Module 1: Mātauranga o te Ao Tō (Self-Awareness) me Te Pūmanawa Hinengaro (Emotional Intelligence): This module explores self-reflection, understanding personal strengths and weaknesses, and developing emotional intelligence for effective leadership.
Theme: Leading Self
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.
Provocation/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.
Provocation/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.
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.
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.
25 Responses
Kia ora,
I believe that relational trust and moral purpose are at the heart of every successful school. When trust is strong, people are more willing to collaborate, share ideas, and work together to make real change. As Robertson and Earl (2014) put it, “relationships and the building of trust are at the core of any attempt to build capacity and facilitate change in schools” (p. 11). Without that trust, even the best plans can struggle to take momentum. Relational trust also connects closely to moral purpose, which the authors describe as a commitment to equity and making a positive difference for learners. Together, trust and moral purpose create the foundation for meaningful and lasting school improvement, relationships and therefore success.
In our work with the NHS, relational trust goes beyond our staff—it includes our students, whānau, the medical team, and other stakeholders—working together to provide an inclusive educational experience for some of Aotearoa’s most vulnerable learners. I also believe moral purpose is about our stance and our “why.” When we, as individuals and as a school, are clear on why we do what we do, it allows us to work together intentionally. It’s about taking the time for the engine to circle back and ensure the wagons are still connected—the moral purpose and the “why” need to be a shared view across everyone involved.
Reference
Robertson, J., & 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
I believe moral purpose, relational trust, and cultural responsiveness are all crucial in my current leadership role.
Our ākonga are vulnerable, and their health needs can create barriers in many different ways. When you combine this with other challenges — such as where they live, the capabilities and circumstances of their whānau and community, and their previous experiences in education — it is clear that every ākonga presents with different needs, behaviours, and ways of learning.
Because of this, I need a strong moral compass to ensure that every decision I make is grounded in equity and keeps each ākonga’s wellbeing and success at the centre.
Relational trust is also essential. Our team cannot think creatively, collaborate effectively, or push beyond the “usual” ways of working for the sake of our ākonga unless trust is strong — trust within the team and trust between all the stakeholders we work alongside. Without relational trust, the real work of supporting ākonga and whānau simply cannot happen.
Finally, being culturally responsive is vital. Each of us — kaiako, ākonga, and whānau — brings our own identity, culture, values, and lived experiences. When we lead and teach in ways that honour these differences and uphold mana, we create the conditions for ākonga to become the best learners they can be. Cultural responsiveness ensures that every learner feels seen, valued, and supported to thrive.
In my role as Team Leader of the ‘Puhoro’ team, being a relational and collaborative leader is key to my effectiveness. I prioritise building high-trust relationships and a strong team culture where people feel heard, valued, and safe—recognising that relational trust is critical to harnessing the collective will, energy, and expertise of a team.
I also focus on promoting professional learning and open-to-learning conversations, seeing myself as a lead learner alongside my team to improve outcomes for all students. This is particularly important this year as I support my team with the implementation of the new mathematics and literacy curriculum and assessment.
I view leadership as an ongoing, reflective process that requires self-awareness and adaptability, grounded in the belief that it is not just about managing tasks, but about caring for and growing people. I particularly enjoy sitting down with each team member to set goals, discuss progress, and explore ways I can support their growth and professional development. By fostering trust, collaboration, and continuous learning, I can best support both my team and our students to thrive.
In our context at Northern Health School, 2 key leadership capabilities that guide me to be most effective in my current leadership role include:
Building and sustaining high relational trust – this is vital within our individual teams, and within our school as a whole, as well as with our wider community of stakeholders that wrap around our ākonga. We hold a huge commitment to co-construction and building capacity with our students and their family, as well as within our teams, through genuine collaboration.
Leading change sits beside embodying our school’s values to illustrate moral purpose, optimism, agency and resilience – Education in general and the significant growth of NHS ensues significant change, which needs to be modelled and delivered with a depth of understanding. The aim is to be the ‘developer’ by being competent in both innovating and executing.
These key leadership capabilities have a reciprocal relationship in ensuring a premium outcome. To lead change there must be a high-trust relationship and culture within the team.
Getting people “into the waka” is a key leadership capability. When everyone is headed in the same direction, progress becomes smoother and more purposeful. Bringing people into the waka usually rests on three connected ideas: building trust, creating consensus, and communicating clearly.
People are far more willing to climb aboard when they trust the person responsible for guiding the way. Without that trust, even strong ideas can stall before they begin. Good leaders build trust through steady, everyday actions—showing genuine interest in others, leading by example, and being approachable and fair. Over time these small signals show that the leader not only believes in the direction of travel but also trusts the people around them to help steer and paddle.
Bringing people together and building consensus is important too. In any group there will be different views about where the waka should go or how it should get there. Effective leaders make space for those voices to be heard and help the group find a path forward that people can support, even if it isn’t everyone’s first choice. When people feel heard and respected, they are far more willing to commit to the shared journey.
Clear communication is critical. Good leaders recognise that strong ideas can come from anywhere. Their role is to understand those ideas and share them in ways that make sense to everyone on board. By adjusting how they communicate with different people and keeping the direction clear, leaders help ensure everyone understands where they are going and why—so the whole crew can paddle together.
Within my current context as STEAM leader, I believe the two most vital requisites for success are relational trust and expert content knowledge. Building strong relationships ensures that staff feel supported and trust my vision during new initiatives. Simultaneously, staying up to date with my own subject knowledge allows me to lead by example, providing the hands-on modelling and practical support teachers need to feel confident in their own classrooms.
Tēnā koe for this concise and powerful reflection; your focus on relational trust alongside expert content knowledge highlights the essential balance of a leader.
In our context, I would identify building and sustaining high trust relationships as one of the most important capabilities. This is essential for us because our work relies on strong collaboration between staff, students, whānau, and external agencies. High-trust relationships also strengthen collegiality within our team, enabling us to support one another and work collectively to achieve positive outcomes for students.
The second capability I would identify for us is embodying the school’s values and showing moral purpose, optimism, agency, and resilience. For us, this ensures that leadership decisions and everyday actions align with the strategic direction of our school and creates a shared sense of purpose and direction for staff. This is particularly important in a school with units spread across the motu, as it helps create cohesion and consistency across geographically separated teams.
What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?
Building high trust relationships is key to any good team. A leader who is personable, uplifting, trusting, empathetic and has the ability to delegate, especially when there is someone in the group who has greater knowledge or understanding of the task, is essential. I am part of a team who are tasked to enhance relational approaches to teaching and learning. We have been working with Jase Williams for the past year and our focus moving forward is using our knowledge of trauma learning to enhance educational outcomes for all. As we embark on this journey staff need to see us model good relational practices as a leading group. This includes seeing in value current staff strengths, and acknowledging and challenging their weaknesses. Trusting relationships is also paramount in my role as year 11 dean when conversing with staff and students. Students need to know they can trust me, especially when dealing with delicate information. Staff also need to know you have their back when dealing with continual behaviour management concerns. It can be difficult to navigate such relationships when there is conflict between both parties.
Attending to their own learning as leaders and their own wellbeing
I am excited for the journey of aspiring leaders. I am keen to learn and engage, especially learning more about my own style. While watching the 21st century clip I kept tossing up where I fit. I think I am more of a developer more than an innovator. I will be acting HOD from term 2 due to a maternity leave position. So continuing learning as a leader and making sure my own wellbeing, and that or my department is at the forefront for me. Learning as a teacher, and navigating curriculum changes means we are all constantly learning. Even if these changes are challenging our thinking, time pressure and questioning the overall direction.
In my current context, I believe the two most critical leadership capabilities are Building and Sustaining High-Trust Relationships and Leading Change (like many others have already said!). I see these as being deeply interconnected; successful change can only happen on a foundation of trust.
1. Building and Sustaining High-Trust Relationships:
This is the heart of an effective team. Within my teaching team (Team Leader of Koru), I prioritise creating an environment where staff feel safe, heard, and respected. By fostering this sense of calm and safety, I allow individuals to feel valued for their contributions. When teachers feel “safe” in their relationships with leadership, they are much more willing to be vulnerable, take risks in their practice, and reflect honestly on their professional journeys.
2. Leading Change:
As the Literacy Lead during a time of significant national curriculum and assessment shifts, this capability is highly relevant. Leading change in this context isn’t just about implementing new tools; it is about managing the mindset of the staff. My role is to bridge the gap between new requirements and classroom practice, ensuring teachers have the “cognitive breathing room” to learn and reflect. By providing a positive and structured approach to these changes, I can help reduce overwhelm and ensure that new initiatives lead to genuine improvement for our learners.
As a number of others have similarly mentioned, I think the capabilities that allow me to be most effective in my current roles are leading change and building high trust relationships. With curriculum changes on the horizon, and a particularly uncertain future for my own subject, leading change is imperative to my role as an HOD to help navigate my team through the changes, ensuring they are well-supported through them, and explaining how these changes affect our learners. This links to building high trust relationships, as we are a collaborative unit with our own strengths and skills, and we are working together to provide the best possible outcome for our kura. In my role as a dean, high trust is a central part of managing our team and students, and these relationships foster a community within our school.
For me to be most effective in my current leadership role, is knowing and understanding the needs of the team/staff. I am a person who places high value on a servant style leadership. Knowing that the teaching staff are the most valuable resource for a school to have and knowing the effect of strategic resourcing, starts with having a genuine reciprocal trust in each other and maintaining morale in a profession where burnout is high.
When viewing through a student learning lens, pedagogical leadership is most effective, however, I believe that this is not possible without the soft qualities found in transformational leaders where good quality relationships are a priority. From what I have seen, leading change in a primary school can be challenging because teachers may perceive changes to practice as personal criticism of their work.Therefore in my opinion, having a collaborative approach with staff where they feel they are being heard, having open/honest conversations. Providing feedback in an empowering way and framing discussions around improvement rather than deficit thinking can be the line between getting everyone on board because collectively we all believe and support the “why” and doing something because it is compulsory.
It more or less boils down to the culture created within the school. When trust, respect and shared purpose are established, teachers are more likely to work together toward common goals. This not only strengthens staff commitment but also supports the core purpose of leadership in schools: improving teaching and learning so that students achieve success.
Thank you for this deeply considered post. Your focus on servant leadership and reciprocal trust perfectly captures the essence of leading out of who you are. I particularly value how you’ve linked the ‘soft qualities’ of transformational leadership to the critical ‘why’ of pedagogical change—recognising that teacher well-being and a culture of belonging are the true drivers of student success.
My major leadership role as owner/operator of an English speaking preschool in Germany afforded me many obstacles including German bureaucracy, language, and staffing. From reading/watching the above resources I have determined that I fit into the ‘Executor’ style of leadership which obviously had a negative bearing on building relational trust since to be most effective as a leader with an Executor style, the primary capability is the ability to bridge important strategic goals with daily operational reality through the lens of Relational Trust. According to the Educational Leadership Capability Framework (2018), a leader must excel at “building and sustaining networks and relationships.” For an Executor—who is naturally wired for completing tasks, efficiency, and “getting things done”— the risk is focusing more on the what than the who, creating an environment where people’s feelings could be overlooked. Therefore, I should’ve intentionally prioritise my interpersonal skills and made more sustainable connections. The leadership capabilities that I feel are most important for me are sustaining networks and relationships through building Relational Trust.
Provocation Task / Part 2
In my current leadership context as a learning leader, I believe two key leadership capabilities that help me be most effective are building and sustaining high trust relationships and leading change. These capabilities are particularly important at the moment as our school is experiencing significant change, including major curriculum developments and physical changes within the school environment.
Building high trust relationships is essential because our team works very collaboratively. We regularly share ideas, strengths, and planning to reduce workload and ensure we are all aligned. Creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thinking, asking questions, and supporting one another helps us work more effectively together. This reflects Simon Sinek’s ideas about trust, where listening and showing genuine care help people feel valued. As part of this, I focus on weaving together the new social sciences and science curriculum with our PYP programme, while keeping workload manageable for all team members.
Leading change is another important capability in my role as a learning leader. With the significant curriculum changes happening, I help the team navigate uncertainty while keeping expectations realistic. I aim to keep the team positive and flexible, adapting our plans when necessary and reflecting on what is working well. I also recognise that I can improve by communicating longer-term strategic plans more explicitly, as they sometimes feel less immediate than day to day priorities.
I believe the two most important leadership capabilities in my context are (I’ve included a few thoughts from the readings in Module 1):
1. Attending to My Own Learning and Wellbeing as a Leader
As a Year 4 Team Leader, I make my own learning and wellbeing a priority because I know it keeps me alert and energised. I stay self-aware by regularly reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses, which helps me challenge my own thinking and continue growing. I embrace challenges, keep asking “Why?” to dig deeper, and actively seek out new ideas and knowledge instead of sticking to old habits. This approach keeps me resilient, excited about growth and better equipped to tackle big issues like addressing.
2. Building and Sustaining High Trust Relationships
In my role, I focus on building strong, trusting relationships with my team because trust is what turns us into a united group that puts our Year 4 students first. Respect is foundational for trusting relationships. This means listening to everyone’s ideas in planning meetings and genuinely valuing what people bring to the table. It also means caring about my colleagues both professionally (supporting their goals and workload) and personally (checking in when things are tough). Most importantly, it means maintaining integrity by matching my words with my actions. For example, following through on promises about student support even when it’s hard. These steps, built on empathy, humility, and self-awareness, create an open and safe space where our Year 4 team can have honest conversations and work together effectively.
What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?
I think two leadership skills are really key: leading change and building high-trust relationships. With all the curriculum changes happening, being able to guide staff through uncertainty, explain why changes matter, and support them to improve teaching is essential. But none of that works without trust. When leaders show knowledge, integrity, and genuine care—listening with empathy and acting consistently—staff feel valued and are more open to collaborating and embracing change. Trust basically makes effective leadership and meaningful change possible.
Jess, you have hit the nail on the head by identifying that leading change cannot exist in a vacuum without high-trust relationships. It is empowering to see your commitment to leading with empathy and integrity, ensuring that as you navigate curriculum shifts, your staff feel truly heard and supported rather than just managed.
There are a couple of main leadership capabilities that I see as requisites for me to be most effective in leadership this year, especially as this year is a big year of change for my team.
Leading change:
A big part of my role this year involves leading change to our Intermediate School. There is a big focus this year on boosting our Intermediate School profile, and making it different to the primary years of education. This is challenging as we are a full Primary School, from Years 1-8.
This also ties in with the Leadership Learning reading, and the building capacity of others. The reading talks about how when building change, it’s important to develop and negotiate the change with those who are likely to be affected by it. Taking on board their feedback and having them as part of the decision making process is important in making them feel valued and heard, and that change is co-constructed and discussed as it is happening, reflecting and making changes where needed as a team. This particularly resonated with me as it is applicable in my current situation, having my team members play a big role in this change is important by hearing their ideas and taking on board their feedback is such a crucial aspect of it. We work collaboratively in terms of change, and also planning and its important I work to keep the environment supportive and positive so they feel they are heard, and are comfortable to share their thinking.
Whilst watching the Innovation video, the different skill profiles of a leadership stood out to me. I see myself as a developer. The innovator part of it is coming up with new ideas alongside my team and executing them whilst supporting my team. I have looked at what other Intermediate Schools and Colleges provide their students with, and worked with my team to devise a programme and opportunities we can apply to our own school with the aim of having the Year 8 students ready to transition to College. The executor aspect is where I motivate my team to follow through with the changes, ensuring that I am leading by example. I have thought out the change well, and have supported my team in planning everything out so we are all aware of and comfortable with the changes. We also take time to reflect on the changes and make changes where needed.
Building and sustaining high trust relationships:
As with every year, it’s important to form strong high trust relationships with those in my team. For me, this happens immediately, connecting with my new team and making them feel welcome.
This year I have a teacher in my team who is new to the school, and a teacher who was in my team last year. Even though one has worked closely with me already, teaching in Year 5 is different to teaching in Year 7. She has not taught this year level before so I am working to continue building on the high trust relationship I had already formed with her last year in a different environment. As for the new teacher to the school, this is especially important as he is not only moving to a new year level, but a completely new environment for him. I have spent a lot of time building this relationship with him and supporting him in his journey, from supporting him with how our school runs to valuing his thoughts and ideas when it comes to team planning.
The quote from Leadership Learning, “you cannot move the waka on your own but need everyone on board paddling in unison to get up speed and win the race” resonated with me as this is applicable in my current team environment with the change that we are going through. Part of building these relationships with them is listening to them, working together collaboratively, and valuing the input they provide. This also ties in with the disposition to learn from the Leadership Learning reading where the importance of co-construction of knowledge, collaborative work, and engagement of ideas is valued. I know that each team member brings their own wealth of knowledge, and I value their thoughts and contributions, continuously learning from them.
Thank you for this thorough reflection, Keryn. Your use of the waka metaphor perfectly illustrates your commitment to co-construction and building the capacity of your team through genuine collaboration. It is excellent to see how you are intentionally applying the ‘developer’ profile to navigate the unique challenges of Year 7–8, ensuring that high-trust relationships remain the backbone for all your strategic changes.
I think the leadership capabilities that will be most important in my leadership context are: building trust through clear and empathetic communication, being truly culturally responsive, and recognising that my own learning is ongoing. While we are already doing good work in these areas, I want to make sure my communication provides the clarity the team needs to feel confident and valued during moments of change. I’ve realised that I need to fully embrace being a ‘learner-leader’—acknowledging my own gaps and seeking mentorship—so I can grow alongside my team.
I think the leadership capabilities that will be most important in my leadership context are:
– Building and sustaining high trust relationships – I work in a team of four. One colleague and I have worked together in a collaborative space and single cell for two years, while the other two have worked together for three years in a team. It is important that the team feel like they have the same access to me as a leader inside and outside of the classroom. At the beginning of the year we set clear expectations of one another as a team, this allowed us all to share what motivates us, and what can create barriers for us. I want to ensure that we build on this as both the term and year progress. It is also essential for us as educators to do the same with the students in our classrooms, and their whanau.
– Active listening – I too liked with Simon said about “listening being easy” and the importance of listening to your team, and them feeling heard. If they have a bad day, listen to them, and don’t share about your amazing day. Active listening also goes a really long way when establishing relationships with the students within our team. Remembering little details, and checking back in with them. Also when dealing with parents and having to have difficult conversations. I think active listening can do a lot to deescalate emotive situations.
– Strategically thinking and planning – Particularly this year with so many changes to the curriculum, and assessment tools it is important to prioritise strategic thinking and planning as a leader and as a team. I really enjoyed the Innovator DNA piece. I would like to strike a balance between the innovators, developers and executors in my team to ensure the best possible outcomes for them as educators, but for our students experience inside and outside of the classroom.
What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?
In my leadership context, it involves guiding teaching teams, supporting student learning, and implementing school-wide initiatives. To be effective, I need to be able to work with innovation and make sure it is reliable. A key to this though, is balancing these capabilities. This would allow me to foster a culture of growth and collaboration and have tangible results. Understanding who may have tendancies of good delivery and discovery skills and balancing these could help with greater leadership.
Reflection for Module 1
I think the leadership capabilities that are most important in my leadership context are
– maintaining open communication: i work in a collaborative team with shared planning and shared teaching, including students moving between different classrooms. By maintain open communication within my team i can ensure that we are all up to date with students, their needs and our planning. This allows us to work together to make sure that we are teaching to what students need each day, and ensure they get quality teaching. This also means that when new teaching strategies are introduced in our school, my team has all the information needed to be able to use it effectively.
– forming high trust relationships: it is important that my team trusts me, as well as each other, so that we can support each other in what we need, both in and out of the classroom. I liked what Simon said in his talk about building trust “listening is easy” just listening to your team is a way to build that trust and ensure you have that base of trust with your team.
Arima, you have clearly identified how open communication serves as the backbone of successful collaborative teaching and student-centered planning. I love your application of Simon Sinek’s perspective on listening—it is a powerful reminder that building high-trust relationships often begins with the simple, yet profound, act of truly hearing those we lead.