The Authentic Leader

My favourite inquiry, “Where is the love?”, functions as a crucial cultural constant for any educational institution. This question moves beyond abstract definitions of vision and values to challenge leaders, educators, and subject specialists concerning the demonstrable, everyday expression of their core professional purpose. It seeks to ascertain how the profound dedication which drew professionals into education—specifically, the devotion to one’s academic discipline and the conviction regarding the empowerment of others—can be maintained visibly, systemically, and with resilience against the pressures of accountability and institutional change.

Given the forthcoming conclusion of the calendar year, the current juncture offers a significant opportunity for professional recalibration. This period traditionally encourages reflection, renewal, and the strengthening of community cohesion. Professionally, this orientation mirrors the precise requirements of effective educational governance: engaging in honest scrutiny of the inherent complexity of change, systematically enhancing both personal and collective capacity, and solidifying the relational bonds fundamental to the operation of educational institutions. The fundamental driver of institutional action, the moral purpose—the “love” that is sought—is the essential component that sustains the demanding trajectory of the academic cycle.

1. The Love for Subject: Transition from Content Delivery to Moral Purpose

The pedagogical foundation rests upon the teacher’s subject specialism. This professional attribute extends beyond mere academic competence; it constitutes the catalyst for the foundational rationale—the compelling imperative that drives professional engagement with curriculum design and methodological adoption. Absent this essential emotional connection, pedagogical activity risks becoming procedural, thereby reducing the curriculum to a perfunctory checklist of required topics.

Articulation and Coherence

A primary function of educational leadership involves assisting colleagues in elevating their practice from simple content delivery to the clear articulation of their moral purpose. This necessitates the establishment of a direct link between the intrinsic merit and utility of their academic discipline (be it the analytical rigour of Mathematics, the creative expression of Art, or the socio-historical context provided by History) and the demonstrable enhancement of pupil outcomes, cultural capital, and subsequent life opportunities. When a leader successfully aligns a teacher’s scholarly passion with this broader objective, a powerful and sustainable internal motivator is generated.

Within an environment governed by the new regulatory expectations of the Ofsted framework, which critically prioritises Curriculum Design and Implementation, the “love for subject” must translate into clear, high-quality coherence making. The professional commitment to enabling every pupil to access and thrive within that discipline is demonstrated by the clarity of the curriculum structure—specifically, what is taught, the rationale for its inclusion, and the methodology of its assessment. This structural clarity, spanning from Key Stage 3 sequencing through to Key Stage 5 mastery, represents the professional expression of institutional care. Compliance with the new statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance, for example, demands that leaders integrate sensitive material not as a matter of obligatory compliance, but as a genuine expansion of the curriculum’s commitment to pupil welfare and personal growth, equipping them with vital knowledge for adulthood. Consequently, the subject leader’s profound commitment must be evident in strategic, long-term planning, rather than being confined merely to the delivery of individual lessons.

2. The Love for People: Capacity Building, Recognition, and Empowerment

The second component of “love” is directed externally: towards the systematic empowerment of pupils and professional colleagues. This objective directly mandates the cultivation of a Culture of Collaboration and Shared Leadership, a framework which successfully elevates collective efficacy above individualistic endeavour. This communal strength assumes heightened significance during the demanding winter academic term.

Capacity Building and Recognition as Investment

The demonstration of regard for colleagues is synonymous with robust investment in their Capacity Building. In the context of substantial policy shifts—such as the new statutory linkage between Attendance and Safeguarding (as reinforced by KCSIE 2025 updates) or the heightened focus upon online risks such as disinformation and radicalisation—professional competence assumes an ethical dimension. A practitioner lacking the requisite preparation to address a complex safeguarding concern or to implement demanding sections of the statutory RSHE curriculum may find their professional motivation significantly undermined by the fear of procedural failure.

• Love is Robust CPD: Authentic professional development does not constitute a superficial, isolated event. It aligns with the ‘Changing’ Stage in models of transformation, necessitating the sustained support, coaching, and resources required for educators to master new skills and embed new practices effectively. For leadership, this commitment is demonstrated by ensuring that training provision is comprehensive, appropriately differentiated by career stage and need, and focused specifically on practical implementation (the ‘how’), rather than merely initial theoretical awareness (the ‘what’). This provision must encompass protected time for collaborative planning and subject-specific peer review, thereby facilitating the sharing of expertise and the refinement of practice within a professionally secure environment.

• Love is Praise: An integral facet of capacity building involves genuine praise and targeted recognition. This extends beyond generic commendation; it constitutes specific, constructive feedback that acknowledges the effort expended and the process of improvement, particularly when staff have successfully navigated the inherent complexity of a change initiative. By celebrating iterative professional progression—such as a successful curriculum modification, the judicious management of a pastoral challenge, or transparent communication delivered professionally—leaders affirm that they observe, value, and trust the professional judgement of their personnel. This focused recognition effectively fuels subsequent commitment.

• Love is Transparency: When navigating the complex financial landscape—where the funding increase often obscures the challenge posed by grant consolidation into the core budget—Continuous and Transparent Communication is paramount. It represents a proactive act of trust that mitigates anxiety and counters unsubstantiated internal conjecture. Leaders must address staff concerns regarding resources and budget allocation in a forward-looking manner, thereby managing expectations and sustaining engagement despite the uncertainty inherent in the “messiness” of change. This requires communicating why specific budgetary decisions are executed and how they align demonstrably with the shared moral purpose, thereby ensuring personnel do not perceive decisions as arbitrary or concealed.

The Empowerment of Shared Responsibility

Shared leadership, which cultivates a collective sense of responsibility for both improvement and innovation, stands as the paramount expression of professional regard for colleagues. It acknowledges that expertise and problem-solving capabilities are distributed throughout departments and faculties, rather than being concentrated solely within the senior leadership echelon.

• Love is Empowerment: Empowerment serves as the practical manifestation of institutional trust. It mandates the distribution of ownership for key improvement priorities, thereby granting subject leaders and teachers’ agency within their professional domain and affording them the voice required to influence strategic decision-making. This contrasts fundamentally with a management structure that merely delegates tasks. When a leader empowers a faculty head to pilot a novel pedagogical approach, they are unequivocally demonstrating faith in that individual’s professional acumen and their profound commitment to driving effective, distributed improvement across the entire organisation. This model supports a culture where initiative is rewarded and where professional setbacks are accurately reclassified as learning opportunities, thereby securing the systemic resilience of the institution.

3. The Love for the Journey: Commitment, Resilience, and the Relentless Cycle

The professional scope of the school leader, symbolically represented by the cyclical, demanding progression of Jacob’s Ladder, ( see Authentic Leader passim) necessitates the consistent demonstration of unreserved Commitment and Strategic Adaptability. The “love for the journey” is the resolute determination to maintain the trajectory, even when challenges appear daunting, and understanding that progress is often attained incrementally.

Commitment and Professional Integrity

Commitment functions as the internal driver of professional integrity. It represents the unwavering determination to honour the school’s moral purpose, particularly when external pressures threaten to divert critical resources or managerial attention.

• Love is Sustained Commitment: Leaders demonstrate this commitment through their own sustained adherence to the strategic vision, ensuring that every policy decision and financial manoeuvre serves the central objective of pupil success. This involves managing the “descent”—the necessary engagement with complex compliance and financial realities (such as the detailed application of the new National Funding Formula (NFF) parameters, the management of Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) complexities, or the meticulous tracking required to avoid financial deductions)—without ever losing sight of the “ascent”—the moral purpose of upholding educational standards and fostering well-being. The resilient leader does not permit the technicalities of the descent to overshadow the human and educational imperative of the ascent.

The planned transition to a new, multi-dimensional Ofsted “report card” system exemplifies this resilience. By moving away from a high-stakes, single-word judgement, the framework actively encourages leaders to adopt a more nuanced, iterative approach to improvement. It requires the professional courage to undertake honest evaluation across potentially eleven areas and to continuously adjust strategy based upon rich, contextualised data, rather than being immobilised by the apprehension of a singular negative classification. This commitment to continuous, honest self-evaluation constitutes a fundamental expression of leadership integrity.

Iteration as Professional Integrity

To demonstrate adaptability and resilience is to formally acknowledge that change is frequently non-linear, as evidenced by the unforeseen variables encountered in practical change management models. The “love for the journey” necessitates the embrace of iteration: a willingness to derive lessons from experience, adjust strategies dynamically, and avoid rigid adherence to an initial plan when confronted by unexpected obstacles or policy fluctuations. This flexible, forward-thinking approach ensures that the primary focus remains fixed on the desired outcome—enhanced pupil attainment and professional flourishing—rather than on the institutional comfort of maintaining the status quo. Iteration, in this specific context, is the ongoing demonstration of professional integrity, confirming that the most effective leaders are those perpetually willing to refine their methodology based on real-world feedback and empirical data.

The Christmas Parallel: Reflection, Renewal, and Reaffirmation

The Christmas period represents a welcome procedural break, a communal occasion for rest and institutional re-centring. This recess should be conceptualised not merely as a pause, but as a defined moment to consciously exercise the Love for the Journey and the Love for People.

• Reflection (The Descent): Parallel to personal reflection upon the preceding year, this is the designated time for professional leaders to undertake genuine, unpressured consideration of the process of change, extending beyond simple outcomes. Which unforeseen variables presented the greatest challenge? In which areas did collective capacity prove most susceptible to strain?
• Renewal (Capacity Building): The essential benefit of the holiday period is the renewal of personal reserves—mental, emotional, and physical. Leaders who demonstrate regard for their staff ensure that this period is genuinely restorative, thereby cultivating the refreshed professional purpose necessary for navigating the challenges inherent in the spring term. This renewal constitutes the ultimate practice of professional sustainability and self-care.
• Reaffirmation (Moral Purpose): Finally, the seasonal focus on goodwill and community provides an unparalleled opportunity for the formal reaffirmation of the moral purpose guiding the institution. It is a chance to articulate institutional gratitude and communicate the term’s successes, irrespective of their scale, reinforcing the communal bonds and reminding every colleague—from the newest practitioner to the most senior leader—of the profound significance of their sustained professional dedication.

Reflective Planning Framework for Aspiring Leaders

Integrating Professional Commitment and Ethos

This framework offers aspiring leaders a structured tool for personal and professional development, focusing on the active application of the moral imperative—the “love” in leadership—across four critical domains. It is designed to bridge the gap between aspirational ethos and demonstrable professional behaviour.

Leadership Domain	Definition & Link to “The Love”	Reflection Questions (Current Practice)	Development Action (Moving Forward)
1. Elevate Intentionality	Relates to: The Love for Subject (Moral Purpose and Coherence). Intentionality ensures that every action, decision, and communication directly serves the articulated moral purpose, preventing professional activity from becoming merely procedural compliance. It is the commitment to Clarity and Strategic Planning.	How often are strategic decisions (e.g., resource allocation, timetable adjustments) explicitly linked back to the core moral purpose or the strategic vision? In my current role, how effectively do I communicate the rationale behind a change initiative, rather than simply the instruction for its implementation?	A. Develop a “Purpose-Driven Decision Protocol”: Before initiating any project, formally document the anticipated impact on pupil outcomes and staff capacity. B. Practice “Visible Thinking”: In meetings, articulate the ‘Why’ before the ‘What’ to demonstrate purposeful leadership and subject coherence.
2. Combat Complacency	Relates to: The Love for the Journey (Resilience and Iteration). Complacency is the antithesis of professional integrity. Combatting it requires embracing the “messiness” of change, seeking continuous feedback, and maintaining the intellectual honesty needed for self-evaluation.	In which areas of my current responsibility have I resisted feedback, or where is practice maintained purely because “that is how it has always been done”? How frequently do I solicit critical feedback on my own leadership style and decision-making process (managing the “descent”)?	A. Implement a 360-Degree Feedback Cycle specifically on “Adaptability to Change” and “Transparency of Communication.” B. Dedicate 30 minutes weekly to review a failed or challenging professional episode, documenting the lessons learned and identifying the necessary strategic iteration.
3. Champion Growth	Relates to: The Love for People (Capacity Building and Empowerment). Championing growth moves beyond providing mandatory training (CPD) to actively seeking out and facilitating opportunities for colleagues to develop agency and expand their professional scope.	Who, beyond my immediate team, have I proactively identified and mentored to take on new responsibilities (Empowerment)? How specific and constructive is the Praise and Recognition I provide? Is it tied to observed professional growth or merely to final successful outcomes?	A. Institute a “Distributed Leadership Project”: Identify one colleague per term to lead a minor improvement project entirely autonomously, providing resources but not micro-managing. B. Adopt “Evidence-Based Recognition”: Ensure all commendations explicitly reference the effort, skill acquisition, or specific behavioural change demonstrated, thereby reinforcing the value of the growth process.
4. Inspire Deeper Connections	Relates to: The Love for People (Shared Leadership and Transparency). This domain focuses on building the social and relational capital necessary for collective efficacy and institutional resilience, particularly through open, trusting communication.	When addressing complexity (e.g., budget constraints or high-stakes accountability), do I foster anxiety or confidence? How well do I utilise formal and informal opportunities to communicate gratitude and reinforce the value of shared purpose (Reaffirmation)?	A. Develop a “Communication Charter”: Commit to communicating critical strategic updates proactively, even when full details are unavailable, to sustain Transparency and mitigate conjecture. B. Lead a “Moral Purpose Dialogue” session within the team in the new year, requiring all members to articulate how their individual passion contributes to the collective mission.

The successful transition to senior leadership is not predicated solely on technical competence, but upon the demonstrable and consistent application of the moral purpose. By intentionally working to Elevate Intentionality, Combat Complacency, Champion Growth, and Inspire Deeper Connections, aspiring leaders actively embody the professional love that is essential for navigating complexity and ensuring the enduring health and efficacy of the educational institution.

So, before the many mince pies, carols sang off key and the usual end of the term shenanigans, this is me signing off until 2026. Thank you for reading, commenting, liking and suggesting – via blog, message or in person. It is all appreciated. And so are you. May your Christmas dreams come true.