This week, @WomenEd challenged me to be #10percentBraver and write an article focused on one of the questions set out by them and @InnovateJournal. If I’m being honest it took me longer than it should to select a question; I wanted to make sure that what I had to say was authentic and meaningful. Here goes nothing…
I have been extremely lucky in my career to have met and worked with some of the greatest women in education. Women who firmly believe in empowering other women and creating a culture of success and appreciation. One of the most important lessons that I have learnt from these women is the beauty of failure.
“You will want to support and encourage your staff to feel like valued members of your team and to take creative risks. But for them to do this, you need to give them permission to fail.”
WomenEd, ‘10% Braver: Inspiring Women to Lead Education’, p.23
It is this idea that I firmly apply to my practice when supporting and empowering my female colleagues in leadership roles. Understanding that the value of failure outweighs the cost is crucial in helping women carve out their roles as leaders. Whilst doing this, I ensure that a strong network of support sits behind each opportunity so that established and aspiring leaders have the confidence to strive for greatness.
‘Handing over trust requires you to be brave’
As a female leader, I have always had a knack for discovering others’ strengths; a powerful asset when trying to change the system from within. I seek out and help nurture leadership qualities in others from all career stages. I believe in fostering a strong team in identifying and encouraging their leadership traits, regardless of a leadership title. In doing this, I have been able to develop ITTs, NQTs and later stage career teachers into becoming strong female leaders for our students, staff and wider community.
In an environment where an element of acting seems crucial for success, it is vital to remind ourselves that you need to remain authentic to deliver effective leadership. This is why I am never afraid to admit my failures or weaknesses to my team, but I do so in a way that emanates reassurance and belief in my position. Leaders need to witness failure to achieve success, we need to model our resilience to each other to underpin our desire for positive change.
Every project or initiative I deliver takes on the advice of my team and those who are far more experienced than I am; it is crucial that I harness trust in those around me, even when I am hesitant to let go of the reigns.
I encourage others to work with me in developing each stage of a project and slowly begin to transfer autonomy to them so that it becomes their project and their ideas. I believe the best support we can provide is the thoughtful and well-timed training of others, sharing understanding and knowledge until it becomes their area of expertise.
Feeling encouraged to create something of your own breeds positivity and confidence; attributes that should never be taken for granted. Women who feel empowered, supported and motivated to succeed will continue to break through the glass ceiling throughout their career, passing on those values to others.
Never be afaid to take the leap:
“When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So, what the hell, leap.”
Cynthia Heimel
A Scouser's Guide to Education 