The Perfect Line Lead: The Ultimate Job description

Another session involved brain storming in our groups (that kept rotating like you wouldn't believe) about what would make the Perfect Line Lead. Our facilitators made it clear that in this case we were talking about the PERSON SPECIFICATION, not the organisation. In effect we were trying to conjour up a job advert. To be Line lead you will have to do blah blah and blah. You will have to be this that and the other. The brainstorming was divided up in to.

Perfect Line Lead. Roles and Responsibilities
Perfect Line Lead. Characteristics, Strengths, qualities and skills.

In this (and the following session on the Perfect lead partner) I realized there are two types of people in the world: Those that categorise using subheadings, and those that (in utter disorganization) list things in a random and chaotic manner. I, just for the record, fall in the first category.

My list, that I partially ammended after having looked at the completed flipchart, was as follows:

LINE LEAD -Responsibility and Roles

1. Collaboration
As a Line Lead you will effectively collaborate with:
a)Schools
b)Universities
c)Employers
d)The Media
e) 14-19 Group people
f)Borough Representatives
g)Exam Boards/Awarding Bodies
h)Steering Group
i)Senior Leadership Team
j)Exam Secretaries (sigh)
k)Curriculum/Timetable related staff.

2. Curriclum Development/Operation
As Line Lead you will be responsible for the following (across the Consortia)
a) Resources
b)Facilities -including a VLE/MLE
c)Common Option systems
d)Logistics -travel etc
e)Infrastructure
f) Quality Assurance
g)Teaching (This was a controversial point!)

3. Subject Development
As Line Lead you will be responsible for
a)S.O.W's -innovation, building on good practice
b)Staff Training
c)Resources

And then moving on to LINE LEAD CHARACTERISTICS.

The flipchart quickly filled up with a number of pointedly IMMEASURABLE objectives and qualities.

The Line Lead should be:
-Confident
-Funny (Good sense of humour) *This, most people seemed to think, was particularly important
-Authoritative
-Assertive
-An Excellent Teacher
-An Innovator
-Creative
-Manipulative (yes, someone did suggest this)
-Influential
-Diplomatic
-Experienced
-Visionary
-Enthusiastic
-Committed
-Dedicated
-Thick Skinned (the lady who mentioned this poked herself with a pen and drew blood (true story!)
-Experienced
-Trustworthy
-Successfull
-Engaging
-Organised
-Altruistic (think of the whole, as opposed to try and ONLY benefit their own centre)

If this is you, give up teaching and run for primeminister.