You're to have not to hold (Madonna)

Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash

The mixture of staff in any school creates an endlessly fascinating tableau that provides a ripe ground for analysis.

Staff rooms are interesting places and the culture varies greatly depending on the make up of the staff. This creates a plethora of different cultures including, at one extreme, toxic ones.

I've been a staff member enough times to recognise a toxic one when I see one. Luckily for me, feeling knives in my back has been a super rare occasion. Mostly I've been fortunate and worked with some outstanding people in a number of different countries.

Sometimes the chemistry of personalities clicks and it's a wondrous story in a staffroom. Over time people adjust and the longer they are together the more adjustments, tweeks and allowances are possible. Everyone jostles for their space and finds their own comfort zone. Strength comes from that.

In times of adversity you get a different sense of people's personalities compared to when things are smooth sailing. People can often revert to default settings.

I noticed when my four children were growing up, if one was away at a friend's place the other three would interact in a very different way. 

The influence of one person is immense and should never be under-estimated is the lesson to be learned there.