What steps should we take to ensure leadership in primary schools is at its best in 2018?
2017 will have brought its successes and achievements and no doubt some difficulties and challenges, so you may be asking yourself, ‘what can I do this year to make progress in my school?’
The good news is that positive change is not only possible but within your control, as all action starts with you. You have the choice and power to make a significant difference to your school, particularly to those you influence – directly and indirectly.
So, how can you empower yourself and make that difference?
- It starts with a personal vision. Decide who you want to be and what you want to achieve. Listen to your intuition, your inner voice, and it will help you find the answers.
- The next step is to encourage your school's staff to develop their vision for personal learning and development. The energy and enthusiasm created will become a springboard for achieving the school’s overall objectives.
- Recognise your own and your staff’s strengths and abilities. Leaders who focus on supporting and challenging others to fulfil their potential gain a strong sense of meaning and purpose, and you will be both engaging and motivating.
- It’s also important to surround yourself with like-minded people who will support you.
- Remember to be kind to yourself and those you meet, as often we are too hard on ourselves. When you care for your staff, they will care about the school.
- Spend some time planning your goals, and with the proper perspective, you can focus on opportunities and possibilities that will bring about positive change. Be clear on your priorities, as to be successful, ‘less is often more’. Too many initiatives will exhaust your staff
Do you know that your greatest gift is your own free will, and you can choose the way that you think and behave, in other words, to have a growth mindset? When you have clarity on your goals, you can then pull from your staff the contribution they would like to make to your school’s mission.
Sometimes, we fear the future and see all too clearly the obstacles in our path. However, we can empower ourselves by living in the present moment and having the courage to take action by taking one step at a time. If we do this, we will inevitably move forward towards our desired outcomes.
So, in 2018, engage enthusiastically with your challenges, be empowered, and excel in all you do. You will help yourself and your school create a positive way forward.
Continue the Conversation on leadership in primary schools:
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If you would like to continue the conversation about leadership in primary schools, you can find me on Twitter:@lesduggan or alternatively please contact us by email at customerservice@focus-education.co.uk. Contact us if you would like to enquire about inset consultancy related to Leadership.
