Congratulations to Mike Fielding in simplifying the task of middle managers (“Don’t be a whinger with a clipboard,” TES, School Management Update, March 20).
He has managed to gauge a lot of the frustrations of the task but has missed one important ingredient, involvement.
The biggest hurdle is being told new policiesideas which have obvious flaws and then being expected to “sell” these to staff as if we - that is middle managers - had some form of ownership.
I am increasingly confused at the reluctance of senior staff actively to involve middle managers in the development stage of creating policies. Surely if we have the onerous task of motivating teams, could we not at least have more of a say in the process.
Surely there is a valid time actively to involve those who are most affected by such changes, and in doing so reinforce the value and credibility of the middle manager.
D DORLING, 54 Derricke Road, Stockwood, Bristol
