In many schools, the school business manager (SBM) occupies a unique position: neither a teacher nor truly a member of support staff but somewhere undefined inbetween.
Often, the SBM is the only person with knowledge, experience and responsibility in specific areas - particularly finance in these austere times - and will be acutely aware that, when faced with a progressively challenging set of circumstances, the school community increasingly relies upon them to act in a decisive, professional and effective manner.
Several years ago, feeling somewhat isolated and overwhelmed, I co-founded a local school business managers’ association with a few other SBMs who, I was surprised to find, were all feeling just as vulnerable as me.
We met each half-term at one another’s schools and, within a short period, our small group had grown to welcome members representing all types of educational establishment located throughout the local authority area. There was a great deal of mutuality between us, and we soon found that we could share best methods of overcoming commonly-faced obstacles and that we could offer invaluable advice to one another about how best to avoid mistakes, as well as recommending suppliers offering best value. Some while later the group affiliated to NASBM, opening up wider networking opportunities.
Over the years I have discovered a variety of ways of coping with the stresses and pressures of everyday SBM life. None of them is difficult, and most are pretty obvious. So, if you’re feeling lonely and frustrated, rather than kicking the cat when you get home in the evening or drowning your sorrows in a vat of wine, you may instead wish to take some of these steps:
- Don’t keep it to yourself:
- Reduce stress levels by discussing problems with people in a similar situation¹.
- Speak regularly with your headteacher, governors and colleagues.
- Visit other SBMs at their schools (especially within your trust or federation, if you have one):
- See how other people tackle issues.
- Listen to their concerns: no doubt you will uncover a great deal of common ground.
- Network with others:
- Join a local SBM group:
- Share best practice and procure together.
- If there isn’t a local group, either start one with your neighbouring SBMs, trust or federation, or join an SBM association further afield.
- Join NASBM
- Join a professional association (such as the ASCL or NAHT)
- Join the FD Forum
- Correspond with like-minded SBMs on Twitter or LinkedIn.
- Keep yourself informed:
- The more you understand, the better prepared and more confident you will be in overcoming issues:
- Subscribe to these newsletters (there are many more):
- Take a course:
- Some of the best people you will ever meet can be found on SBM training courses:
- Concentrate on developing your emotional intelligence²:
- Learn how:
- To persist in the face of frustrations.
- To control impulse and delay gratification.
- To regulate one’s moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think.
- To empathise and to hope.
Just remember: you’re not alone.
Peter Neale MSc is a NASBM Fellow with sixteen years’ experience as a school business manager in three secondary schools.
References:
¹ Townsend, S.S.M., Heejung, S.K. and Mesquita, B. (2013) “Are You Feeling What I’m Feeling? Emotional Similarity Buffers Stress” Social Psychological and Personality Science 5(5).
² Goleman, D. (1996) Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. London: Bloomsbury.
