Module 1

Mātauranga o te Ao Tō (Self-Awareness) me Te Pūmanawa Hinengaro (Emotional Intelligence)

Due: 48 hours before your first coaching session.

 

Ko ngā pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko ngā pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.

The potential for tomorrow depends on what we do today.

 

Module Objectives:

Upon completion of this module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify their personal leadership strengths and areas for development. 
  • Set goal(s) with their kaiarahi to capitalise on strengths and work on areas for development.
  • Identify what success will look like for the aforementioned goals and create an action plan to meet these goals.

 

Fundamentally, we (GCLA) believe that the best leaders lead out of who they are. Therefore, pop knowledge/thinking that encourages ‘fake it till you make it’ ideologies is juxtaposed with the very essence of the National Aspiring Leadership Programme, and how it is engineered.

 

Resources:

21 Century Leadership (The Innovator DNA)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=Hy4oQh_Qyto&feature=emb_logo

 

Robertson, J. and Earl, L. (2014). Leadership learning: Aspiring principals developing the dispositions that count. Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy and Practice 29(2) 3-17.                

https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/68835/102356_1.pdf?sequence=1

Analyses the reflections of over 200 participants in the National Aspiring Principals’ course to show the inter-relatedness of leadership capabilities, and the keystone roles of moral purpose and of supporting the capacity to be a change agent in developing leadership.

 

Simon Sinek: The Issue of Trust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmyfDfCc3_0

 

Robinson, V., Hohepa, M., & Lloyd, C. (2009). School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying what works and why. Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration [BES]. Wellington: Ministry of Education.                                          

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/topics/bes/resources/spotlight-on/spotlight-on-leadership

 

The Educational Leadership Capability Framework (2018) describes a set of core capabilities to guide leadership development in different spheres of influence, in early childhood education services, kura and schools. The educational leadership capability framework was developed for the Teaching Council by NZCER.

https://teachingcouncil.nz/assets/Files/Leadership-Strategy/Leadership_Capability_Framework.pdf

 

 

Task: Part 1

Open the following Google Document and make a copy. Reflect on each element of the Leadership Capabilities Assessment, indicating where you believe you are at on the continuum and a few notes in the ‘Term 1’ column to explain your thinking. This will form the basis for your first coaching session with your kaiārahi. We ask you to share this document with your kaiārahi 48 hours before your first coaching session.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ZENbabXZGFwLwaYUHY-sgkOfewATntU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117910191963913415564&rtpof=true&sd=true

 

Task: Part 2

What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

Please take time to read and reflect on the attached links before responding to the provocation in the comments. Your response should be 150 words or less.

 

Assessment:

  • Self-reflection throughout the module.
  • Discussion, goal setting and action planning with kaiarahi.
  • Post on forum for Task 2.
  • Peer feedback and discussion within the online forum.

 

27 Responses

  1. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

    In my role as HOF Mathematics at a rural Secondary school I have found being open minded and willing to get involved is one of the best skills to develop.
    Good positive relationships develop when you stop to actively listen with interest. This leads on to good communication and builds trust within your team. Being honest with each other is necessary to make sure there is no miscommunication and everyone is on the same page. Along with patience and a sense of humor.

    I found out lately that giving people the why is important when change happens as it takes out the resistance.

    Being on board with the schools’ values and leading the way with this as an expectation for staff and students. I particularly liked this from our day in Auckland that your culture is what you say, what you do, what you allow. ( I know this should have been completed before then).

    The constant change and development of courses has meant that delegating jobs has become a necessity. Allowing my staff to use their strengths has seen them grow in confidence.

    I have a lot of work to do on getting things running smoothly but we are on a positive journey.

    1. Thank you Catherine. People often mistakenly believe that leadership involves storming the barricades with all the troops hopefully following on behind but actually the best leadership occurs in the way you have described. Your ormload has absolutely been huge over recent times so sharing the burden makes it possible.

  2. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

    Building and Sustaining High Trust relationships
    I feel that this capability is important no matter where you are in the teaching system but particularly in leadership if you want to have real impact, circle of influence and ability to impact change. Building relationships with many stakeholders requires different skills, and capabilities depending on the stakeholder you are connecting with.

    Embodying the schools values
    Within schools I feel there can be opportunities to negatively impact. In leadership it is important to see that sometimes we are not privy to all necessary information but must trust that who is making the decisions do so with the upmost care and focus in mind. In terms of modelling values I ensure that I lead by doing and supporting those around me to do the same. Even when I might not necessarily absolutely believe in what is happening know but supporting is important in the leadership roles I am in.

    Leading Change
    At the moment I am leading some change in terms of creating greater aesthetically pleasing teaching Physical Education Spaces. Seeking support from various stakeholders has taken time to build traction. But it is nice to be able to see some progress being made.

    Thanks so much.

    1. Thank you Annette. It is sometimes hard to build those trusting relationships when you feel the trust is not being reciprocated . You have a very honest and trustworthy demeanour which engenders trust. I agree that it is sometimes hard to go along with decisions that don’t sit well with you. The benefit of not being the decision maker is that the blame if it goes wrong doesn’t bet sheeted home to you either!

  3. After meeting with Geraldine, I reflected on my leadership and recognised areas in my current role, as Deputy Principal, that I would like to strengthen and ensure that I have considered thoroughly and professionally. For me, relational trust, cultural capability, and strategic vision mixed with a dash of humour are requisites for me to be the most effective leader.

    Building relational trust has meant that I have worked hard to create a space where staff feel valued, supported, and part of a team. Cultural capability is a priority for me and I believe it is crucial to ensure that everyone’s perspectives are heard, considered, and explored. Everyone needs to feel as if they belong, no matter where they come from or what they believe. Having a strong strategic vision helps me stay focused on long-term goals. I bring a calm and composed demeanor to my leadership, balanced with a sense of humour and an ability to enjoy light-hearted moments. I am genuine about building connections through laughter and banter, but I also know how and when to focus and lead with clarity and purpose. These capabilities have allowed me to lead in a way that is authentic, responsive, and focused on creating the best outcomes for staff, students, and whānau.

    1. Beautiful writing Tineke. I sensed many of the aspects you have identified as important in you. If you keep this consistent approach great things will happen as you project a calm, empathetic confidence and competence.

  4. Hi everyone!

    Developing relationships has been key to my role as an ASL for the Central Hawke’s Bay Kāhui Ako. When I began the role just over two years ago, I set out to meet as many of the primary school principals as soon as I could and I believe that this has had a positive impact on the ‘buy-in’ for our initiatives. In conjunction with the interpersonal relationships, I have had to show that I am competent and have a deep knowledge of the Kāhui Ako projects. To achieve this, I read up on the latest educational research and learn from the schools in the local community.

    As many of our initiatives require working in small teams, I have made sure to learn about the strengths of each colleague. We have used ‘The Working Genius’ as a guide to working out where we can all play the best part in our projects. I have also learned that I don’t always know everything! It has been very important to work with people who have different educational, cultural and social perspectives.

    I have learnt the hard way that having a purpose for any initiative is imperative. I have been a fan of the Lippitt-Knoster Model for change, recognizing that action plans, resources and training are essential for any change. However, I am also aware that leadership of change should not be mechanical as it is should involve negotiation and dialogue along the way.

    Tying this altogether, I have found that being a reflective practitioner has been key in my role as both a leader and a teacher. I was fortunate enough to have this drilled into me from my two excellent mentors whilst I was a trainee teacher.

    Also apologies for going over the 150 word count! Looking forward to meeting you all this week.
    Sam

    1. You are a natural enthusiast Sam which makes building up those networks much easier. The Principal’s in your cluster must really have valued your interest in the and their environments as each will be proud of their schools and keen to show the off. It was great to meet with you last week.

    2. I totally agree with your comment “It has been very important to work with people who have different educational, cultural and social perspectives”. We can’t do it all on our own, distributive leadership is a powerful thing. I look forward to meeting you on Friday:)

    3. Hi Sam – I am an also an ASL for our Turanganui a Kiwa Kāhui Ako and it will be interesting to catch you about how your kāhui works and your roles. I (along with another ASL) implemented the Working Genius model with our ASL group and lead principals and found it very valuable to help identify our geniuses and how we can better utilise each other and not to be so silo based. We have since explored it with our staff and find so much value in the reports the assessment can provide. Purpose is definitely important and sharing and agreeing on a purpose as a leader can be challenging!

  5. To be effective in my leadership role, I see building high-trust relationships, cultural responsiveness, and leading with moral purpose as key. Strong relationships create collaboration and shared vision, while cultural responsiveness ensures Māori and all learners succeed as who they are, guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Keeping equity, student success, and well-being at the heart of decision-making is essential.

    I also know I need to grow in consensus-building and strategic thinking—sometimes I want to push ahead, but I’m learning that real change takes time and shared buy-in. Developing my agency and resilience will help me lead through challenges with optimism and purpose. As an Across School Leader, I want to strengthen my ability to connect people and ideas so that collaboration leads to real impact. These skills will help me grow as a leader and create lasting, meaningful change.

    1. Thank you Kylee. As you rightfully point out trying to strike a balance between relentless forward motion and making sure that you don’t get too far of the pack is a challenging one. Gaining ‘buy in’ is such a key skill to learn but if you think about it you will be able to identify many times in your life both at work and home when you’ve done this very thing against all odds.

    2. I know what you mean when you want to push ahead, and sometimes I need to remind myself that others need time to process, don’t like change, or are not yet ready to consider other perspectives. I have been responsible for many areas of change in my school. I have learned a lot while doing this and am always building on prior knowledge, understanding the ‘why’ behind the change, and having empathy towards others.

      1. I have had to really grow my patience in leading areas of change at our kura and definitely need to remind myself of the factors you have mentioned but all part of the growing into an effective leader process.

  6. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

    Positive Relationships and Connections

    I see this as the most important requisite for effective leadership – building positive relationships within your team allows for trust to grow and therefore more honest, reflective and goal focused conversations to occur. Knowing your team also allows for you to read the room and notice what people need from you and when. I think it’s also crucial to see yourself as a learner alongside your team, like the whakatauki says – he waka eke noa, we are all in this together. Your team will always be more effective if you are working towards a common goal or task together.

    Effective Communication

    It’s important to know when to speak, guide, direct, and when to just be a listening ear. Leaders need to be able to recognise what is needed at different times and respond accordingly. I often think back to ineffective leadership I have experienced overtime and often it’s those people who speak, but don’t listen, who cause conflict and make others feel belittled. So I use these personal experiences I’ve had to help shape the leader I want to be and become.

    In terms of my leadership profile – I see myself as a developer, the crucial connector between both innovators and executors. In terms of the skill sets – at times I am an innovator, coming up with new ideas and improving current models. I also like to network – finding out what other staff are doing, other schools are doing and striving to improve or as we say in our kura ‘be better than before.’ Yet at other times, I like to plan thoroughly and pay careful attention to the small details.

    In order for leaders to lead, people need to understand the ‘why’ and purpose behind decisions that are made and what they are doing. This is particularly crucial when getting others on board with change.

    1. I really like your comment about seeing yourself as a learner. The further you move up in your career the more important it is. Learning alongside your students is great but so is learning alongside your teaching colleagues. I endorse the communication comments too. As you say, listening is a big part of that too. Knowing when to just listen is sometimes more important than the most eloquent statement.

    2. I agree with your reflection of what makes an effective leader – a lot resonates with me. I, too, also often think to examples of ineffective leadership I’ve experienced, to help inform my own leadership and to ensure I don’t inflict similar on others to what I’ve witnessed or experienced.

  7. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

    Firstly, being true to yourself, being vulnerable, and being honest, with a clear vision of your collective goals, form the basis of my capabilities to be an effective in my current role. I am currently the curriculum lead for HPE, and have voluntarily taken on the the role of AI advocate and strategy developer. My core role at kura is as CRT Teacher, meaning I work across the school, allthough primarily in years 4 to 8.

    I have started reading the Brene Brown book, and so far have taken from that to be couragous and vulnerable are highly desirable traits. Leaders need to be genuine in their roles; without that the teams or those you wish to influence are unlikley to follow, as they will see through any pretence and are unlikley to want to go on the journey with you.

    Secondly, I have identified myself as being somewhere between a developer and an executor. I have had mentors suggest I have an entreprenurial spirit, that is, I see the big picture, the little pieces, and network well to get the information or resources I need to get the job done. That said however, the projects and roles I have led in the community were all based on existing ideas or concepts, as they are within kura.

    HPE and AI are both quite contentious as they require, especially in the case of AI, an open mind and recognition of the benefits I am promoting. HPE is not particularly well delivered across many kura, so asking kaiako to think differently to what they may have done for some time, can be challenging. In the case of AI, there tends to be, from what I have seen, 2 extreme views; yes, let me at it, I’m in, or, no, that is not teaching or it will ruin the profession. Both of those are not ideal positions. To lead this change takes tact, empathy, honesty, and some vulnerability because it requires you to expose yourself to some challenging pushback, and have the confidence to be strong in your position.

    Strong relationships and collegiality across kura are key to ensuring akonga get the best out of their time with us. Given the above, tredding a cautious path is vital, which cant be done without my afore-mentioned requisites.

    1. That’s some exciting roles you have there, Peter! I’m all for the use of AI – but I know very little in the scheme of it all so look forward to having more korero about this with you. The ideal situation would be having more time just to explore!

      I think there are a lot of teachers who can be resistant to change and digital technologies and AI is moving at such a rapid speed that I can understand the hesitation from people. But, it’s certainly not a reason for them to not at least give it a go!

    2. I’m please you are getting into Brenê Brown Peter.. A former delegate of mine was so inspired by one sentence of hers that it caused him to rethink his world view. Result! He is now the DP of a large Secondary school. I will share that sentence with you at some stage. I look forward to some lovely discussions between you and the other delegates around the topics you have raised.

    3. Hi Peter. I too have started Brene Brown’s book and agree with your sentiment regarding being a genuine leader so that you get the “buy in” from those you are leading. This is also reminiscent of what Vivian Robinson says in the video attached to one of the above resources regarding “open to learning” conversations.

  8. Thank you for your thoughtful response Christina. You have clearly identified the key requisites for your current and future roles. Most Heads of Department have a more homogeneous staff than you have in that the teachers for whom they are responsible teach a much more similar curriculum. Through your responsibility for languages you are responsible for a variety of cultures, mindsets and attitudes which really keeps you on your toes but you have the awareness to be able to flourish.

  9. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

    Currently, in my leadership role as a Head of Department (Languages) at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, I have identified several key leadership capabilities from completing the LCA, having an online korero with Geraldine, and from reading and viewing the above resources. These key leadership competencies enable me to effectively drive curriculum development, support student achievement, mentor staff within my department and contribute to wider school achievement objectives.

    I would say the identified key requisites for me are:

    Embodying the School’s values and showing moral purpose, optimism, agency and resilience – ensuring that teaching and learning remain at the core of decision-making. This involves guiding staff in best pedagogical practices, setting clear expectations, and using data to drive evidence-based improvements.

    Building and sustaining collective leadership and professional community – Schools are dynamic environments, and being able to lead through change and uncertainty is critical. Being able to respond proactively to curriculum shifts, evolving student needs, and staff development challenges is essential.

    Building and sustaining high trust relationships – Strong relationships with students, staff, whānau, and leadership foster a positive, high-trust environment where collaboration and professional growth thrive.

    Strategically thinking and planning – aligning curriculum development, professional learning, and student achievement goals with the school’s strategic vision.

    Ensuring culturally responsive practice – A culturally responsive curriculum enhances engagement, belonging, and success, particularly for Māori and Pasifika learners, but benefits all students.

    I also identified myself as an “executor” type of leader, from one of the videos in the resources. I am a fan of Viviane Robinson and particularly enjoyed the Education Hub webinar on her book as well her video in one of the other resources where she is discussing how to build effective relationships and trust in an educational context. A lot of what she says in this video resonates with me and it is a good reminder of how to gain that trust with your staff when you are an senior educational leader within a school.

    I know I’ve exceeded the 150 words!

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