At a recent conference, a topic came up that generated more conversation than almost anything else on the programme: managing up. Not performance management, not leading a team, not difficult conversations with direct reports, but the art of communicating effectively with those above you in the hierarchy. It struck a nerve, and for good reason. […]
Picture the scene. A room of around 14 education leaders, a solicitor at the front running a session on absence management. Good content, useful stuff, the kind of thing anyone with responsibility for a team should probably sit through at least once. As the session progresses, it becomes quietly, unmistakably obvious that every single
Why Education Leaders Stay Silent About Management Problems (And What It’s Costing You) Read More »
The proposed Employment Rights Bill has prompted plenty of discussion across every sector, not just education. For HR Directors, bursars and senior leaders, it is already shaping conversations about policy, process and risk. Education organisations are rightly paying attention to what the changes could mean for probation, zero-hours arrangements, dismissal processes and day-one rights.
What the Employment Rights Bill Means for How You Manage Your People Read More »
Performance management carries a reputation that it does not deserve. For many leaders, the phrase immediately conjures images of confrontation, difficult meetings, raised emotions, and formal procedures. It feels heavy, personal, and risky. And because it feels that way, conversations are often delayed in the hope that issues will resolve themselves. They rarely do.
How to Address Performance Without Escalation Read More »
Recruitment and retention are rarely talked about in the same breath as leadership behaviour. We tend to focus on processes instead: job adverts, interview questions, pay scales, onboarding plans. All important, of course. But they are rarely the deciding factor in whether people stay.What keeps people in education organisations,, particularly in challenging times, is
Why Recruitment and Retention Start With How People Experience Leadership Read More »
At the end of January, we had the pleasure of attending the Boarding Schools’ Association Annual Boarding Conference. As always, there was huge value in spending time, outside of the work setting, with lots of education professionals from all over the UK. Sessions sparked reflection, and informal discussions often proved just as insightful as
What Confident Leadership Really Looks Like Read More »
Every leader has a situation they hope will quietly resolve if they give it a little more time. A behaviour that isn’t quite right, a pattern that keeps repeating, or a comment that crosses a line. You wait, partly because you’re busy, partly because you want to give the person the benefit of the
How To Have a Constructive Conversation With a Difficult Colleague or Team Member Read More »
Being promoted into a leadership role is often seen as a vote of confidence. You’ve demonstrated potential, built experience, and shown that you’re ready for more responsibility. But here’s what people don’t always tell you: stepping into leadership can also feel completely overwhelming. Especially in education. Because leadership in this sector isn’t just about
There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that creeps in during November and December in education.. The initial momentum of September has faded, the days are darker and shorter, and the demands are still high. Staff are stretched thin, pupils are tired, and there’s often a long list of admin, deadlines and end-of-term commitments piling
Tired Teams: How to Keep Motivation High in the Hardest Months of the Year Read More »
Leading in education often feels like operating at full speed from the moment you walk through the door. The demands come quickly and from all directions, staff, pupils, parents, governors, inspectors. Time is limited, energy is finite, and the urgent often overtakes the important. That’s why leadership development, personal growth, and even basic habits
Leading with Intention: How Habit Stacking Supports Effective School Leadership Read More »