There are times when we feel like our emotions are beyond our control. When we are under pressure, when we are engaged in an uncomfortable situation or conversation and internally we can feel our emotions rising. You can physically feel the change, it might be butterflies in the stomach, it could also be the red mist rising. There are other times when our emotions come on without warning, but it is how we manage this that is the mark of real leadership. Sometimes these emotions pass very quickly, at other times they can last longer, that feeling of frustration at a situation that should resolve so easily lingering on and triggering your emotions at the very thought of it. In reality, you have the ability to learn how to change your mood and regulate your emotional state which ultimately will enable you to choose which version of you shows up in any situation. 

Leaders who are able to manage their own emotions and master ‘version control’ as they interact with others are better equipped to deal with the pressure of leadership.

Whilst it is undeniable that there are many aspects to leadership, the most important element involves your interactions with people. The best leaders are able to build positive sustainable relationships that develop a culture of trust, respect and collaboration. They are able to fuel a positive climate in which those they serve feel supported, encouraged and emotionally safe. With work demands increasing, higher levels of accountability and a rapidly changing landscape, leaders who are able to manage their own emotions and master ‘version control’ as they interact with others are better equipped to deal with the pressure of leadership.

Most leaders are astute at paying attention to the emotional reactions of others. We watch their body language, we listen to their tone, we look for facial expressions and try to identify cues that give us insight as to how they are feeling about the situation they are in. What we often overlook though is the signals that we are giving and the way our emotional reactions are feeding into the interaction. There are occasions where there is an unintended negative spill from our previous environment that feeds into our present environment. In version control however you are able to strategically be prepared as you transition from one environment to the next.

One of the greatest challenges we all encounter in leadership positions is managing our own internal emotional state, especially in difficult situations. Our reactions, behaviours and decisions during this time set the platform for those we lead and create the climate we are trying to promote. Being able to manage your emotional state and determine what version of you is present at any given time even in the most challenging of situations is clearly something that is an incredibly powerful leadership skill. Like all skills though you need to practice, you need to understand how to use it and you need to recognise when you need to work harder at developing it. 

It has often been said that you can’t control the way people feel, but you can control how you react to them. There are times in our day when we are interacting with people and it can be difficult to know which version you are interacting with. The colleague who walks past you without acknowledgement may be in the version of father with a sick child at home or the version of finance broker with a late mortgage payment who at that point in time does not feel like engaging with anyone. The colleague who snaps back at a seemingly reasonable request may have had an argument with their spouse, a sick pet and a relative in hospital. As a leader we need to be aware that not everyone has version control and whilst we don’t tolerate unacceptable behaviour we take time to understand it without passing judgment. In these circumstances, having a firm grasp on your version of you is crucial.  

What we need to understand is that at certain points we can have a huge impact on those we lead and we need to ensure that we don’t miss the opportunity because we have not presented with the right version of ourselves. I’ve been interested in the work of Dr Adam Fraser who talks about the third space, the space when we transition from one environment to another. This is the time we have to check what version of ourselves will be entering the next interaction and how we can manage our emotional state to ensure it is the right version at the right time. The way we think about a situation can have an extremely powerful effect on your emotions which in turn guides your behaviours and decision making. As you would know it can be much harder to shift from below the line states of mind to above the line states of mind so being able to recognise and act is vitally important for those in leadership positions. 

So how do you do it, how do you ensure version control is in place. 

Breathe

I think it is important to take a small amount of time just to centre yourself before you transition from one point to another. This does not have to be an exhaustive exercise, it could be as little as taking a few deep breaths as you leave one encounter to another. Doing this allows you to pause momentarily and check your state before you give yourself a chance to act or react.  

Change the Image

Sometimes we have a negative image of how an interaction may play out which will impact on our thoughts and feelings that we carry into the interaction. We need to try to look from different perspectives to shift the image we are visualising. 

Move

Moving from one space to another provides you an opportunity  to let go of your current state and provides a physical reminder to shift into the version you need. If you are not leaving the environment just standing up as a transition can be enough. Using this as a signal that you are transitioning and need to centre again can be all that is needed. 

Reframe Self Talk

Change the internal dialogue and shift the language you use. In our transitions between one interaction to another we often have an internal conversation about what just happened or what might happen. The language we use will determine how we show up in the next interaction. Focussing on the positive rather than looking for what did not go well can have an enormous impact. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows but beating yourself up will not give you a different outcome to what has already occurred and will certainly limit your ability to show up in the right version.  

Monitor

Try paying attention to your feelings in different settings and when you’re with different individuals and groups. Monitoring your emotional state with different groups in different contexts allows you to develop crucial background information about what version you need to bring for the context you are entering.

Recognising

Recognising how you are feeling and understanding your own behavioural styles are key to regulating your emotional state. If you are a conflict avoider recognising how conflict makes you feel prior to entering and managing it allows you to be more effective. If you become frustrated easily recognising your physical and emotional signals of frustration will allow you to regroup or implement a strategy that supports you to manage your frustration. 

Focussing on version control and identifying how your thinking patterns can influence your interactions with others will allow you to foster the power of relationships. The ability to select the right version is a skill that will give you enormous emotional freedom and has the potential to have a significant impact on your leadership and the culture you establish. It does not mean that you will not have negative emotions or times when you question the purpose but it means that you are aware and can choose how you respond. I am also not suggesting that we have to regulate every emotion, there are many times when the emotional state you present in are appropriate for the context. Version control is not about suppressing your emotions, it’s about recognising them and understanding that you have control over them not they over you. 

Managing your emotional state can be difficult at times but it is a skill that is well worth developing. Having the ability to reset and be focussed in every interaction allows you to be present and connect with those you are interacting with. Remember your version can be contagious, how you show up can have a significant impact on others. Being able to control the version of yourself in your interactions places you in a position of strength to build relationships and create the emotional safety that creates the positive trusting climate that allows others to thrive.

It’s long been said that it takes a village to raise a child. Whilst our schools can been seen as a small village within a larger community I’m a firm believer that the village is much more representative of the community as a whole.

In today’s society raising children is much more complicated that it has ever been, there are societal expectations, economic pressures, complex family arrangements and the monster that is social media. These influences have created a complicated, multifaceted environment in which to raise well-rounded children. As governments and communities grapple with this increased complexity often seeking quick win solutions, it is increasingly becoming the role of our educational systems to become all things to all people.

It’s time for the village to assume the collective responsibility.

Traditionally it has been the responsibility of families and their support networks to set expectations, model values and establish limits that define and shape a young person’s moral compass. Children can became products of their environment where they learn how to behave, how to express opinions, how to interact with those around them respectfully and how to navigate the world safely and productively. I agree that schools certainly have a key role to play in character development. Public education offers our students exposure to the full breadth of our community where they are able to access wide ranging views, beliefs and opinions. This is a strength of our system. Over recent years though, there has been a dramatic shift where schools and teachers are being tasked with the responsibility of tackling an increasingly wide range of social issues.

Whilst education is the great equaliser and assists in rising above poverty, racism, sexism and promotes the establishment of strong moral and ethical codes it is not the miracle solution to solving all societal issues. It appears that with each emerging issue, policy makers with all best intentions and boundless enthusiasm, rely solely on schools to provide education campaigns that address and target the platform of the day. Strong, well-meaning interest groups are crowding the curriculum in the hope that schools can right the wrongs of others. It seems that the default position to almost any problem in society is to teach it in schools. There seems to be a giant leap in the logic. If we cover issues related to road safety, water safety, responsible pet ownership, sun safety, civics, obesity, cyber safety, financial literacy and the list goes on then we will be able to adequately solve some of society’s greatest problems. Whilst these issues are all important they enter an already overcrowded curriculum. Adding to the curriculum may not necessarily be the best way to address such a broad range of social issues. If we continue to use schools as the sole vehicle for addressing social problems then we will always continue to miss the mark.

Schools will always respond to the social, emotional and welfare needs of their students as the role normally performed by families becomes more and more part of the daily school routine. The skill set of the modern day teacher has far outgrown the traditional model as they become counsellors, peace makers, social workers, law enforcers, nurses and careers advisors. Teachers continue to work daily on developing well rounded citizens who will and can contribute to society. But this is not their sole responsibility. It takes a village.

Why is it then that this has become the default? Partly because it is seen as an easy fix. There is an economic argument that says that it is more fiscally responsible to educate than to build infrastructure and support systems to address the cause of the problem. Long term solutions require changes in behaviour. Changes in behaviour come from education. Whilst there is undoubtedly an economic cost for delivering new educational programs it is certainly seen as a more cost effective method. The second reason is that education is the great equaliser. If we deliver relevant curriculum that educates on a particular issue then we are building a foundation of change from the ground up. Sowing the seeds of change and monitoring growth is a well-used strategy. However as educators we know that working on things in isolation is not always the most effective change management solution. We need all elements of the community to wrap around the issues to see real change.

As we look towards our schools of the future we face the challenge of assessing what we want our teachers to teach. If we are to continue to be front line educators of social change then we need to consider how this is done and at what expense? As our education systems increase in size it can be complex to allow the flexibility to address social issues as a whole of system response. Our task is to enable schools to work contextually with local issues in the confines of a large organisation. How do we alleviate system pressure to allow schools to focus on the relevant task at hand?  Whilst we can be quick to add to the ever growing list we can at times be slow to reduce it. I have noticed recently a focus on ‘decluttering’. Whilst this at present appears to be more on an administrative basis there is hope that it could move to a broader platform.

The biggest question though is what role will the village play in developing our schools of the future? How will all arms of the community work in partnership to develop the skills needed by our students to address the pressures of modern society? Education systems cannot continue to be all things to all people. As educators we know that it takes a village. It’s time for the village to assume the collective responsibility.

Have you ever heard the phrase two heads are better than one. In today’s complex and often challenging leadership space this has never been more true. The power of collaboration really has become the go to approach for today’s successful leaders. Building collaborative teams that problem solve together and share their collective wisdom is creating news ways of working and building a collective ownership that drives an organisation forward.

This style of leadership uses the differences of the team to source solutions.

Effective leaders have always been open to suggestions and feedback on their plans, ideas and vision. Traditionally though this process has been limited and surface level at best. This method breeds suspicion and suspected self-interest around the decision making which are powerful tools that undermine leadership teams. What we are seeing more of now is an open and transparent model of leadership that allows the work behind a decision to be viewed and understood. This is creating environments where, whilst not everyone agrees, decisions are understood on the basis of the information provided. This greater transparency builds trust. When we give greater voice and inclusion to our decision making process we build a collective responsibility where the success is the responsibility of the team not the heroic figure leading the charge. It may not be possible or indeed practicable to have widespread collaboration on every decision this would in all probability grind our organisation to a halt but the big picture decisions that set directions must have high level collaboration.

Collaborative leaders understand the power of collective wisdom when problem solving. I’m not sure that I have ever been the most innovative educator, sure I have the odd idea that is outside the box but generally I’m sitting on the box looking over the edge wondering how these imaginative educators come up with these brilliant ideas. Successful leaders understand that they cannot be all things to all people so they build teams that have a balance of skills and knowledge. With a collective team effort we can expand ideas in so many ways, challenging our thinking to develop a single thought into a well-developed plan. This style of complimentary leadership uses the differences of the team to source solutions. Strong leaders develop norms and protocols that empower individuals within the group to identify when things are blocking a solution and take the group away from its intended purpose. These systems allow issues to be tabled respectfully and solutions identified collectively, building stronger commitment to the overall goal.

As a collaborative leader you have the perfect opportunity to build the skills of your team. Working in collaboration allows you to leverage the strength of the individuals in your team. As a high quality leader you have a responsibility to build the capacity of those you lead. Finding opportunities to coach your team to build individual skill or form complementary partnerships across the team allows others to learn from each other. This not only builds capacity but strengthens the depth of the decision making.  Working through to a solution provides the perfect opportunity to access coachable moments where you have work based problems to solve and quarantined time to guide team members through change.

Collaborative leadership whilst not new is becoming an increasingly adopted model. There is a definite shift from the heroic rockstar leader to the strong focused team where there is strength and wisdom in numbers. The old saying the smartest person in the room, is the room itself has never been more true. I have a few suggestions that I believe can assist in building a collaborative approach.

• Know that you are not the font of all wisdom – No single person can have in depth coverage over every aspect. High quality leaders know they don’t know it all and surround themselves with experts. In large organisations there are experts within and external to the site, use this knowledge and skill to give you a broad perspective.
• Share information – Effective decisions are made on balanced judgement, true collaboration cannot occur when one member of the team withholds information.
• Ask for help – Effective leaders recognise when they need help. There is no shame is asking for assistance and utilising the wisdom of another.
• Ask open ended questions – As leaders we need to carefully consider our questions. With the increased tempo of our work it can become easy and convenient to ask questions that we already know the answers to or questions that guide toward a predetermined destination. At times we believe that a quick response will allow us to get on with the job. The effective leader though will ask open ended questions that could provide solutions or paths not thought of.
• Do what you say you’re going to do – When you are truly collaborative you rely on each other to get things done. If you say you’ll do something do it well and on time. The team is only as strong as its weakest link. Don’t be the weak link.
• Be brave but respectful – Successful collaboration requires honesty. If something is not right then call it out and offer a solution. Developing protocols for how this is achieved encourages honesty by providing a safe platform to work from.
• Listen – When we are truly passionate about an idea our ability to listen can be limited. As others try to add their perspective and we begin to advocate for our position, the ability to listen, compromise and act with humility show depth to your leadership.
• Use silence – I’ve often used silence as a strategy. Sometimes having the thought and sitting on it allows you to gain perspective. Sometimes it’s what’s not said that builds the solution.

As we move into a new model of operation I urge you to collaborate widely. The days of silo decision making have long gone. The role of the leader has evolved into that of a connector, someone who can identify hotspots of talent and merge them together to achieve what was not considered possible. Successful collaboration won’t just happen, many have tried only to build a group that works against each other rather than the problem they are trying to solve. Building collective impact takes time, careful planning and strong systems that support the collaborative culture. As all successful team leaders have found, high quality collaboration is no accident.

Why do we have a fear of failure? I guess it’s always been there. It’s natural to be a little apprehensive when trying something new for the first time, but if we let this feeling take over it could lead us down a path where nothing new is tried. Imagine the limitations we place on ourselves if we only attempt things we know we will succeed at.

When we let our fear of failure stop us we are potentially missing out on some of our greatest learning opportunities.

Strong leaders accept failure. They use it as an opportunity to learn, they actively develop a culture where people are encouraged to push their limits, to step out of their comfort zones and take a chance. High quality leaders will look at setbacks, provide feedback and investigate how things can be improved. They provide encouragement and a supportive environment. They know that sometimes we learn best by seeing what doesn’t work. They understand that sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. Some might say, if you haven’t failed you haven’t tried anything new. I believe it’s Ok to fail, as long as it is for the right reasons. Failure happens, it’s part of life, not learning from it and repeating the same process is the real mistake.

If we don’t allow people to try new things and fail occasionally we develop an unhealthy almost stifling culture, where fear of failure impedes progress. When we let our fear of failure stop us we are potentially missing out on some of our greatest learning opportunities. In some ways we may even get more out of our failures than we do from our successes. History is littered with people who have failed; Thomas Edison famously said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Imagine if Edison stopped after his first attempt. What if Edison didn’t have the resilience to carry on? Failure teaches resilience. I’m sure you have found that some people have this in short supply. Resilience can be taught; however, it requires you to pick yourself up, look at where things went wrong and devise a plan for the next time you encounter this situation. It also requires the right environment where mistakes are certainly not encouraged, but are accepted and used as teaching tools for further development.

Action research seems to be a big push at the moment. What is action research? It’s the process of testing a theory, collating some evidence and refining the practice to make improvements. In essence it’s the process of analysing actions so you can do better next time. It actively encourages you to look at your failures and learn from them. Action research often involves learning communities who work together to look at practices that are not as successful as hoped. This learning community is often embracing failure as a way of developing innovation and enhancing practice. A school that encourages action research is therefore developing a culture that supports its members taking calculated risks and expanding their learning. In doing so it is taking action to strengthen and further enhance its ability to respond to the specific needs of the community it serves.

I see learning from failure as one key difference between the successful and the unsuccessful. The successful keep going. They keep refining, refocusing and refusing to give up. They do not accept defeat and actively seek a new solution; they certainly don’t pass blame and point the finger. They take calculated risks, knowing why they try something new. They look at a potential hurdle, analyse current practice and actively work through a process to find a solution. Success is built on hard work, refinement and an unrelenting pursuit of achieving your goal.

In many ways we actually need failure. If we constantly succeed at everything we do we develop a false economy. Always coming out on top may cause us to never actually take time to analyse and find ways to enhance what we do.  It can lead to a, if it works don’t mess with it attitude. Sometimes failure is the motivation we need to make real change. It should promote strong reflection and encourage commitment to ensure that the same mistake is not made again.

The fear of failure can be a really difficult obstacle to overcome, but the reality is that at some point it will happen to all of us. It’s how you deal with it and the environment that you fail in that is key. You can learn a great deal about a school by how they respond to failure. What strategies do they put in place to support the next effort? How do they encourage continued innovation? How do they help to build resilience? Consider these questions the next time someone in your school tries something that is not as successful as it was intended to be. I am by no way condoning repeated and ongoing failure. I am however encouraging us to support each other, to take risks and to make informed decisions that enhance the opportunities of the students we serve.

This year I’ve decided to get a coach. I’ve spent the summer listening to sport commentators discuss technical aspects of their sports, they’ve highlighted players blind spots, player weaknesses as well as areas of strength. They’ve had the ability to objectively observe and provide insight that if adhered to could improve player performance. As leaders we try to provide this to those around us. We watch, we discuss, we question, we guide all to assist in improving performance, but who coaches us?

For real change to happen, for strong growth, find a coach to challenge you beyond what you think is possible.

As leaders we are committed to cycles of continuous improvement for those we lead, sourcing professional opportunities, constructing systems and routines that encourage and promote professional development. We extend this process to our own learning by actively seeking ways to sharpen our skills. Rarely though do we get solicited constructive feedback. For many leaders, feedback is only provided when things are not tracking as planned. So this year I’ll get a coach, someone who can provide one on one, objective, personalised feedback. Someone who can see different aspects of my leadership and shine a light on them. Someone who can ensure that I am very specific in my personal goals and hold me accountable. I know it might be challenging and at times may make me uncomfortable as I acknowledge that my practice may need to change. In the end though it’s about growth and continuous improvement.

As leaders we are usually very reflective. We take time to think through decisions, to review plans and strategy and adjust as necessary. Sometimes however, it can be difficult to reflect on our own performance as our underlying assumptions cloud our judgment. We observe, we assume and sometimes we look for the self-fulfilling prophecy to reaffirm. It’s not easy getting a gauge on how others see you and how this might be impacting on your ability to work with your team. This space is known as our professional blind spot and can leave you exposed if not identified.

When things are going well reflection can become even more difficult. At these times we firmly believe that our decisions are well thought out as our own data sources fall prey to confirmation bias. This is where your coach can provide an objective third party view with no stake in the decision. They will be able to dissect your data sources, operational approach and professional behaviour traits and challenge you on their validity. Quite simply your coach is the person who provides an objective view point based on unbiased evidence. Their ability to walk you through a process that provides clarity, grounds you and generates alternative viewpoints will be invaluable. This then places any required leadership change as your responsibility, allowing you to identify what it is you need to learn and what it is that you may need to change to achieve a more successful outcome.

In my early leadership days I thought of a coach as someone who observed using a tick and flick method to make sure I was not underperforming, that I was working at a satisfactory level. What I’ve grown to understand is that a coach is much more than evaluation and supervision. A quality coach can identify skill levels and work to provide a very individualised level of support. A coach has the ability to provide real-time feedback that can lead to behavioural changes being implemented immediately.

In a rapidly changing landscape with increased scrutiny on performance it has never been more crucial to have a sounding board who can provide you with constructive feedback. Athletes have long understood this, they realise that an effective coach can analyse their skills, knowledge and performance and provide feedback, that if adhered to can take their game to a level they would not have achieved through personal reflection alone. In times of challenge you can be the focus of heavy scrutiny and criticism, when there is an unpopular decision to be made you can bet that you’ll receive feedback. As we know this unfortunately comes with the leadership territory. What I am after though is feedback on my day-to-day performance to help me improve. Why? Because I can. My view is that an effective coach will equip me with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities I need to fully develop. Vince Lombardi, a former American football coach once asked the question how many self-help programs will it take until you improve? His answer, just one, it’s the one you commit to. In our day to day business we can get distracted and become absorbed in the tasks at hand losing sight of our own personal goals. A coach will assist in keeping you on track in your continuous improvement journey.

As we transition into a new year, some of us in new roles, we can be faced with new learning experiences and new role expectations. There can be increased demands which can stretch us, challenge us and leave us feeling vulnerable. It’s the perfect time for a coach. We invest heavily in the professional learning of our teams, building their knowledge base and technical expertise, ensuring that those we lead have the tools required to perform. As a leader you are in an influential position to make an impact at a broad level. For this if no other reason you need to ensure that you are at the top of your game. Your coach will keep you on track moving towards your goals.

This year I’d encourage you to think a little selfishly and find yourself a coach. Do your homework. It has to be the right fit, there must be a connection and sense of trust for it to work. It’s a genuine partnership. This person will hold you accountable and could push you to a level that you didn’t think was possible. Most leaders travel the safe and comfortable self-guided journey of continuous improvement. They seek opportunities that they believe will assist in their growth. For real change to happen, for strong growth, find a coach to challenge you beyond what you think is possible. It may be uncomfortable at times, but I guarantee it will be worth it.

What is a default option and why would you use it to lead? The default option is what is left when no active choice has been made between a set of possibilities. Well-designed defaults can be quite powerful in nature as they essentially simplify decision making effectively guiding desirable behaviour. Leading by default may seem like it lacks strategy and is potentially an ineffective route, but what if your default is a culture of high expectations built around collaborative professional learning communities that focus on cycles of continuous improvement. Sounds more appealing doesn’t it? A well designed learning culture across your school lays the platform for an effective default. The question remains then, why would you want a default if you had such an effective learning culture prominent across the school? The answer I believe is that it allows your staff the freedom to experiment, to trial and to explore knowing that there is a high level fall-back position if they are not successful. A default position carefully designed to be the mainstay of your school’s operation is a safety net for successful student outcomes.

A well designed learning culture across your school lays the platform for an effective default.

The challenge is to establish the default, which can be a complex and time consuming journey. An initial default is continuing the way things have always been, raising the bar can be difficult especially when many schools are doing an exceptional job to begin with. But the very notion of continuous improvement is based on the ideology that we can always get better. I often talk to my staff about what makes a champion. The champion never strives to be number one, they strive to beat number one to continue to do better by refining, refocusing and evaluating their performance. In the words of Dylan Wiliam “Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better”. We are fortunate to be in a period of education when we are supported by The Australian Professional Standards that identify the benchmarks for performance. In NSW Public Education we have the support of a system that encourages individual responsibility for self-improvement through performance and development plans. These tools provide a perfect springboard for raising the bar and establishing a high quality default position.

In the book Nudge, Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein outlined the idea of choice architecture. They suggest that we have the ability to design our environments in order to influence behaviour. Just as an architect will design a building to meet a specific purpose, we too can design our default model to meet the specific requirements of our context. The default will be comprised of a variety of components which individually will have a significant impact on the overall operation of a school. As leaders we need to identify these components and understand their role in establishing the default setting we are seeking. Through a combination of high quality professional learning, collegiality, mentoring, coaching and knowing our students the default model can be framed within the context of our individual settings.

In an era where we are swamped by research articles and social media feeds us professional learning opportunities 24/7 we have the ability to source and develop high quality professional learning that can be adapted to our individual contexts. An effective professional learning model to develop a default position must have sound procedures in place that have a single schoolwide focus. This focus needs to be supported by evidence, what is the data telling us, and be classroom based with an emphasis on improving teaching strategies. The model is not about improving the teacher it’s about ensuring that high quality strategies form the basis of practice across the school. Be it instructional rounds, lesson study or PDP observations it has to have time for reflection, feedback and discussion of next steps. It must be based on the premise that teachers have a commitment to improve and an openness to be critiqued by their colleagues. I have found the use of technology has been invaluable in enabling staff to capture lessons, strategies and student responses and reflect on them in collaborative debriefing sessions at the conclusion of the lesson. This timely immediate feedback is extremely powerful in developing the default position acting as a social contagion spreading its influence. Just like athletes reviewing game day footage and identifying strengths and areas for development so to this technology affords our staff the same opportunity.

In business the default option is carefully designed to ensure that there is a benefit to the designer for not choosing another option. The default in most instances is carefully orchestrated to favour the design architect leading to increased profits. As leaders in schools wouldn’t it make sense that we design our default to ensure that it makes students the beneficiaries? Establishing norms, which shape expectations about how we learn together as professionals forms the foundation of the learning culture and can become the default. Social psychology research clearly demonstrates that when faced with any change processes people tend to resist until they feel comfortable. As change happens and it will, as you try to establish teacher buy in to a new strategy having a high quality default position to fall back on will place your students in a win win situation.  So whilst leading by default may sound like a lack of strategy becoming the design architect of the new normal certainly has its benefits.

In our modern world of celebrity, product placement and competition there seems to be a degree of humility missing in some of our leaders. We have rock star CEOs and celebrity politicians consumed by self-importance and self-promotion pushing their own agendas with a confidence that borders on arrogance. Elements of our society seem so obsessed with personal success that humility can be seen as a sign of weakness. In a global environment that discredits someone for changing their mind or doubts someone’s motives if credit is given to a rival, it’s hard to be humble. Am I implying that humble leaders are not strong enough to make an impact in our organisations?  Not at all. I believe those who act with humility have the confidence and emotional intelligence to know that it’s a collective effort that has enabled their leadership journey. These leaders are secure in their capabilities without being over confident, they have the courage to voice their opinions without overstating and they never forget where they have come from. Humble leaders understand that it is better to have someone else identify their talents than personally singing them from the rooftops.

Humble leaders won’t let ego get in the way of positive outcomes

For many humility can be seen as a sign of weakness. It doesn’t come easy to most people, especially when there are times that you need to ‘promote yourself’ to get that next job. We all have an ego and there are times when some calculated self-promotion will assist you, but it’s when this is driving you that it crosses the line. Humility is actually a really powerful tool; it allows you the ability to compromise by providing a sense of perspective and reason and an ability to accept alternate viewpoints. It also allows you to adjust, reflect and grow, attributes that are actually desirable and are worthy of self-promotion if needed. To be able to admit a mistake and demonstrate how you have overcome and learnt from it is a process that “sells’ you far more than a win on every occasion. It shows determination, reflection and strategic thinking. It demonstrates to those around you that you are capable of having robust debate and have the flexibility to change tact when needed.

Working for large organisations with various degrees of complexity we must understand that no one person can have full coverage of every aspect, issue or solution. A humble leader is comfortable admitting that they don’t know the answer; in fact they’re comfortable admitting that they may not know anything about a particular topic and deferring responsibility to someone who does. This is not admitting weakness, it’s actually utilising strength. Knowing that there are people who may be smarter or have a greater knowledge base is a critical element of leadership. Admitting that you need additional advice actually creates an opportunity for someone else to grow by providing them with space to showcase their expertise. Strong leaders are able to coordinate all resources available to them to make informed decisions. They are able to use this strategy to either secure some form of action from those around them or as a catalyst to initiate their own work. The ability to draw upon all resources openly admitting that you don’t have all the answers is a courageous leadership move that not everyone is comfortable with. Humble leaders won’t let ego get in the way of positive outcomes.

Humble leaders don’t micromanage. They understand that this level of scrutiny placed on those they work with can be harmful to productive working relationships. They pay attention to detail, they plan and have high expectations but they’re prepared to take less casualties on the journey. Micromanagement not only shows a lack of trust in your colleagues, it also shows a highly controlling personality. This not only demoralises those you work with but leads you to become less effective trying to have tight coverage and reign over all. This level of effort can only be sustained for so long. Humble leaders are able to get the same result, with a level of detail that delivers impact by asking questions not dictating terms.

Humble leaders know that they can learn from the collective intelligence in the room. Being able to look across the table at colleagues and opening your mind to new learning is a productive way of increasing your ability, knowledge base and strategic thinking. It also allows you to not become too fixated on one method of operation. Being comfortable enough to engage in debate and accept differing viewpoints, whilst not always agreeing demonstrates a clear level of leadership. Inexperienced leaders often get caught up in the power struggle trying to ensure that their idea is adopted as the final product. Whilst this allows them to come out on top in the argument it does little to the confidence of the team who may feel like there was a predetermined agenda. Successful leaders have a flexibility that focuses on the impact they want to have and the agility to change course when new evidence arises. Being humble in this situation and adopting the ideas of others not only builds a sense of team and collegiality but keeps everyone focused on the end goal. You are more likely to get successful outcomes when those you work with know that you accept and understand that there are different ways to achieve a goal. Humble leaders will acknowledge that the end point can be arrived at from many paths.

It takes a sense of humility to recognise your own areas for development and set about a plan of action to develop them. Humility allows us to seek the help of others by openly admitting that we have something to learn from those around us. History is littered with powerful leaders who lacked the humility to accept advice only to see what they had worked so hard to achieve crumble around them. Truly humble leaders understand that we are but a single part of a much larger picture. They are willing to step right outside their comfort zone even if it means that they appear not to be on top of their game. They will use these opportunities to grow, accepting contributions of others to assist them. They’ll prepare and do their homework to try and ensure they succeed, but they are willing to take the opportunity and are prepared to fail and live with the consequences. They have the humility to accept that they may not have succeeded and are willing to accept constructive advice from those around them knowing that it will strengthen their capabilities in the long run.

Working in large organisations we are often working in teams. We must recognise that we are supported by the efforts of others and give recognition when deserved. Watch a humble leader at work and there is no boasting, there is no grandstanding, they’ll happily give away credit and use a healthy sense of self-deprecating humour to deflect any kudos coming their way. It’s not to say they don’t have an ego, we all do but they are genuinely uncomfortable with praise in a public forum, they’d happily settle for a quiet ‘well done’ away from the spotlight knowing that the right decision has been made and that there is impact in the work of their team. They often display a modesty about their work, truly believing that what they are doing is just a fraction of the great work being conducted around them.

Am I a humble leader? I guess by actually asking the question and writing about it then possibly not. Claiming to be certainly negates the act itself. But I am trying to learn the lessons and apply them to my leadership journey. My challenge and possibly yours is to reflect on your behaviour each day and see if there is a degree of humility guiding it. Here are 6 things you can do to work on developing humility in your leadership.

1. Admit your mistakes.
2. Give credit to the work of others
3. Accept others opinions (accepting is not the same as agreeing)
4. Compromise
5. Understand that you don’t have all the answers
6. Let others lead

In a results driven society it’s hard to be humble. If you can build humility into your leadership repertoire those around you will thank you for it.

Is this the hill to die on? Have you ever considered that question when faced with a big decision? In leadership positions we can find ourselves in situations where some degree of compromise of our values may be necessary. Working for large organisations we often confront situations where we must match our localised needs to those of a system and this can cause moral conflict. You know those decisions when you have the voices on either side of your shoulder pulling you in opposite directions? There is a choice to be made. You know you have to stand up for what is right and sometimes this can be extremely difficult. You’re at a morale crossroads. Having the courage to do what is right at this moment can have a significant impact on your reputation, it demonstrates very clearly your strength of character and the integrity that you possess.

What is integrity? Personal integrity is thought to be having a consistent set of principles or values that when faced with a challenge or temptation you uphold them regardless of the consequences. Social theorist  Larry May, suggests that personal integrity may not be as rigid as this. He is of the view that integrity  is not necessarily a core set of beliefs that are unshakable, but more a web of commitments that are interwoven and open to outside influences. In essence integrity is a moral balancing act where we are forced to make judgements. It is this space, that allows us to work successfully as leaders within systems.

You may find success, but it can be fleeting. Your integrity lasts forever.

We are not born with or without integrity, it’s a behavioural trait that is shaped by our experiences and as such evolves. With this in mind, it is reasonable that when exposed to more information we can become less certain about steadfast rules or moral judgments that we once made, whilst our integrity per se is not compromised the ground on which our judgments are made may shift. For this reason it is important to take time with big decisions and not to react with gut instinct. We must carefully consider all avenues before opening our mouths. Sometimes silence really can be your friend.

Recently I was on a tour of far Western NSW Public Schools. A 1200km road trip with a group of Principal colleagues. We spent 4 days together visiting high performing schools in rural and remote locations. As is the case with educators the conversation never strayed far from the workplace. We spoke about the strength of what we were seeing, the implications for our own schools, we discussed the challenges and successes of our own school communities and the allocation of a finite bucket of resources across an enormous system. What became evident very clearly, was that when push came to shove the personal integrity of each and every one of these leaders could not be compromised. They understood fully that working for a large system sometimes requires a moral compromise. They acknowledged that given the context of each situation they must balance their own moral judgements against the legitimate moral judgements of others.  That sometimes the greater good can be a difficult but necessary position to take. They had a clear morale purpose that aligned with their values and beliefs and they would do what was right for students regardless of the fallout. When faced with a choice they would choose students, regardless of context, community, advantage or challenge every day of the week.

There are some simple reasons why living and acting with integrity are so important. When you act with integrity you don’t have to question yourself. You’re doing what at your core you believe is right, you’re weighing up all the information you have and following your moral compass. As a leader the work is often difficult enough without creating a minefield to navigate by cutting corners, making deals and selfishly gathering resources at the detriment of the system. Those we lead will take their cues from us, for this reason it is critical that we set the standard. We must demonstrate that we are dependable and accountable for our actions.

As leaders integrity sets the foundation from which our organisation can flourish. When we act with integrity those we lead feel safe. They know that when the difficult decisions come along their leader will act fairly and that their integrity will not be compromised. These leaders build an environment where people have the opportunity to be open and honest and know that their ideas whilst not always agreed with will be treated with respect and dignity. When we work with integrity we don’t undermine colleagues, we admit to making mistakes, we don’t cast blame and we share credit when it’s due.  We are open and honest in our words and actions with no misalignment. In the words of Dr Seuss, “ We say what we mean and we mean what we say”.

In the end your career will not be remembered by the title you hold, the salary you earn or the office you leave. Your career will be remembered by the way you have or have not lead with integrity. In a nutshell you’ll be remembered because  you did the right thing even when no-one was watching. In the age of Local Schools, Local Decisions, integrity really is a non-negotiable. In the end those you led will know that when you picked the hill to die on you did it with the utmost integrity.

Trust is a powerful 5 letter word that allows the human race to work effectively. It allows us to predict potential outcomes and make sense of what can be an unpredictable world. We trust that the sun will come up; we trust that our bank is securely storing our money; we trust that the lights at the intersection are working correctly as we pass through; we trust that the pilot has the correct qualifications to fly the plane. Trust is the cornerstone from which we make our decisions.  It stands to reason then, that the most important part of a high functioning team is trust. It’s the foundation on which all other elements are built. As we enter a new year, some of us with new team members, some with new leadership, it’s the perfect time to start reflecting on the concept of trust.

Creating an environment that builds trust is crucial

Ask your team members if they trust the team. I’d be prepared to say that you will generally get a positive answer. If you probe a little deeper, I guarantee that you find the level of trust is conditional. You see there are certain parameters around which trust is generally given. Your team would trust that there are levels of acceptable behaviour that people abide by in the workplace. They may even go so far as to express that they trust that members of the team are working together placing individual interests aside. This though is just surface level, it’s your garden variety socially acceptable trust. High performing teams need a deeper level of credence that takes an investment of time and energy.

I believe that in the workplace trust falls into two categories. The first is that we trust our colleagues to follow the rules and the general social norms of the workplace. How we greet each other, the manner in which we interact, the sharing of resources and the general collegiality of the profession. The second is at a deeper level. This type of trust allows us to take risks, to expose our vulnerabilities, to ask for help and to remove silos. This is the level that we need across our workplaces. As a leader you need to engineer a protective environment for trust to be established. The question is ‘how do you develop this environment?’

Developing trust can be a timely process as past experiences can play a significant role in allowing it to develop. Trust is not a tick a box procedure, you can’t put in on your to do list and order someone to trust you. It’s a human emotion that can be multi-faceted. It’s a feeling we get when we share similar experiences. I’ve heard Simon Sinek say that just by doing what you say you are going to do doesn’t make you trustworthy, it just makes you reliable. I couldn’t agree more. I know some very reliable people but I’d don’t know that I’d trust them with my credit card details. However, I also know some unreliable people whom I trust implicitly. As a leader it’s a fine balance, trust is generally given from the very beginning a team is established. The difficulty is that you can only assess your decision once it has been given.

There is a great deal of research that supports the fact that shared experiences create trust. You’ll often hear that a meeting was good but the dinner afterwards was where the real learning occurred. This is because this networking time allows us to share common experiences.  It provides an opportunity to share information voluntarily, building connections based on similar events. This level of informal exchange actually has an impact on our physiology by releasing the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is responsible for the positive ‘warm fuzzy’ feeling we get when we find something that strikes us emotionally. It supports the building of relationships which in turn builds trust. The more information we share and connect in a nonjudgmental way the more hormone is releasedand the stronger the bond. A study conducted by Amsterdam scientists  Shalvia S. & De Dreub C. (2014) found that oxytocin actually boosted group serving behaviour, causing members of a group to act in way that would ensure the group achieves its goal. Now I’m not suggesting that we all engage in week long bonding sessions, we’ve seen how this has worked for some of sporting teams. What I am recommending however is that you spend time getting to know your team , taking time each day to touch base and build relationships.

Building trust takes time. I’m not sure there is any secret formula to building it as it’s an individual decision that is made based on a number of factors. It is my firm belief however that there are a few fundamental principles that can accelerate it.

• Share common experiences, taking time to get to know your people and taking an interest in them both professionally and personally will assist.
• Develop a shared vision; this builds trust as people understand what you are working towards together.
• Work collaboratively and do things that support your colleagues to show that you are prepared to put the needs of others before your own.
• Be consistent in your words and actions. This reduces uncertainty and brings a certain level of predictability to the workplace.
• Simply repeated the words you hear is not listening. Try to understand the message and possibly the reason behind it.
• Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know the answers. Asking for assistance when you don’t know the answer can create an environment where others will do the same. Clarifying ensures the job is done the right way.
• Be flexible, it shows you’re human.
• Follow through. If you make a decision and set a plan in place follow it through.
• Always be open and honest in communication. Nothing erodes trust like hushed tones and secrets.

In a world that is increasing in speed and complexity with ever increasing demands on our time, building a strong trusting environment is crucial. If we create an environment where we can completely rely on the person next to us, then anything is possible. High performing teams are not built on grudging compliance they thrive on trust. You can have the finest structures, procedures and routines in place but without trust your progress will be limited. Remember building trust really is the work before the work. It’s undeniably the glue that binds.

The educational world is evolving faster than ever before, new pedagogy, new research, new policy, new skill sets, a constant stream of information and all within a day’s work. To combat this leaders are becoming increasingly strategic. We map out plans, initiatives, contingencies, re-evaluate, analyse, refocus and repeat. The frenetic pace of the work has many of us leading with our heads. I believe it is time to strike a balance and ensure that we spend time leading with our hearts.

It’s often said that as leaders of our schools our staff are our students. Each day we trust our staff to make an impact on the lives of the students trusted to our care.  Our staff are exceptional in getting to know their students, they know their academic, social and emotional needs and are able to plan suitably challenging tasks to ensure the development of well-rounded students. How many of us can say we do the same for our staff? How many leaders can honestly say that their interactions have staff leaving school every day feeling valued, supported and cared for?

Recently I’ve spent time looking at my own leadership. I’ve spoken to leaders, I’ve read about leadership, I’ve observed leaders in action and reflected on my own practice. What I’m coming to realise is that the head style of leadership, can for the most part, be learnt by following a series of steps. Admittedly it’s not quite that easy and some of us are better at following steps than others. However heart style leadership requires something more. It requires you to give of yourself. It requires leadership of service, it requires compassion, it requires you to listen, to suspend judgement and assumptions and look for the good in everyone, it requires you to give more and care more. Leading from the heart involves getting to know your people, treating them like family. Let’s face it we spend many of our waking hours with our staff, they are our workplace family.

This idea of a workplace family is an interesting one. You’ve often heard the saying ‘you can’t choose family’ and for many of us this is often true of our staff. Just like a parent in a family you have the enormous responsibility of making sure that all members reach their full potential. As a parent, just like a leader, you are trusted to ensure the wellbeing, safety and fulfillment of those you care for or lead. I am by no means suggesting that you are the sole authority, that you alone have complete responsibility for your staff. What I do believe however is that as a parent we would never abandon our children if they made a mistake, we would never focus on their shortcomings. As a parent we would always look to support, guide and encourage. We constantly model and demonstrate the desired behaviours we’d like our children to adopt. We would never give up on our children. Sometimes though we have to apply tough love, it’s not always about making decisions that keep everybody happy. Being popular and being your children’s best friend is not always wise. There are lessons to be learnt and difficult decisions to be made but as a leader thinking about how you might parent could come in handy. I believe this will allow you to lead in a more intentional way, with the intention of ensuring your staff feel valued and cared for.

We all know that even small acts of kindness can have a ripple effect. Just recently we had ‘Happy Week’. A week when we were deliberate in our actions, we went out of our way to ensure that the week was as happy as it could be. Random acts of kindness, morning tea, kind notes and messages and a staff get together on Friday afternoon. We gave ourselves time to breathe; we intentionally created opportunities for people to sit and talk, to listen to each other’s stories. It was self-reinforcing for staff. The more we modelled the more it spread, influencing all corners of the school. What started as a small initiative sent such a powerful feeling throughout the school, it was quite staggering to see the transformation. It was almost a collective sigh of relief to know that we are in this important work of educating together. The challenge is to maintain this positive energy.

Happy Week – A time to breathe

As a leader developing a culture that magnifies that positive energy can be difficult. Leading with heart, showing empathy and genuine care has the potential to create an environment of acceptance. Just as we’d like our staff to develop warm, accepting and encouraging classroom environments, our task is to create this on a larger scale. If we are able to achieve this, those we lead will be more willing to take risks, to share practice, to ask for help, to seek support and guide and to offer assistance. That trusting environment allows people to exert their energy on collaborative practice rather than developing silos of self-protection. The right environment allows people to stick their head above the parapet and have a look at what’s happening around them.

We are in a people centred environment. Professor Richard Elmore once said that “Teaching is not rocket science. It is in fact far more demanding and complex work than rocket science”. Add to this the individual personalities and it can be an emotionally charged environment. Therefore if we give more, care more, make each interaction matter, we place not just ourselves as leaders, but our entire school community in an environment that has a strong culture to withstand the tough times. We know that the tough times will come, they always do. There is truth behind the saying winning the hearts and minds. If you build the emotional connection you develop trust, this comes from the heart. In turn you develop reasoning, this comes from the mind. You need one before the other. As important as the analytical, strategic and visionary skills are, it’s a lack of interpersonal skills that derail most leaders.

To some extent this post may seem like I’m advocating for a free range, choose your own destiny environment. On the contrary, I will always maintain high expectations; I will always ensure that we place students at the centre of the decision making. What I will do however is consider the human impact and ensure that I take time to breathe, slow down and develop relationships. I believe this gives added strength and depth to leadership.

It’s now more important than ever that we develop a systems view. With the increasing demands on our schools, the move towards more local based decision making and the increased expectations of stakeholders we must ensure that we are all working towards maintaining and enhancing a strong sustainable education system.  I remember in my first few years of teaching focussing on making my class the best it can be, then as AP making my stage the best it can be, as a first time principal ensuring my school could be the best it could be. As I’ve grown as a leader, I’ve developed a systems view and whilst I firmly believe that making the individual moving parts of each and every school the best they can be it should not be at the detriment of the system. A strong collegial approach raises the achievement of all levels of a system.

Now in my second principalship I’ve been strongly advocating for the development of a systems view at a local level. Whilst most schools strongly encourage collaboration and sharing of high impact practice across classes, grades and stages there is now an increasing focus on broadening cross school collaboration. This process of cross pollination between schools and networks is forming the basis of some strong educational alliances.

The most successful systems have a clear strategy to guide their decision making. They also have the ability to change, adapt and refocus if their strategy meets unexpected obstacles. This provides an opportunity to see how adaptable the system is, whether it is bound by a rigid set of regulations or has the flexibility to meet the changing demands of the communities it serves. Our system has evolved, removing geographical footprints and encouraging cross network collaboration, enabling the systems view to take hold. Some would argue that this has been through necessity rather than design, regardless of the impetus for change the platform has been laid and the environment created for a strong transition.

Our system has now positioned Principals at the top of the hierarchical structure to promote a systems leadership approach. This view is reinforced by our new model of funding which is giving school leaders greater flexibility to spread their sphere of influence across networks. This expansion across networks is supporting our systems view by not locking us into previously existing silos. This has created a strong interwoven fabric that is expanding at a rapid rate across networks, encouraging school leaders to adopt a systemic view across all levels of their school. We are sharing expertise, resources and initiatives like never before leading to strong communities of practices relentlessly pursuing excellence for their students. This is enhancing high expectations and quality practice by enabling a cross pollination effect. The opportunity to work across multiple sites sharing practice and feeding into a network builds strong communities of practice which has the potential to maximise impact beyond previously constrained geographical boundaries. It allows the collection of early adaptors who can in turn create an almost moral purpose to drive service at a wider system level rather than individual pockets of expertise.

Systems leadership does not have to come for the Principal, on the contrary systems leadership comes from within, at any layer, at any level. This is the mindset that we need to cultivate, it needs to be modelled and supported by Principals so that it becomes the behavioural norm. At a school level we need to provide opportunities to build capacity and feed back into the system. As Principals we are in a powerful position to ensure that our schools adopt a big picture view and help to sustain a strong, innovative system.

As systems leaders we need to understand the different levels of our organisation and how they link. It is important that we look beyond our location and see how it fits into the bigger picture. It can be difficult at times to understand decisions made outside the school context. Sometimes our own local needs are front and centre clouding our ability to see a bigger picture. It is the ability however to see the bigger picture that enables the individual to accept allocation of resources both physical and financial. Whilst I will always advocate for more resourcing for our schools, there are times when there is a finite amount. Understanding this, whilst not accepting it, shows a maturity towards the system.  This type of thinking focuses us on the concept of service to collectively build a strong and sustainable system. Systems leaders look to enhance the entire organisation within the current constraints, whilst always advocating for more.

Systems leaders provide a highly interrelated style of leadership, varying their style depending on the context. It can be delicate work managing this type of leadership, balancing local based resources whilst attempting to see how your context can assist in growing and supporting the skill base of others. The end result of systems leadership though is the development of strong and collaborative networks at every level. As systems leaders we continue to grow always evolving as the demands and needs of our communities change. We are relentless in the pursuit of building a strong and sustainable system. We ensure that we build the skills and capacity locally whilst keeping an eye on how we can feed into the system. It is our collectively responsibility to develop the next generation of people to fill our current roles, in this way we are preparing potential candidates to feed back into the system at every level.

I would encourage school leaders to invest in systems leadership at every level of their school. We are at a point in educational history where we are creating the systems that we want to be part of. We have a duty to our students and the communities we serve to take an active role in that development. The current education platform is encouraging us to be aspirational, to be visionary in our approach. I see systems thinking as the ability to tackle that challenge by bringing large numbers of colleagues to the collective table to shape our future. The strength of systems thinking is the multiple viewpoints it generates and the ability to use collective hindsight to reflect, refine and refocus. This year I strongly encourage you to examine your commitment to systems thinking. How are you helping to shape and create our Public Education system?

“If you wait til you’re ready, you’ll never be ready”, these are the words of advice from a former Director who encouraged me to enter the principalship. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. That’s generally the case when we look at taking on the next layer of leadership. Those who support us and develop us know when we are ready usually before we do. This year, I encourage all potential leaders to seriously consider taking that next step. To back their skill set and grab the opportunity with both hands.

Back your skill set and grab the opportunity 

No one ever feels ready to take on a new role. You always question yourself. How many will look at a criteria and find the 1 thing they can’t do as opposed to the 5 they can do. Remember that there are elements that you will learn whilst in the role. You would not have got to this point in your career if you did not have the skill set or capability to learn and grow. Alleviate that uncertainty by committing to the role and working hard to acquire new skills. Very few leaders are experts across all areas. Successful leaders know how to find the information out, they know how to locate the knowledge base, the policy, the expert or relevant directorate to get detailed and accurate advice. You too will grow in your new role just as you have in your current one. Focus on what you can bring to the role rather than the learning ahead.

Whilst I believe firmly in seizing the opportunity when it arises, I also believe that just because the next position opens up it does not mean you should take it. You have to do your homework. Is it the right place for you? Can you add value to the programs, structures or initiatives? It is important to learn a little bit about the next environment and ensure that your skill set is compatible. Think closely about what your aspirations are and how they align to the role in this setting. What are you looking for at this level? Will there be opportunities to grow? Doing your homework will allow you to make an informed decision about your next career move and position you well to grab the opportunity when it arises.

Once you have taken that leap and secured your next leadership position prepare yourself to be challenged and commit to it. Your new leadership role will test you, it will test you professionally and emotionally. You will probably question your ability to do the job, but how you handle this self-doubt will help shape how you grow in your role. You will have to be prepared for change and possible resistance. This is an inevitable part of leadership and despite your skill set and level of experience, it will challenge you. This is when you have to use your emotional intelligence to navigate and work with your team. Knowing when to talk and when not to, when to negotiate and when to stand firm is contextual. Laying the foundation of developing relationships and getting to know your staff will be crucial in guiding your judgement here. Take time to get to know your new context, observe and listen carefully in order to understand your staff dynamics. Understanding the roles, responsibilities and personalities of staff will assist you greatly in challenging times.

When you take up that new leadership role you want to make a positive impression, however, it’s difficult to lead if you have a need to be liked. Some people aren’t able to lead because of this. I highly encourage you to make positive respectful connections but it can’t cloud your judgement. There will be times when you will need to make tough decisions that could be unpopular. Many leaders lose a great deal of sleep over this. You do everyone a disservice when you give into your feelings and don’t make the right decision, or take the soft option. You will never please everybody, you know this. Don’t be rushed into making decisions, think them through, look at them from different viewpoints and do what is in the best interests of the students. Remember it’s okay to change your mind, it just shows that you’re human. Admitting that you have made a mistake rather than blaming others will help build trust and shows your integrity, it also helps foster this in others. People are fairly forgiving when they know you are making decisions for the right reasons.

Being self-aware and knowing your areas of strength and areas of development will be one of your biggest leadership challenges in a new role. For many of us as we enter leadership positions our self-awareness usually focuses on criticism, on highlighting our weaknesses. You will need to work beyond this and focus on what you need to do rather than what you should have done. A positive outlook will energise you, whereas focusing on the negative can be emotionally draining. Think of the high energy level and sharp focus you have when you are developing new ideas and compare this to the lack of motivation and that sinking feeling you have when things don’t work out as planned. Working on solutions is the best way forward.

This year I encourage you to embrace that opportunity. To set your goal and work towards it. Is it the right time? Will there ever be a right time? If not now, when? Someone has seen leadership qualities in you. It’s time to step up, believe in yourself and grab that opportunity with both hands.