What is the human cost of your school?

Human cost, human cost! Yes, you have them. From salaries, CPD, recruitment and putting food on the table – yes you have it all. Have a think for a moment; list them if you dare. What is the human cost of your organisation?

While these are all important factors, it is time to look behind the words with a new lens. Oscar Wilde once said: “A cynic knows the cost of everything, but the value of nothing.” Indeed, the same can be said for schools that view their staff community as a cost, rather than an asset to be developed and nurtured over time.

Everyone who comes to work in your school has their own currency.

Your currency is different to the person sitting beside you, as it is based on your view of the world. As you know, emotions drive thoughts, which is driving the culture of your organisation.

An emotional bank account, created by Stephen Covey, is an amazing tool to increase personal capital to improve wellbeing and personal success. So, what is it?

He explains the concept of an emotional bank account with a metaphor: “By proactively doing things that build trust in a relationship, one makes ‘deposits’. Conversely, by reactively doing things that decrease trust, one makes ‘withdrawals’.” Kind words and stepping into their shoes are positive ways to move forward.

Not really listening and making reactive decisions create withdrawals.

Change starts with you, so how are your accounts looking with family, friends and colleagues? How can you add deposits to keep balances high? Imagine what could happen if everyone knew about the hidden bank accounts that are building your community. What is the cost of doing nothing? Well, I will leave that up to you.