Stop managing the system – redesign it..
Most principals don’t say it out loud.
But they know.
The model we’re running wasn’t built for the world our students are walking into.
And managing it better won’t fix that.
You didn’t step into leadership to protect an outdated design.
You stepped in to make school better.
Not slightly better.
Fundamentally better.
I work with principals who are done pretending incremental change is enough.
Principals who look at grades, timetables, compliance metrics — and know that’s not the full story of a young person’s capability.
Principals who are willing to challenge orthodoxy — and smart enough to do it strategically.
This isn’t about rebellion.
It’s about redesign.
Redesigning curriculum.
Redesigning culture.
Redesigning structure.
Redesigning what success actually means.
And doing it in a way that earns credibility, not chaos.
Because real change in education won’t start with a policy memo.
It will start with schools bold enough to build something better — and prove it works.
If you’re ready to stop managing the system and start redesigning it,
we should talk.
.
I have no cherished outcome*
If you are looking to me to give you answers, you will be disappointed.
If you are looking for someone who will help you find the answers, then I can help you.
I heard the quote, “I have no cherished outcome”, recently, spoken by Elizabth Gilbert.
That quote perfectly sums up the work I do with you. I have no predetermined outcome in mind and I encourage you to allow the path forward to become apparent as we work together. If you want someone to help you become more forceful, more empathetic, a better communicator or more collaborative, there are people who can help you.
But that’s not what I offer. At least directly. Any of those things might come up in our work together and I can start you on the path of achieving them. The important thing, though, is that we allow them to arise as over many years, I’ve found the thing we most need to do is not the thing that was at first obvious to us.
If you want to start that journey, let’s have a chat. Click the ‘Let’s Chat’ button on any page.
Being a Leader is like being a Jazz musician.
I read an interesting article recently about how to become a good Jazz musician. The writer had a few great suggestions. But the following quote sums it up beautifully:
The people you love listening to, musicians like John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, or Bill Evans, learned how to play jazz by studying what came before them, figuring it out for themselves, and building upon it in their own unique way.
It’s the same with leadership.
Study the leaders you admire (go back to Ghandi or Mandela if you like). Figure out how they did what they did and how their background contributed to what they were able to do.
Then figure out for yourself what you can learn from them and the BUILD ON IT in your own unique way.
A mentor once said to me it’s like trying on clothes. A certain outfit might look good on someone else so you try it on for yourself and see if it fits. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.
So you can do this with leadership styles and skills. You might observe a leader you admire doing a certain thing so you decide you will ‘try it on’ and see if it works for you. If it seems a good fit, then build on it and make it your own.
Over the last several years I have interviewed many school leaders. The thing that struck me through this process is how different they are. Some are quietly spoken and prefer not to be the focus of attention. Others find a natural place in being at the front. But the one thing that is common in all is their passion and a deep sense of purpose.
Meet Chris
* Experienced * Erudite * Wise * Gracious * Nurturing * Insightful * Caring * Innovatiove * Visionary
These are some of the words people I’ve worked with use to describe me.
Where others see problems, I see solutions.
I’ve done a lot in my 40 year career – from my early days in education, to founding tech startups and then working in consulting. I’ve been in boardrooms and executive suites, and I’ve also worked with factory workers, builders, salespeople, and lowly clerks who are also just ordinary people facing ordinary problems.
The problems leaders in these industries face are not very different from those faced by most school leaders. The single biggest issue they all face is ambiguity. No one knows for certain what the future holds, and no one knows for certain what to do next.
This is why I focus on courage.
I have never lost my enduring passion for education. Leaders in education need to act with courage just as much as leaders in any other organisation. We can’t afford to get it wrong but we can’t know for certain how to get it right.
I use all the qualities I began with to help you navigate the course ahead. Not knowing but doing anyway.
