Two
Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference
1. I am passionate about learning and consciously model a commitment to improving my own learning
2. I set high personal standards
3. I exert a positive influence and other people come to me for guidance on how to handle challenging situations
4. I am prepared to have ‘the challenging conversation’ and can think of examples where this has resulted in positive outcomes
5. I ensure that there are regular opportunities for staff to meet in teams to discuss the progress of learners
6. I have put mechanisms in place to encourage staff at all levels to take on leadership responsibilities
7. I have created a culture where staff feel confident enough to try out and share new ideas and innovations
8. I have made a clear impact on ensuring high quality of learning, teaching and achievement
9. I frequently call together groups of learners to discuss various issues informally
10. I ensure that everybody in my team/staff is clear on his/her responsibilities and lines of accountability
Total marks 100 a) What have you learned about your own leadership from the above exercise?
b) What practical steps do you intend to take to improve an area for development?
NB You can repeat this exercise over a period of time and compare your findings.
You could ask another person(s) you trust to complete this exercise for you and compare the results. You can quickly create your own statements based on what you consider to be key elements of personal leadership – and use the findings in a variety of ways.
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

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The headteacher had successfully guided staff in the development of the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs
Class teachers had effectively developed their leadership role as they managed and coordinated the work of class teams (Robert Henryson School, Fife Council,
October 2005)
The school had developed differentiated courses and programmes and learning materials to a very high quality
Staff provided outstanding pastoral care and support for pupils. As a result, pupils developed their personal and social skills very well and were able to successfully attain a good range of NQs
Pupils were very well prepared for the world of work and displayed confidence and self-assuredness
The effectiveness of the extended management team could be seen in improvements in, for example, the growing success in certification, pupils’ very successful college placements and the positive impact of ICT, health promotion and PSHE across the school (Abercorn School, Glasgow Council, May 2006 )
The headteacher provided constructive guidance to staff in further developing the curriculum and learning and teaching arrangements to more effectively meet the needs of pupils
She used her in-depth knowledge of ICT to equip all staff with the skills needed to improve pupils’ communication and achievements and provide them with the highest quality learning experiences (Isobel Mair School, East Renfrewshire Council,
March 2006)
QUESTIONS
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Review the bullet points above and identify the range of staff who are operating in
■ leadership roles.
Highlight the areas where the leadership of staff made an impact on the quality of
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■ pupils’ learning. What effect did this have on pupils?
What did staff in leadership roles actually do to make an impact? Note these steps.
How do staff at similar levels in your establishments take forward their leadership roles? Think about examples.
Can you see ways in which their leadership role might be extended?
What has been the key learning point for you from the exercise above?
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

Two
Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference
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Is about actively sharing and spreading responsibility for leadership more widely across staff operating at different levels;
Is about a move towards the collective leadership of an establishment rather than dependency on the power of one person;
Is about building a culture that supports and encourages the creativity and leadership potential of learners and staff;
Reinforces the need for teamwork, partnerships, collaboration, networking and facilitating; and
Entails that leaders at different levels are working in supportive and complementary ways.
(Reference: LfL page 20)
The leadership of the school was excellent. The headteacher provided a very strong lead and had high expectations for all within the school community. He had a clear strategic vision for the school, established effective policies and procedures, and empowered senior staff and middle managers. The quality of pupils’ learning experiences was at the forefront of this vision. The depute headteachers also made a major contribution to the effective leadership of the school through sustaining and improving the ethos and quality of learning and teaching. The business manager provided an exceptionally good analytical service which enabled pupils’ performance to be tracked in detail. Middle managers were very effective at leading continuous improvement in the work of their departments.
The extracts above and the questions below are designed to help you think about your own context and to help stimulate reflection, discussion and debate.
QUESTIONS
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Review the bullet points above which set out features of distributive leadership.
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Where do you think you are as an establishment in relation to these?
Reflect upon the way you are currently structured. In what way does your structure
■ help/hinder your efforts to improve the quality of learning and teaching throughout the establishment?
What changes could you take forward that would make it more likely that your efforts to improve learning and teaching are successful?
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What strategies and mechanisms are in place for spreading leadership more widely across staff operating at different levels?
What one thing could you do differently that would enable you to improve?
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

NB the extract below is based on a CLD setting but this can be adapted to suit your context
The CLD team leader has recently taken over a new team. There are 10 people in the team, most of whom have been through various changes to their own roles and the structure of the team in the past five years. A number of staff are employed to lead projects which will soon be coming to the end of three year funding. These projects have been highly successful and have had a major impact on work with young people, particularly disaffected young people, in the area. There are examples of young people going on to employment and one or two to training in the FE college. However, the evidence to support the success of a number of projects is thin. Staff are demoralised because of the uncertainty over jobs and the lack of a stable structure. Whilst they have done good work with excluded youngsters, the links with the local secondary school could be better. Staff have expertise in a number of areas such as sexual health and applying for project funding but they have had no input to the school curriculum. One of the team – a youth worker – is based in the school but mainly works from 4pm onwards and is not seen as a part of the school. Levels of exclusions are rising. SMT and school staff are inward focused and see little purpose in relating to CLD. The DHT who joined the school two years ago takes a broader view of the school in its community and is taking positive steps to make changes to the school. CLD staff have some professional development opportunities but there is little joint training. Staff meet regularly for supervision sessions and are accustomed to a regular team meeting. Notes of the meetings show that this regularity has slipped in recent months, and that there has been limited action resulting from them. Staff do not appear to have a realistic grasp of the realities of departmental budgeting, planning or monitoring of their work.
Challenges: Given all of the above, consider in your sub-groups the following:
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Your vision for the CLD service
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Your plan to transform the work of the CLD team so that it is well placed to face the challenges of the future.
Be prepared to give your solutions in a 5-minute presentation at the plenary session.
Guidance
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Make any reasonable assumptions you wish – but you must declare these at the
■ beginning of your presentation
In answering challenge 2 above (2nd bullet point), concentrate on the broad issues rather then the detail, and focus on the key steps you would take in your initial six months in post.
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

Two
Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference
Whilst the styles and qualities individuals bring to leadership and management may be very different, they will often share common characteristics. For instance, effective leaders:
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■ are passionate about learning and committed to learners and other staff; exert influence and help others to envisage new ways of thinking, seeing and working;
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■ are initiators and doers; are good listeners and know other staff well; and serve as models and can help provide insights into what it means to be a lifelong learner.
Above all the most effective leaders help others to retain a focus on the core purpose of education (LfL p13).
The Headteacher was an effective manager and excellent leader. He empowered staff to develop new initiatives and to lead teams. His consultative approach to leadership and highly developed interpersonal skills had inspired confidence in the school’s values and aims. He planned strategically and had sound professional knowledge of current national developments in education. The two very experienced depute headteachers, together with the principal teachers, supported the headteacher. Corporate leadership of the school was very good overall.
The extracts above and the questions below are designed to help you think about your own context and to help stimulate reflection, discussion and debate.
QUESTIONS
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Review the case study above. What did this headteacher actually do as a leader that
■ was effective?
What does it mean to ‘plan strategically’? Can you think of examples from your own
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Can you think of examples where you/your group have empowered other staff to develop new initiatives and lead teams?
Which initiatives have made an impact and why? Which have not and why?
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What other steps could you take to encourage and develop aspiring leaders?
What would you consider to be the core purpose of education? What practical steps could you take to ensure a focus on this core purpose?
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

A. You have stepped into a well run establishment/service/department… The previous leadership was very directive and controlling. You want to develop a more collegiate approach.
Alternative actions
1. Tell staff that they are working well and you intend to leave things as they are
2. Don’t make any major changes but over time, begin to involve staff more in decision-making
3. Announce that you want to change the culture and develop a different style of working – tell staff that you value their input and will be asking them to volunteer for working groups
4. Emphasise the importance of having clear plans and meeting deadlines
Record what you would do and why ....................................................................................................
B. Your staff are not responding lately to your friendly conversations and obvious concern for their welfare. Their performance is slipping
Alternative actions
1. Make yourself available to staff but don’t push your involvement
2. Intentionally do not intervene – this will work itself out
3. Emphasise that deadlines are being missed and agreed procedures should be applied
4. Act quickly and firmly to redirect the work of staff
Record what you would do and why ....................................................................................................
C. Your staff work in a very informal way but their performance is good. You are having doubts about your lack of direction of the group.
Alternative actions
1. Take steps to direct your staff towards working in a clearly defined way
2. Discuss the situation with your staff and then initiate what you see as necessary changes
3. Leave things as they are
4. Be supportive but not too directive in discussing the situation with your staff
Record what you would do and why ....................................................................................................
NB You can develop your own ‘situations’ that reflect important issues for your establishment/service.
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

Two
Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference
The nursery serves children and families from across a wide range of cultures and backgrounds. A number of children who attend have significant emotional and behavioural difficulties. Staff have developed a range of strategies to support and improve children’s behaviour within a high quality learning environment. They audit their approach annually and set targets to make sure that improvements in children’s behaviour impact appropriately on their motivation and learning. Parents are recognised and welcomed as partners, and are invited to attend weekly sessions to help them support positive behaviour management at home.
Over time, this initiative has evolved into a major project within the nursery. The headteacher has devolved considerable responsibility for the project to individual members of staff and placed them in key leadership roles. Staff have gained an experience of leadership and have become keenly interested in developing their own professional skills further. They have constructed and implemented a successful programme for developing children’s emotional, personal and social skills and have created a suitable behaviour management model to use with parents during a series of parenting classes. Staff worked enthusiastically together to plan, organise and implement their ideas and have established trust and confidence between and among parents and staff. The project created a web of leaders. Staff worked closely together, at times leading aspects of the project and at other times facilitating, supporting, discussing and encouraging colleagues and parents. Staff became a group of leaders who transformed and created a vision for the nursery. Parents gained confidence in their ability to manage their children’s behaviour at home and note happier and more relaxed children. Leadership involved ‘the many’ and not just ‘the few’.
The extracts above and the questions below are designed to help you think about your own context and to help stimulate reflection, discussion and debate.
QUESTIONS
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Review the bullet points above which set out features of distributive leadership in a
■ nursery setting. Where do you think you are as an establishment in relation to these?
How do you select key staff to undertake leadership roles?
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What strategies and mechanisms are in place for spreading leadership more widely across staff operating at different levels?
What one thing could you do differently that would enable you to improve?
The example below targets parents as partners. What strategies do you adopt to ensure that ‘hard-to-reach’ parents attend important events? How might you support these parents further in implementing key approaches at home?
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Two: Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference

Leaders matter: exerting influence and making a difference
Vision, values and aims: sharing a common purpose
Leadership and direction: focusing on what’s important
Developing people and partnerships: building leadership capacity
Leadership of change and improvement: achieving results
Pathways for leaders
SECTION
Date Theme
Key Points Arising
Tick
Action Points