangible as culture, but the reality is that municipal entities, just like businesses, face unique cultural dynamics that can impact their effectiveness and the well-being of their employees. And in my experience, the issues experienced in municipalities are plentiful and unique. Here is a breakdown of some of the problems municipalities face in their quest for a positive company culture.

A maze of bureaucracy

Municipalities often operate within bureaucratic structures that prioritize rules and regulations. This can lead to challenges such as slower decision-making and resistance to change. Because of this, progress can not only be slowed down, but it can paralyze change, leading to stagnant and less progressive work environments that fail to keep up with modern workplace practices.

Political turnover

Frequent changes in leadership due to elections can disrupt efforts to establish a consistent cultural vision. Each new administration may bring different priorities, making cultural continuity difficult to achieve.

Resource challenges

With funds primarily allocated to essential infrastructure, public safety and healthcare, limited resources are leftover for employee training initiatives. As a result, training programs are often underfunded or deprioritized.

In addition, municipalities tend to be leanly staffed in the first place, leading to overworked employees and little time to spare for culture-building efforts. This vicious cycle tends to lead to burnout and high rates of turnover.

Regulation overload

Municipalities are subject to many regulations, including labour laws and civil service rules. These regulations often influence work culture by shaping hiring practices, employee behaviour, and resource allocation. Compliance with these regulations can sometimes lead to rigid structures and limited flexibility, impacting innovation and adaptability within municipal organizations, which, in turn, can negatively impact the overall work culture.

Public scrutiny

Municipalities face intense public scrutiny due to their pivotal role in communities. This scrutiny from constituents, media, and regulatory bodies creates a pressure cooker environment for employees. This constant spotlight can lead to heightened stress, job dissatisfaction, and anxiety, affecting overall work culture and employee well-being as they navigate the challenges of serving the public under intense scrutiny.

Training to help address these challenges

Building a work culture of respect, particularly in light of the challenges laid out above, cannot easily happen organically. Its transparent municipalities are struggling with issues, and breaking this cycle requires a commitment to culture, leadership development, and active employee engagement. This commitment, I believe, starts with equipping leaders with training that offers a sustainable way to educate, build awareness and upskill their leadership teams to prioritize employee wellbeing and break the cycle of culture being pushed to the side. 

By tackling these core issues, municipalities can build a more positive and effective workplace culture that benefits both their employees and the communities they serve.

Join our Municipality Panel on September 20th

Want to learn more about the unique challenges being faced by municipalities in Canada? We’ve got an expert panel on this exact topic on Wednesday, September 20th featuring Marjorie Munroe, C.Med. of the City of Calgary and Michelle Phaneuf, Conflict Manager of Workplace Fairness that you don’t want to miss.

Register here to reserve your spot!

Brad Blaisdell
Leading positive change
Vice President – Workplace Solutions and Compliance – Respect Group

In the fast-paced world of today’s organizations, fostering a civil and respectful environment is crucial for the wellbeing and success of both employees and organizations as a whole. Uncivil work environments can lead to a range of problems that negatively impact productivity, employee morale, and even the organization’s reputation. For the past 12 years, I’ve worked with leaders across North America and have seen some unimaginable issues that have stemmed from these toxic work environments. Here are some of the most prevalent issues that come up, and how they can be addressed in today’s workforce.

1. Decreased Productivity
In a toxic work environment, negative interactions and disrespectful communication can hinder productivity. Employees who experience bullying, harassment, or disrespectful behavior may become disengaged and demotivated. The hostile atmosphere stifles creativity, collaboration, and teamwork, leading to decreased productivity levels.

2. High Employee Turnover
Toxic work environments often result in increased employee turnover. When employees feel disrespected or constantly mistreated, they may seek alternative employment opportunities. In fact, a toxic work environment is ten times more likely to contribute to employees quitting. This turnover not only incurs recruitment and training costs but also leads to the loss of valuable company knowledge and hinders organizational progress.

3. Poor Employee Morale
Uncivil behavior significantly reduces employee morale and job satisfaction. When employees are subjected to disrespect and mistreatment, they experience frustration, anxiety, and demotivation. Low morale leads to decreased job satisfaction, reduced loyalty to the organization, and an overall negative work atmosphere.

4. Increased Stress and Mental Health Challenges
Given that most of us spend the majority of our days and energy at work, increasing hostility brought on by incivility doesn’t bode well for our mental health. According to the US surgeon general, leading factors that contribute to a toxic work environment include overwork, unfair pay, and harassment and discrimination. The presence of toxic behavior in the workplace contributes to heightened stress levels among employees. Verbal abuse, bullying, and other forms of mistreatment can have severe consequences. Increased stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout can result, impacting job performance and overall wellbeing.

5. Lack of Psychological Safety
Incivility also hinders effective communication within the workplace. When employees fear expressing their opinions, concerns, or ideas due to potential backlash, communication channels break down and psychological safety is negatively impacted. This breakdown leads to misunderstandings, decreased collaboration, and a lack of opinion diversity that normally drives effective decision-making.

6. Poor Company Culture
A toxic work environment contributes to a lousy company culture. If disrespectful behavior remains unchecked, it becomes normalized and perpetuated within the organization. Trust is eroded, relationships are damaged, and a toxic atmosphere prevails, affecting the overall culture and image of the organization.

7. Legal and Corporate Reputation Risks:
Uncivil behavior exposes organizations to legal and reputational risks. Harassment, discrimination, and other forms of mistreatment can result in lawsuits, tarnish the organization’s reputation, and have financial and legal consequences.

The good news for organizations is these toxic environments can be managed and prevented. In order to do this, organizations must prioritize creating a culture of respect and implementing policies and procedures to prevent toxic behavior from taking over. Here are some proven strategies to consider:

Promote a Culture of Respect
Leadership plays a crucial role in setting the tone for respectful behavior in any organization. It’s leadership’s job to emphasize the importance of respect, inclusion, and diversity throughout the organization. Fostering an environment where employees feel safe, valued, and supported is good for business, and it’s the right thing to do.

Establish Clear Policies and Procedures
Develop and enforce policies that explicitly address toxic behavior, including bullying, harassment, and discrimination. It’s key to ensure employees are aware of these policies and provide multiple channels for reporting incidents.

Provide Training and Development
Offer (and oftentimes, mandate) training programs that educate employees about the impact of toxic behavior and promote positive workplace interactions. Focus on building emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and effective communication skills. The benefits of this training include not only better safeguarding your organization from these toxic behaviors, but it helps organizations brand themselves as a progressive leader in their industry, which can help with recruitment and retention efforts.

Lead by Example
Leaders and managers should exemplify respectful behavior in their interactions with employees. By modeling civility, they create a positive work culture where respect is the norm.

Encourage Open Communication
Create avenues for open dialogue and feedback. Encourage employees to voice their concerns, ideas, and opinions without fear of retribution. Foster a culture that values diverse perspectives.

Conclusion: A Culture of Respect Breeds Success!
Building a civil and respectful work environment is essential for the wellbeing and success of employees and the organization as a whole. By addressing the common issues associated with toxic behaviors, organizations can foster a positive atmosphere that promotes productivity, engagement, and employee retention. Together, let’s create workplaces where respect and professionalism are the foundation for success.

April is Diversity Month, a time to reflect on the unique and varied cultures, backgrounds, and traditions that make our society rich and vibrant. It’s an opportunity to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion, equity, and acceptance. In today’s world, workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse, with employees from different ethnicities, religions, genders, and sexual orientations. This diversity brings a wealth of perspectives and experiences.

In a recent video clip, Farkhunda Muhtaj talks about the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She believes that diversity is a critical component of any successful organization.

To learn more about our Respect in the Workplace program, click here: https://www.respectgroupinc.com/respect-in-the-workplace/

Muslim athletes fast from dawn to sunset each day throughout the 30 days of the holy month of Ramadan. Most athletes continue to compete and train while engaging in religious, cultural, philanthropic and social activities that will help them grow spiritually. In this clip below, Farkhunda Muhtaj, Respect Group ambassador, talks about how athletes and coaches can respectfully approach the month of Ramadan.

International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8th to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It’s also a day to raise awareness about the challenges that women still face around the world and to call for gender equity. In this clip below, Farkhunda Muhtaj, Respect Group ambassador, talks about gender equity and why it matters.

The Strength in Teamwork

As the New Year unfolds, everyone is prepared to set new targets and goals they aspire to achieve. Companies become more ambitious and committed to further expand their businesses proposing unique plans. And everyone is in the pursuit of being more productive to gain better outcomes. One of the greatest methods to accomplish this is through the support of your team.

Every successful organization is built by a team who genuinely cares about one another’s progress. A team is referred to a group of individuals that work collectively to achieve a common goal. Whether your team is with you on the pitch, in the office, or virtually, there are many qualities and characteristics that form a successful, cohesive group. Teamwork is the essence of establishing an atmosphere that will thrive. This is critical in building a culture that is supportive, compelling, and sustainable. Ongoing research recognizes that collaboration leads to better team performances including superior problem solving and analytical skills. This is considering each individual has a unique set of talents, expertise, and perspectives in which they can help enlighten the team with.

In the workplace or sporting environments many overlook their teammates for guidance and/or inspiration and assume this can only be received from those in positions of power or higher status. Managers, directors, and coaches are some of whom we idolize and seek to learn from in order to follow their trajectory. But what strengthens a team is the trust, direction and intelligence that a fellow teammate can also provide. Remember, behind every successful individual is a team and behind every team is a group of individuals that helped elevate each other.

Valuable teams are mistakenly perceived as like-minded, well-aligned individuals that partner to achieve their objective. However, this can be far from the reality. Alternatively, accomplishments usually come from surrounding oneself with diverse thoughts and opinions which guides breakthrough innovation. Although the difference of opinion, experience and thought may seem uncomfortable and daunting at first, it is what truly fosters team growth and helps unlock new milestones. A recent report from the consulting firm McKinsey & Company found that team members from diverse backgrounds including age, gender, ethnicity etc. perform up to 35% better and are far more creative than homogenous teams.

Let’s use a soccer team as an analogy. The team wouldn’t benefit if everyone was a striker. Yes, the team would score many goals, but odds are they would also concede a lot of goals. That’s why the goalie, defenders, and midfielders play an equally vital role on the team. Each having their own duties and bringing forth their own skillset. This reinforces the notion that teams must leverage diversity in all its forms as it can only strengthen a team. Diverse viewpoints and constructive judgements can play a significant role in our accomplishments.

Being an exceptional teammate is about being purpose driven and working toward a team culture you take pride in being a part of. Here are some benefits of teamwork and ways in which you can be an asset to your teammates.

1. Teamwork is sustainable

Teams that work together are more productive in achieving company goals. The company can continue to pursue its mission and deliver upon long term goals.

2. Teams support each other

With a group filled with unique skillsets, expertise and knowledge, teammates can assist where appropriate. While teammates work in the same environment and toward similar goals, they are aware of the time, effort and commitment you dedicate toward your work. Therefore, they are usually more understanding and are willing to support you emotionally and socially as well.

3. Teams are innovative

When teams brainstorm, share ideas with each other and collaborate on different projects, not only are they more engaged but they present fascinating ideas. When facing challenges, they can also utilize different perspectives to discover multiple solutions.

4. Teams learn from each other

Teams that co-build and co-plan are exposed to different mechanisms and approaches that enable break through innovation. Highlighting teammates strengths while appreciating and recognizing how their team can benefit from everyone’s skillset is also integral to team learning.

5. Teams build a strong culture of respect

Teamwork builds a strong bond and creates an environment of respect and appreciation. Being able to trust your peers and be in a safe environment is directly correlated to workplace contentment and productivity. Exemplifying respect shows that you value people’s opinions and are considerate of individual differences.

Therefore, don’t underestimate the motivation and support that can be provided by teammates and how effective it can be in your team culture. Despite the fact that people in higher roles provide incredible insight and wisdom in the workplace, they should not be viewed as the only source that will benefit growth. Remember, your peers can help build the right work organizational environment that will contribute to organizational performance. So, remain positive and committed in order for the ship to be headed in the right direction. Remember, you and your teammates are the core of the team.

References:

Basadur, M. S. (2004). Leading others to think innovatively together: Creative leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 15, 103-121.

Beersma, B., Hollenbeck, J. R., Humphrey, S. E., Moon, H., Conlon, D. F., & Ilgen, D. R. (2003). Cooperation, competition, and team performance: Toward a contingency approach. Academy of Management Journal, 46, 572-590.

Chen, G., & Kanfer, R. (2006). Toward a systems theory of motivated behavior in work teams. Research in Organizational Behavior, 27, 223-267.

Klein, K., Knight, A. P., Ziegert, J. C., Lim, B. C., & Saltz, J. L. (2011). When team members’ values differ: The moderating role of team leadership. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 114, 25-36.

Schmutz JB, Meier LL, Manser T. How effective is teamwork really? The relationship between teamwork and performance in healthcare teams: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 12;9(9):e028280. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028280. PMID: 31515415; PMCID: PMC6747874.

Mentorship: It’s impact in your workplace

Today, most businesses and organizations are interested in advancing opportunities for their employees to learn and grow. Career development has become a top priority for both employees and employers resulting in more companies implementing mentorship programs. A mentorship program is a method for employees to accelerate their adjustment and advancement in the workplace.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is the process in which an individual provides their experience and expertise to support a junior or less experienced colleague. A mentor serves as a guide to help support their colleague develop their skillset and grow their knowledge and understanding in a broad or specific field. The objective of mentoring is to prepare mentees for next steps in their professional career. Therefore, mentoring is not a position to reinforce your superiority, rather an opportunity to support the next generation of leaders. When matched correctly, mentorship has been proven to enhance the quality experience of individuals in the workplace.

What do mentors do?

In a workplace, mentors support their colleagues to learn more about how to efficiently complete their role. This can be completed formally by meeting at a specific time and date on a regular basis or informally having casual conversations whenever needed. Mentors serve as coaches, teachers, and positive role models. They often share experiences of their career path and provide insight, guidance, and emotional support based on the challenges they have faced to date. A mentor, therefore, may assist with helping you achieve your short and long-term goals that go beyond the workplace.

Why mentor in the workplace?

The workplace can seem like a daunting place when taking on a new role. New colleagues want to ensure they perform efficiently from the get-go and are motivated to grow into a very successful employee at the business. But it’s not as easy as it seems. A new work environment takes time to adjust, learn, and observe from peers. A mentor can help one achieve their goals by sharing their experience when they were in the same position. They can further share how they were able to succeed and the measures they took in order to accelerate their growth. Not only can they provide insightful guidance, but they will also improve employee retention. Employees that are mentored are less likely to leave their organization leading to talent being retained in the business.

Benefits of mentoring

Although it may seem that mentees are the ones benefiting from the relationship, mentorship is actually mutually beneficial. According to numerous studies, individuals that mentored colleagues felt a greater sense of satisfaction with their workplace and felt that they were contributing in a meaningful way to the team’s goals. Mentors are able to get more perspective on different problems and challenges

experienced at the workplace and beyond, resulting in improvements on performance. Research suggests that mentoring can improve the emotional health of both mentors and mentees when a close, trusting relationship is established. In stressful work environments mentees and mentors benefit from sharing different coping mechanisms. Mentoring also plays a critical role in getting your employees more familiar with the work culture, enabling their active involvement. Furthermore, it opens up new networks across departments in your workplace enhancing your visibility and worth. It’s important to note that mentorship doesn’t have to be formal. Mentorship can consist of informal meetings, providing advice, check-ins on the mentees’ mental and emotional well-being and so forth. The most important thing to consider in your mentorship journey is how to successfully implement your ability to mentor your peers. Remember, mentoring is not just confined to the role, mentoring in a workplace can consist of career mentoring, psychosocial mentoring, and role modeling.

Characteristics of efficient mentors:

• Competent: a great mentor needs to be fully competent in their field and possess great leadership, managerial, and communication skills.
• Approachable: being friendly and open to communicate with is a crucial aspect of mentorship. Listening to the mentee and acknowledging their thoughts and opinions is extremely important. When people transition to a new role, they have valid questions and concerns but sometimes maybe afraid to articulate them to a senior as they feel they may be judged. As a mentor, being approachable, empathetic and open-minded allows your mentor to feel more comfortable sharing their questions and concerns.
• Respectful: valuing the mentee and considering their well-being is extremely important. Respectful constructive criticism can help improve and push the mentee to their potential.
• Role model: providing guidance for the mentee to reach their career goals is fundamental to their growth. This does not mean that you are producing a replica of yourself. Rather, assisting your mentee to build their own identity and be their own creative and unique self.
• Supportive: exposing mentees to a wide network of professionals and enabling them to showcase their competence and skill set.

Benefits of being mentored

Guidance from senior colleagues has been shown to enhance mentees’ job performance and satisfaction. This unique experience enables knowledge transfer at a substantial rate compared to a colleague who is not being mentored. In turn, this enhances the mentees’ confidence and ability to execute projects efficiently. Mentees are also exposed to greater networks and opportunities at the business which ultimately leads to employees remaining at the company longer and reporting higher job satisfaction.

Characteristics of efficient mentees:

• Eager to learn: having a desire to learn new things, methods, and strategies that have been beneficial to your mentor will support your transition to the position. Taking risks and having an open mind will help you tackle challenges in ways one hadn’t imagined before.
• Take initiative: Learning is a journey, but the journey should be initiated by you. Successful mentees visualize what they want to achieve in the near future and work incredibly hard to learn what it takes to get there.
• Respectful: being thankful of the time and energy a mentor dedicates is very important. Appreciate that their expertise, knowledge and experience can be essential to your learning.
• Goal oriented: walking into a mentorship relationship with specific goals and desire to achieve it will certainly assist your mentor with understanding what direction you would like to take. This makes the relationship more meaningful and allows for greater productivity.

Conclusion

The purpose of mentorship programs is to accelerate the personal and professional development of mentees. Mentoring in the workplace provides junior colleagues with guidance and support to integrate into the work environment and further advance their careers. Mentoring can be mutually beneficial to both mentor and mentee by improving their social well-being and adding more purpose and meaning to the work environment. This relationship provides both parties with an opportunity to learn and grow from the experience. Mentorship programs can enrich the culture of the workplace and have been proven to assist in unequivocal ways ultimately leading to a positive work environment.

References:

Abbajay, B. M. (2013). The Working Life : The Importance of Workplace Mentors. Working Workplace, 1–4.

Allen, T. D. (2007). Mentoring relationships from the perspective of the mentor. In B. R. Ragins & K. E. Kram (Eds.), The Handbook of mentoring at work: Theory, research, and practice (pp. 123-147). Sage.

Chao, G. T., Walz, P., & Gardner, P. D. (1992). Formal and informal mentorships: A comparison on mentoring functions and contrast with non-mentored counterparts. Personnel Psychology, 45(3), 619–636.

Eby LT, Allen TD, Evans SC, Ng T, Dubois D. Does Mentoring Matter? A Multidisciplinary Meta-Analysis Comparing Mentored and Non-Mentored Individuals. J Vocat Behav. 2008 Apr;72(2):254-267. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2007.04.005. PMID: 19343074; PMCID: PMC2352144.

Eby, L. T., & Robertson, M. M. (2020). The psychology of workplace mentoring relationships. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7, 75–100.

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. (1995). Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. Leadership Quarterly, 6, 219–247.

Hu, C., Wang, S., Yang, C. C., & Wu, T. Y. (2014). When mentors feel supported: Relationships with mentoring functions and protégés’ perceived organizational support. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 22–37.

Weinberg, F. J., & Lankau, M. J. (2011). Formal Mentoring Programs : A MentorCentric and Longitudinal Analysis. 37(6), 1527–1557. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309349310

Building a classroom with a Game Plan

Why establishing guidelines with students should be an educator’s top priority to avoid bullying, abuse, harassment, and discrimination (BAHD).

Establishing a respectful school environment is essential for all students to feel safe. A safe environment begins with a warm and welcoming classroom. Expectations and clear guidelines must be developed at the beginning of the year in order to set the class tone from the start. Ultimately, your goal is to positively impact the school environment as a whole. As educators, you are taking on an incredible task of fostering future leaders. Your class environment should therefore prepare your students to look at the world from a unique paradigm and enjoy a nurturing, fun, and equitable environment. As an educator, ensuring everyone is able to learn in a safe environment is your prime objective (Pedota, 2007).

Classroom management is critical. Classroom management is a powerful component of the overall classroom climate that affects student’s behaviour, engagement, and by extension, the quality of student learning (Martin et al., 2016).

You must recognize your class is your team. A team certainly needs to work as a unified force in order to excel. We all know that behind every successful team is a transformational coach who can help lead change.

A strong coaching philosophy can help build a robust and cohesive classroom. Below are some guidelines to help you kickstart the school year and help build an inclusive classroom where everyone feels they can grow and succeed.

First impression:

Research has affirmed the importance of first impressions and how these effect long-term relationships (Human, Sandstrom, Biesanz and Dunn, 2013). As educators, your first objective should be to show your students you care about them. Prior to teaching material, it’s important you learn about your students, dive into their interests and hobbies, and make them feel valued. Remember, the student’s perception of you should be that you care about their student success and well-being, not how fast you can run through the curriculum.

Similarly, you need to exemplify that you have devoted time to preparing your classroom (Pedota, 2007). Being unprepared as an educator is a serious shortfall and this can mislead students associating negative attributes to you from the beginning of the school year. You want to display confidence and your capability to govern and keep the class organized. When sharing classroom expectations, you should clearly articulate what it is that you envision, your goals for the class, and how you plan on fostering an inclusive environment where everyone is valued. Be clear and concise, respect in the classroom is non-negotiable.

Building guidelines:

In order for a class to thrive, you need to appreciate that diversity is your class’ greatest strength. Diversity in all its forms whether it be race, class, gender, socioeconomic status and more will

help cultivate thoughtful dialogue. That being said, in order for a diverse classroom to feel inclusive to all, we must implement rules and guidelines that will protect everyone’s ability to participate safely.

Whether it be on the pitch or in the classroom, you need to be prepared with a game plan to succeed. This game plan must be orchestrated by the coach- in this case the educator- and implemented by both the students and the school staff. Your game plan needs to be determined effectively using strategies and tactics that will assist your team.

Your strategy will refer to the basic system that needs to be incorporated to score that goal of building a respectful classroom environment. You need to ensure your students are all on the same page, know your expectations, share a common goal, and are committed to working together as a team to progress. As the leader, this means that you have the ability to motivate people, build a welcoming environment, and value everyone’s unique abilities.

A welcoming and respectful classroom environment will help to prevent BAHD behaviour. A safe environment encourages participation, freely expressing themselves, and being able to play an active and honest role free from embarrassment.

Developing shared expectations:

When students are part of the process of developing a cohesive classroom setting, they are more inclined to oblige to the guidelines they helped set.

It’s critical to lead your class with the cooperation of your students. Giving the students a voice and platform on how they would like the class rules to be developed is extremely important. As a leader, remember, expectations go both ways. Leaders are also obliged to follow the same principles of respect and care. Students should have the sense that you are responsive to the student’s individual, mental, emotional, and social needs while adjusting to situational demands.

Valuing the thoughts and opinions of your students is a great starting point. The last thing you want to do is to solely dictate how the class should be run. When students feel a sense of trust and empathy from the teacher, they are more likely to respect them. Students reported a greater willingness to learn and show commitment in class when they respected their teacher (Audley-Piotrowski, 2008).

Addressing BAHD behaviour:

According to UNESCO, 1 of 3 students are bullied by their peers globally. 16% of which have been physically harmed. Ethnicity or one’s nationality was one of the most common reasons for bullying. Knowing these alarming statistics, and how frequent bullying can take place, you need to be a proactive educator that not only addresses BAHD behaviour from the root cause, but also one that does not fear to take immediate action when it does happen.

If you hear or see something in the class that violates your classrooms guidelines, be sure to address it promptly. This shows that unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated. Also, have a conversation with the target, see how they feel, did they appreciate the way you addressed the problem, would they prefer a different approach?

Ensuring you hold students accountable for their actions and take ownership over their behaviour will enable them to reflect and be more conscious of how their actions impact the learning environment. Remember, acts of bullying are often not isolated. Be sure to check in on your students mental and emotional well-being on a constant basis.

Alternatively, applaud good behaviour and supportive attitudes. As educators we want to reinforce positive actions within the classroom and make this a desirable trait.

Lead with Purpose

Most athletes want to learn from their coach, either because they are great mentors, experts in their field, or because they show genuine concern for the athlete’s growth and development. They look up to their coaches as positive role models. Educators play a similar role where they inspire creativity, foster advancement, and push students to their potential.

A successful leader always has a thoughtful game plan to help steer their class in the right direction. A game plan is a systemic method in which you would like to see your team excel. This ultimately comes down to how you manage a cohesive group toward a common goal.

Remember, you want to build a classroom that students take pride in being part of; a diverse and inclusive space where everyone is safe, valued, and respected.

“Great leadership motivates. Great leadership inspires. And great leadership can change a person’s life” (Respect Group, 2022). Never underestimate the unlimited positive impact you can have on a student’s life.

In conclusion, your role as an educator is to ensure the safety of your students. Respect is the fundamental principle that enables a class to progress in a positive manner. As a leader, you must implement an appropriate game plan and value your students’ voice and opinions in order to successfully achieve this. Be sure to have an honest and open dialogue with your students at the beginning of the school year in order to set the tone early. In conjunction with your students, you can help build a safe, inclusive, and respectful class atmosphere. Embrace your playing field and aim for gold.

References:

Audley-Piotrowski, S. (2008). Respect in the Classroom: A Developmental Approach. Academic Exchange Quarterly.

Bumgarner, A. (2020). Inside the Choral Classroom: Advice for the First-Year Teacher (Part 1). The Choral Journal, 61(1), 10–17. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27034916

Garrett, T. (2008). Student-Centered and Teacher-Centered Classroom Management: A Case Study of Three Elementary Teachers. The Journal of Classroom Interaction, 43(1), 34–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23869529

https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-classroom/

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