School Leadership and Coaching
I have been reflecting on leadership and how coaching influences leaders and their actions, particularly during the transition when a leader is new to a school community.
If you have sought coaching as a school leader, you’ve made a conscious effort to deepen your self-awareness. You may have taken the time to reflect on what comes naturally to you and what challenges you, considering what those patterns reveal about you. Through this process, you may have gained clarity on your blind spots and spent time observing your responses to certain behaviors, both in yourself and others.
If you’ve invested time in training and developing your coaching skills as a school leader, you’ve likely learned and practiced various coaching techniques and processes that can be applied throughout your school community. Ultimately, people connect with people, and within schools, the primary focus is on the children, young people, and the staff who support them.
School leaders must ensure their school provides the highest quality education to the children and young people they serve. Achieving this vision requires significant investment in the people supporting those students. In her book, Reduce Change to Increase Improvement, Viviane Robinson emphasises:
“…for change to succeed, leaders need to focus as much, if not more, on understanding the practices they wish to change as on designing the alternatives they wish to introduce.”
It is essential to take the time to learn about a school’s history, understanding what has come before and connecting with those who have been there prior to your arrival. Coaching skills are invaluable in this process, particularly in practicing the art of listening to understand, rather than just to respond.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of celebrating the 70th birthday of a dear friend and former boss, a retired headteacher whom I deeply respect, trust, and admire. Nearly 20 years ago, he hired me as a senior teacher, later promoting me to assistant headteacher in his school. Reflecting on those years, I realise just how profoundly his leadership style influenced not only my professional journey but also my personal growth. What made him stand out was his ability to blend leadership with coaching in a way that left a lasting impact, not just on me, but on the entire school community.
Despite the immense pressures that come with running a school, he always found time to listen—truly listen. He didn’t just offer quick solutions; he created a space for deep reflection and meaningful dialogue. This wasn’t just about solving immediate problems; it was about fostering a culture where everyone felt valued and empowered to bring their best selves forward. His approach wasn’t transactional—it was transformational. By offering the space for me to think clearly and deeply, he inspired in me a relentless drive to do the best I could for the students, families, and staff I served.
This level of intentional leadership, where listening and support are coupled with challenge and growth, is rare and invaluable. What set him apart as a leader was his ability to inspire and motivate those around him, not through authority, but through genuine care, curiosity, and a commitment to developing others. He didn’t just lead—he created more leaders. His coaching approach cultivated confidence and resilience, giving me and others the tools to navigate challenges, reflect on our own practice, and take ownership of our personal and professional growth.
Great leaders like him don’t just create followers; they create an environment where leadership potential flourishes. His influence has been a guiding force in my own leadership style, reminding me that the true measure of a leader is not in how many people they direct, but in how many people they empower. Leadership is about more than managing; it’s about inspiring, nurturing, and creating conditions where others can thrive and, in turn, lead.
When I reflect on the legacy he left behind, it is clear that his impact extends far beyond the school walls. It lives on in the leaders he developed, the culture he fostered, and the countless lives he touched. This is the true essence of leadership—creating a lasting impact that endures long after one’s formal role has ended. He didn’t just shape my career; he shaped the way I view leadership and the responsibility we have as leaders to inspire, motivate, and cultivate the next generation of leaders.
School leadership is an incredibly important role in our society.
School leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping not just the academic success of students but also the emotional and social wellbeing of the entire school community. Increasingly, coaching is being recognised as an essential tool for effective leadership. When a leader adopts a coaching approach, they create a ripple effect that positively impacts everyone—from staff to students and even parents. Coaching, at its core, is about empowering others, fostering self-reflection, and promoting personal growth. When applied in a school setting, it encourages open, honest communication and strengthens relationships across the board.
A leader who practices coaching doesn't just give directives—they listen deeply, ask thoughtful questions, and guide others to find their own solutions. This cultivates an environment of trust and collaboration, where every individual feels valued and heard. Staff feel supported in their professional growth, students feel encouraged in their learning journeys, and parents feel reassured that their children are in a nurturing environment. Over time, this approach builds a culture of belonging and acceptance, where each person is seen as an important part of the community.
By focusing on personal development and fostering authentic relationships, a coaching approach in school leadership enhances not only individual performance but also collective wellbeing. It creates a school culture where everyone is working towards a shared vision, and where each person—whether teacher, student, or staff member—feels a sense of purpose and inclusion. The lifelong impressions of such leadership go far beyond the classroom, shaping individuals who are more resilient, self-aware, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to society.
In this way, both leadership and coaching, when done authentically, leave an indelible mark on those who experience them, creating a lasting legacy of growth, acceptance, and community.