“It’s great to have a space to show up as a leader and a person.” This was something a leader in my new group for headteachers said recently, and it really stayed with me. It hints at something many school leaders experience, often without quite naming it; a subtle gap between who you are and how you show up at work.
In busy terms, there’s often an unspoken belief that ease equals complacency. That if things feel lighter, you must not be pushing hard enough but lightness is not laziness. Lightness is clarity. It’s being deliberate about what truly matters and letting go of what doesn’t.
Contrary to popular opinion, confidence is not a trait that you’re either lucky enough to be born with or you’re not. Everyone can learn to become confident and develop their confidence, it takes practice. I’m not talking about ‘fake it until you make it’, what I am talking about is developing real, unwavering confidence in yourself and your abilities.