ur world is evolving at a breakneck pace, but our global approach to education has evolved only slowly. For a whole raft of reasons, this has left many calling for a transformation of our education systems to better enable individuals and societies to flourish.
In the knowledge that much more detailed reasoning in support for this transformation is being discussed elsewhere, as a current school leader, I want to speak to the leadership required from those involved to enable such radical change.
What challenge does transformation present?
Educational transformation is incredibly difficult to achieve for two reasons:
- Human emotion makes change a tricky journey. Our apprehension about the future, alongside personal perspectives on the specifics of any particular context, can mean that even small change is daunting.
- We live in a complex ecosystem of power relations, competition, and agendas, much of which are steeped in history, tradition, and self-preserving rhythms of existence.
To meet these challenges, school leaders need to develop the ability to emotionally connect with others (individually and collectively) and mobilize a vision throughout different networks. This empowers us to make sustained and strengthened change through collaborative action.
What sort of leadership is required in our schools?
To begin this journey, school leaders must start with a sense of purpose—a clear, powerful call for action that all stakeholders can connect to. There are many ways to formulate a purpose, but the most effective method I’ve encountered is comprised of six different elements:
- The Dream: a mesmerizing vision (rather than a tedious mission statement) that connects with all stakeholders and could be achievable if the stars aligned, e.g. Apple talk about ‘making a dent in the universe!’
- Spirit: a maxim that encapsulates our pursuit of that dream, e.g. ‘to infinity and beyond!’
- Focus: what to concentrate on to achieve the dream, e.g. ABC (Ambition that there is something better, Belief that we can do it, Courage to take risks and make it happen).
- Beliefs: five or six one-liners the organization truly believes in above all else, e.g. Act with compassion at all times.
- Character: five or six character traits that reflect the behavior of the organization regardless of context, e.g. radically optimistic.
- Greatest Imaginable Challenge: something extraordinary that could result from this journey, e.g. to create the future of education.
Using such frameworks as the foundation for any movement, leaders who inspire transformation then get to work on shaping the purpose. They share it, steer people toward it, and sustain it—powering through challenges. Through their passion, they inspire people to be the best team players they can be, while also nurturing engagement, well-being, and performance amongst their teams. They possess fundamental character traits of integrity, confidence, and courage that provide moral and ethical strength, and inspire respect.
Leaders also have a responsibility to mobilize that purpose through a network of different stakeholders. Inspirational leaders can energize belief, commitment, hunger, and action by attending to the four pillars of organizational peak performance:
- Responsibility: by enabling and encouraging others to take responsibility and make decisions in a climate of trust, leaders create leaders using clear, time-scaled and authentic delegation; intervention rather than interference.
- Recognition: genuinely recognizing and valuing the contribution of individuals.
- Learning: co-creating an environment where individuals have opportunities to learn, grow, be challenged and flourish. Learners can fail fast—fix fast—learn fast, creating a psychologically safe environment where appropriate risk taking and ideas are encouraged with routinely kind, honest, and specific feedback loops employed.
- Joy: enabling individuals to feel valued, content, and joyful wherever possible in their lives.
Compassion is also central to such a leader’s approach and is shown through their concern for others. They speak frankly and honestly while maintaining respect and empathy. They encourage collaboration and value diversity, involving and engaging colleagues where appropriate to turn decisions made into the stories that the organization tells, whilst working with others to collectively imagine new ideas. Groups influenced by this leadership feel like a family and perform like a team. The pace is demanding, frequently leaving colleagues breathless—but those who are connected to the purpose take joy from the journey.
Such leaders are also visible, taking time to connect with colleagues face-to-face with genuine interest. When given responsibility, they take charge to get things done while also doing the right thing. In classic leadership practice, leaders spend around 50% of their time checking facts and assessing data, 30% on discussion and consensus, and 20% on execution. Inspirational leaders turn this on its head, swinging the balance toward 20% assessing, 10% deciding, and 70% execution. Their days are spent on the tactics, not strategy, to make the organization’s purpose come alive.
For transformation to occur, we need this leadership from our school leaders—indeed, I would argue we need this leadership across society. An inspirational approach that places the nurturing and love of people at the center of everyday action, connects them to purpose, tells a story, fosters self-belief, and empowers others actions.
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Inspirational Leadership can Usher in a Better Future of Education
Photo by Pablo Heimplatz via Unsplash.
October 4, 2022
Our world is evolving at a breakneck pace, but our global approach to education has evolved only slowly, inviting calls for a transformation of education systems. However, for this change to occur, we need leadership in schools and across society, writes Alex Battison.
O
ur world is evolving at a breakneck pace, but our global approach to education has evolved only slowly. For a whole raft of reasons, this has left many calling for a transformation of our education systems to better enable individuals and societies to flourish.
In the knowledge that much more detailed reasoning in support for this transformation is being discussed elsewhere, as a current school leader, I want to speak to the leadership required from those involved to enable such radical change.
What challenge does transformation present?
Educational transformation is incredibly difficult to achieve for two reasons:
- Human emotion makes change a tricky journey. Our apprehension about the future, alongside personal perspectives on the specifics of any particular context, can mean that even small change is daunting.
- We live in a complex ecosystem of power relations, competition, and agendas, much of which are steeped in history, tradition, and self-preserving rhythms of existence.
To meet these challenges, school leaders need to develop the ability to emotionally connect with others (individually and collectively) and mobilize a vision throughout different networks. This empowers us to make sustained and strengthened change through collaborative action.
What sort of leadership is required in our schools?
To begin this journey, school leaders must start with a sense of purpose—a clear, powerful call for action that all stakeholders can connect to. There are many ways to formulate a purpose, but the most effective method I’ve encountered is comprised of six different elements:
- The Dream: a mesmerizing vision (rather than a tedious mission statement) that connects with all stakeholders and could be achievable if the stars aligned, e.g. Apple talk about ‘making a dent in the universe!’
- Spirit: a maxim that encapsulates our pursuit of that dream, e.g. ‘to infinity and beyond!’
- Focus: what to concentrate on to achieve the dream, e.g. ABC (Ambition that there is something better, Belief that we can do it, Courage to take risks and make it happen).
- Beliefs: five or six one-liners the organization truly believes in above all else, e.g. Act with compassion at all times.
- Character: five or six character traits that reflect the behavior of the organization regardless of context, e.g. radically optimistic.
- Greatest Imaginable Challenge: something extraordinary that could result from this journey, e.g. to create the future of education.
Using such frameworks as the foundation for any movement, leaders who inspire transformation then get to work on shaping the purpose. They share it, steer people toward it, and sustain it—powering through challenges. Through their passion, they inspire people to be the best team players they can be, while also nurturing engagement, well-being, and performance amongst their teams. They possess fundamental character traits of integrity, confidence, and courage that provide moral and ethical strength, and inspire respect.
Leaders also have a responsibility to mobilize that purpose through a network of different stakeholders. Inspirational leaders can energize belief, commitment, hunger, and action by attending to the four pillars of organizational peak performance:
- Responsibility: by enabling and encouraging others to take responsibility and make decisions in a climate of trust, leaders create leaders using clear, time-scaled and authentic delegation; intervention rather than interference.
- Recognition: genuinely recognizing and valuing the contribution of individuals.
- Learning: co-creating an environment where individuals have opportunities to learn, grow, be challenged and flourish. Learners can fail fast—fix fast—learn fast, creating a psychologically safe environment where appropriate risk taking and ideas are encouraged with routinely kind, honest, and specific feedback loops employed.
- Joy: enabling individuals to feel valued, content, and joyful wherever possible in their lives.
Compassion is also central to such a leader’s approach and is shown through their concern for others. They speak frankly and honestly while maintaining respect and empathy. They encourage collaboration and value diversity, involving and engaging colleagues where appropriate to turn decisions made into the stories that the organization tells, whilst working with others to collectively imagine new ideas. Groups influenced by this leadership feel like a family and perform like a team. The pace is demanding, frequently leaving colleagues breathless—but those who are connected to the purpose take joy from the journey.
Such leaders are also visible, taking time to connect with colleagues face-to-face with genuine interest. When given responsibility, they take charge to get things done while also doing the right thing. In classic leadership practice, leaders spend around 50% of their time checking facts and assessing data, 30% on discussion and consensus, and 20% on execution. Inspirational leaders turn this on its head, swinging the balance toward 20% assessing, 10% deciding, and 70% execution. Their days are spent on the tactics, not strategy, to make the organization’s purpose come alive.
For transformation to occur, we need this leadership from our school leaders—indeed, I would argue we need this leadership across society. An inspirational approach that places the nurturing and love of people at the center of everyday action, connects them to purpose, tells a story, fosters self-belief, and empowers others actions.
