10 Responses

1. Effective leadership is multi-dimensional, requiring both the ability to design environments that drive high-performance behaviors and the skill to implement them effectively. A high-trust culture is essential, where individuals feel empowered and have agency over their actions. Some leaders are naturally better at implementing than designing, but a balanced approach is necessary for sustained success. Simon Sinek refers to these adaptable leaders as developers—those who can bridge the gap between vision and execution.

   As Dean of Year 8, my role extends beyond students to supporting staff and parents. It is crucial that I am approachable and supportive while also being firm and clear with boundaries. Effective leadership is about service—being willing to “sweep the sheds,” as James Kerr describes in *Legacy*, leading by example rather than status. A Māori proverb that resonates with me is *Waiho mā te tangata e mihi*—let someone else praise your virtues. True leadership requires humility, as ego can undermine trust and collaboration.

   Beyond daily responsibilities, leadership involves confidently and decisively implementing change while articulating a clear vision. Staff, students, and the school community must not only understand the “why” behind decisions but also feel involved in the process. Inclusion fosters trust, commitment, and a collective sense of ownership, ensuring that meaningful change is both embraced and sustained.

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2. Kia ora Whānau, My take on things…
   Trust- For me is the most important aspect of leadership. Without trust, others are unable to take risks with new ideas, initiatives and with having a go at stepping up/being leaders themself. The whakataki and quote from Legacy resonates with me in regards to this “Haere taka mua, taka muri; kaua e whai- Be a leader not a follower- Leaders create leaders- Pass the ball.” I believe if we are effective in this our collegues/team members etc will have the confidence to be brave and try new things and act upon new learning, which will only enhance the programmes within our own kura and for our tamariki to bare witness. This needs to be done by creating an environment that is safe, a place where we can be honest and judgement is not placed on that person, as well as a place that will keep things said confidential and professional.

   For the first few weeks I have been delivering the expectations, our habit for learning etc to the whānau groups when they come over to Pathways (Tech Arts) which I am the team lead for. Recently I asked my team if they would like to have a go and step in to this role and deliver the daily expectations etc, they were a little surprised as this has always been “the leaders job”. I told my team I would be there to stand beside them if they needed me, but would leave them to have a go. One by one they delivered superbly and would look at me for “anything more to add” which I would shake me head and smile. This was commented on by other staff in school about how cool it was to see my other team members standing up and leading the groups. They also complimented the Pathways teacher that delivered for the day which boosted their confidence and sense of purpose. Without a high level of trust, this may not have been possible… This has now sparked other leaders to attempt this with their own teams in whānau times and other events.
   Culturally responsive practice is another area that is imperative and held very important by me. Being able to connect with my team, feel and experience manaaki is a non-negotiable. Treating everyone with respect and that they have a story and something to offer/strengths is all part of how I operate. Taking time to ask them how there day is going, offer any help, listen to their challenges and support them through these is important to me.

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   1. Great reflection Mark. Trust, purpose and a sense of ownership by all are all key dimensions to great leadership.
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3. Leadership is multi-facteted and needs to be responsive to the situation, environment or people on the day. The key leadership capabilities that I find essential for effectiveness in my current HOD and ASL leadership roles include:

   Building and sustaining high trust relationships: I believe in the importance of democratic leadership where team members’ ideas are valued and a supportive environment is fostered. This builds trust and respect, which are crucial for effective leadership. Communication and integrity provide the basis for sustaining high trust relationships.
   Strategic thinking and planning: My organisation is currently in a period of transition and change and as such being able to foresee the impact of changes and communicate these effectively helps to navigate and implement successful strategies. Being able to understand and use data to inform decision making is also a helpful skill.
   Attending to personal learning and wellbeing: We talk alot about life long learners in education and it is important to walk the walk and set an example of being open to learning new ideas and ways of operating.

   No one capability is really any more important than another it is just these are the ones that currently seem to be most at the surface when I think of my daily role and the challenges that I am managing.

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   1. Kia ora Leanne, your very interesting thoughts and your commitment to lifelong learning resonate with my own beliefs, and you reflect a safe and positive culture of leadership.

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4. I do think that all of the capabilities are needed as a good leader and that all leaders should continuously work on them, however I consider these to be the most important as a Dean.
   Building and Sustaining High-Trust Relationships
   I prioritize the wellbeing of those around me, knowing that trust is built through openness and honesty. People share their stories when they feel valued, and strong relationships are the foundation for genuine care and support.
   Collective Leadership and Professional Community
   As a dean, I guide a team of Whānau teachers. Supporting students effectively requires a team that learns and grows together. I encourage collaboration and problem-solving rather than simply providing answers, fostering confidence and capability.
   Evaluating Practices and Outcomes
   I analyze patterns in attendance, behavior, and grades to identify challenges and improve student outcomes through proactive interventions.
   Culturally Responsive Practices
   Cultural responsiveness is essential in all aspects of my role. While I bring experience from a different background, I rely on my team’s knowledge of Aotearoa’s bicultural heritage to foster inclusivity.

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   1. Kia ora Wessel,
      It was great meeting you today. Very reflective and interesting thoughts in which you capture the complexity of leadership. Leading in education is a lifelong journey. We are all on it, but I don’t think you ever get to the point where you know eveything. Always learning. Part of the purpose of this course is to help with some of that.

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      1. Kia ora Ally,
         Thank you for taking the time to work with me today, I really appreciated it. Looking forward to meeting you in person on the 21st.

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5. Trust (build & sustain) & Culturally responsive practice (honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi) are the two Big Ideas that jumped out for me. I feel that these areas are the foundation upon which all other areas are built on.
   If trust is not established and maintained with my colleagues all other actions are diminished or invalidated, or perceived as tokenism. To some extent Embodying the organisation’s values and showing moral purpose (etc) is reinforcing the Trust by me “walking the talk” and modelling optimism, purpose, agency and resilience. How can kaimahi feel supported if I am not embodying these attributes and yet am asking them to do the same?
   In my workplace we operate within the confines of Distance learning. I feel that this creates some barriers to whakawhanaungatanga and being in situations where visual and verbal cues can be picked up on by the kaimahi. So we are operating through a slightly different lens around Cultural competencies & responsive practice and honouring Te Tiriti as many of our interactions with ākonga and whānau are not kanohi ki te kanohi and we rely heavily on phone kōrero, online hui, written feedback and passive video recordings. One of my pātai is around how to best support my team in growing our culturally responsive practice; what might this look like as a Kaiako, in the pastoral care space (a bigger role than a Form teacher in face to face teaching and called Learning Mentors/Kaimanaaki in our Kura) and for ourselves as kaimahi & hoa mahi? A good working relationship with our whānau and ākonga is essential to co-constructing a plan to support the ākonga with their goals and aspirations and work with their whānau to do so. Being part of a large organization it is a big job to stay current with all the possible PLD, hui and resources available for our kaimahi AND be as informed as possible myself.
   This ties in to a third capability: adept management of resources to achieve vision and goals. I currently collate and manage a Teams channel for my team as a location for weekly pānui, resources for use with our ākonga and for processes within our Kura which may need templates or video “how to” guides to assist with some aspect of our roles and responsibilities. In addition to information and resources I’m also involved with booking & organising locations, equipment and items for ākonga events and regular face to face sessions, and brokering initiatives in new locations. I’m interested in hearing from other participants about how they keep all this information organised and current and accessible for their own reference!
   Strategically thinking and planning and evaluating practices in relation to outcomes are two further areas that my role requires. In some ways I am the conduit between the overarching organisational priorities generated by our Senior Leadership Team and the “boots on the ground” delivery of the strategic priorities carried out by my team and myself. The leadership team I am part of basically “unpacks” the Big Ideas within our rōpū and with our own teams and we co-construct some possible options and ideas on what this looks & feels like in the curriculum and pastoral spaces as well as within our region of the Kura. I feel that the 2 areas are in some ways like Yin & Yang in that each informs the other, like in an Inquiry cycle.
   Additionally, I need to continue to be involved with building a sustaining collective leadership and professional community, and attend to my own learning as a leader, and my wellbeing. I’ve been very interested to hear from DPs and APs around my region in workshops and seminars that I have participated in since becoming a Team Leader and really value the opportunity to hear other’s perspectives, solutions, suggestions as well as feeling supported and validated in what I am trying to achieve with my team and other areas of my role. I’m grateful that our Kahui Ako has several opportunities to meet up each year and feel that I need to prioritise these events by moving other commitments around which clash or impinge on the times these events run. I always come away with a refreshed perspective and/or an idea to try or develop with my team or my leadership rōpū. As for the Wellbeing – You can’t fill from an empty vessel, so how can I best support my team if I am not looking after my own wellbeing? The professional learning community offers opportunities to be seen and heard by people who understand the demands and pressures of these roles.

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6. The leadership capabilities that I would describe as requisites to be most effective in my current role as a Year 11 Dean is:
   1. Building and sustaining high trust relationships.
   A Dean is in a highly relational role that is a pivotal connection between students, staff and students. It is pivotal to have strong relationships in each of these perspectives to be effective. As if one of these areas of your professional relationships are weak, you cannot build and see a clear picture for individual students and therefore are less effective with your ability to support and improve their individual success at your kura. Growing these relationships through trust is integral to these relationships as when whanau, students and staff trust you have their best interests at heart those relationships grow more effective and solutions and results grow whether in a state of conflict or looking to create change.

   2.Embodying the organisation’s values and showing moral purpose, optimism, agency, and resilience.
   When leading in front of any stakeholder of a school a leader must role model what their expectations are for their team in order to build morale, create agency within their own people and create a team environment. This builds trust that shows you are committed to the goal that has been set and you believe in it. Also being able to explain and show why you believe in it and why you are doing this helps build optimism with the people around you.

   3. Ensuring culturally responsive practice and understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural heritage, using Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundation Valuing what each learner brings with them.
   I thoroughly believe this approach when completed correctly underpins all of the capabilities as through a Te Ao Maori approach many of these capabilities are undertaken as simply a way of being. The holistic nature of Te Ao Maori supports the fundamentals of effective Deaning. The principles of whakawhanaungatanga, kotahitanga, rangatiratanga all work harmoniously to develop and demonstrate these capabilities.
   However, understanding how to implement these without tokenism in one’s practice is key and something I am still developing – as it is the ‘way’ we do things not the ‘what’.
   I believe this is key to Deaning as we are responsible for a child’s pastoral wellbeing within our kura so ensuring we understand what wellbeing and success looks like for that child is critical – therefore being culturally responsive to their needs and how to help support the vehicle to get them to that success.

   4. Attending to their own learning as leaders and their own wellbeing.
   These readings have enlightened and reminded me that learning is never over and to be an effective leader one must always be referring to literature and data to ensure they have getting the best results for their people. It also links to the reading which states leadership is not reactive as that is management – this struck me. As leaders we should be consistently looking at where to next, what strategies are already out there to improve on, to add to our own kite.
   Also attending to their own wellbeing – you cannot give to others if your tank is empty. As Deans we consistently try to inspire students to look after their wellbeing holistically, however as mentioned and interrelated to the concept of embodying our own values we need to role model this to inspire students to do the same.

   5. Building and sustaining collective leadership and professional community.
   The statements:
   “Building capacity for change is developing and negotiating the desired change with those who are likely to be affected by the change, not something that is planned by leaders and presented to others for agreement or ‘buy in’.
   It is often tempting to have a vision and try to ‘sell’ it to others. Negotiation, however, is an iterative process of building ideas collectively, negotiating the power positions and finding a productive balance.
   Building capacity for change includes building the disposition and commitment to action.”
   Struck me a lot when it came to building leadership and a professional community. The initial working of ‘building’ in this had me thinking as leaders we build this in the structures and systems we create. But it really is about having people involved in the foundations of this work, having their voice as part of the concept.
   This struck me hugely as I work with our students in my Deaning role. Too often I share with them new school visions or concepts and again ‘sell’ the idea of why this happening but fail to ask them ‘how’ we as a cohort want to implement this or how they feel about these changes to get them involved in the change and therefore committed.
   Utilising this capability to get students onto the waka as a part of the process is key here – I am unsure how in my role I can do this effectively being I am not a part of the decision making process regularly but this is a key aspect I would like to work on including in my practice.

   I do believe through these readings all of these capabilities are evident in the form of Deaning however, these 5 capabilities I believe to be fundamental in being able to grow success. I also think it is hard to separate these as the more you explore the ‘why’ behind each of these concepts the more you realise that the core of each of these are so interrelated.
   (Unsure if I have written in the right perspective needed – will learn as we go though :))

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