Authentic school leadership is a transformative force that extends far beyond management and administration. It encapsulates a leadership style rooted in honesty, transparency, and a genuine commitment to the betterment of the school community. For true innovation to happen in education, knowing one’s self is essential. In this blog, we'll explore the essence of authentic school leadership, analyse the benefits and challenges it presents and discuss what it brings to our adaptability in various contexts. Additionally, we'll delve into the connection between authentic school leadership and vertical-development (adult maturity) and its profound impact on shaping the culture of educational institutions.

1. What is authentic Leadership and what does it look like?

Authentic school leadership is characterised by leaders who are genuine, transparent, and guided by their values. They prioritise open communication, ethical decision-making, and building trust within the school community. The difference if this is done with adult development awareness is that we can understand ourselves and integrate with others as well as others. Authentic leaders foster an environment where everyone feels heard, valued, and motivated to contribute because they understand their lens is different from their own, building trust and integrating authentic qualities. These key characteristics in leadership have a significant positive impact on the school community, including student engagement, teacher retention, staff trust, and parents understanding of the school. Here are some key aspects of authentic leadership in schools. 

Evidence of authentic leadership can be observed through a number of key practices including:

1. Getting to know yourself and the stage of maturity you are at on multiple lines of development.

2. Leading by Example (but listening to others): Authentic leaders can then model their conscious behaviour and values they expect from others, allowing them to share both the upsides and watchouts of their underlying drivers. They embody integrity and set high ethical standards by being transparent. This is key particularly in times of cultural change and key pinch points in strategy implementation. They are conscious that their stakeholders have deeper drivers too.

3. Open Communication: These leaders promote open and honest communication, but again, aware of others having their own lens means they can deliver their message to meet multiple needs and wants. They actively seek feedback, engage in meaningful dialogues, and create space for all voices to be heard, listening with understanding rather than judgement. This creates credibility and transparency as well as a sense of psychological safety within the team and wider organisation, potentially leading to a multitude of benefits such as effective staff collaboration, innovation and positive risk taking.

4. Empowerment: Authentic leaders empower their team members as they can be conscious of their ego. This allows them to trust their colleagues and provide opportunities for them to take ownership of their work and contribute to the school's success. This creates a sense of autonomy, driving intrinsic drive and engagement amongst the school community, with clear governance in place to assure progress and quality. Where teachers feel more autonomy in their work there is higher job satisfaction. Teachers become more likely to model these attributes and provide opportunities for their students by encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and provide them with the support and resources they need to succeed (Bradley, Taylor, Anh, 2003).

5. Value-Centred Decisions: Ethical values guide the decision-making process. Authentic leaders prioritise fairness, equity, and the well-being of the entire school community. We often hear feedback that values maturity profiles we deliver in our training programs provides an insight that makes sense as to our behaviours.

6. Relationship Building: They invest time and effort in building strong relationships with colleagues, students, and parents- often curious as opposed to authoritative. These connections foster trust and collaboration again reinforcing a psychologically safe learning and working environment. Some leaders we work with actually do this outside of school to reduce the fear of school authority from their own childhood.

7. Self-awareness: Authentic leaders in schools are self-reflective and have a deep understanding of their values, strengths, and weaknesses. They are aware of their emotions and how they impact their decision making and leadership style. By knowing themselves well, they can act consistently with their values and remain true to their principles.

8. Cultural competence: Authentic leaders in schools embrace and value diversity. They promote inclusivity, respect, and understanding of different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives- seeing the true potential of the collective when united. They ensure that all members of the school community feel valued and included.

9. Continuous learning and development: Authentic leaders in schools are committed to their own growth and development. They seek opportunities to learn, reflect, and improve their leadership skills. They encourage a culture of continuous development among staff and students as well. This is why we offer the courses we do!

II. The benefits and challenges of Authentic Leadership:

Authentic leadership in schools creates a positive and nurturing environment where students thrive, teachers are empowered, and the entire school community feels valued and supported. It sets the foundation for a culture of trust, growth, and excellence that creates a positive environment that nurtures growth.

However, as with all things in reality it is not without its challenges. The vulnerability that authentic leadership creates can cause leaders to be open to over criticism. A key counter here is ensuring that as an authentic leader you have the self-awareness, emotional intelligence and drive to set your narrative and support others to communicate their criticisms in an open and psychologically safe way - reinforcing the desired culture of the school. We often work between stakeholders to create contracts to ensure this is clear, often transformational between boards and leadership teams. 

In line with this comes the possible resistance to change, it can be difficult for a leader, especially one who may have previously been more reserved, more direct or more transactional to change habits and approaches to foster their authenticity within their work environment; being kind and compassionate to yourself is key here. The journey takes time and being self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses here as well as planning the stages of ongoing openness and transparency with your team will support you all along the journey towards successful change management.

III. Leading as your authentic self

Becoming an authentic leader in education requires a commitment to self-reflection, continuous development, and building meaningful relationships with students, staff, and the larger school community. Here are some steps you can take to develop your authentic leadership skills in the field of education:

1. Discover your values. Reach out to us to discover when you are on your values maturity journey. This also provides a framework and common language for understanding others too.

2. Discover your beliefs. How has your experience over your life shaped your lens, what emotions are attached, and how we can self-author what it is we believe in the future.

3. When you are aware of your values and beliefs you can discover your purpose.

4. Reflect on your values and beliefs: Take time to identify and clarify your core values and beliefs about education and leadership. What is your next step? Understand what drives you and what you are passionate about in the field of education. Reflecting on your values will help you align your actions and decisions with your authentic self.

5. Foster open communication: Create a culture of open and honest communication within your educational community. Encourage others to express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. Active listening and empathy are essential for understanding the needs and perspectives of students, teachers, parents, and staff.

6. Build relationships: Invest time and effort in building positive and authentic relationships with students, teachers, staff, and parents. Connect with them on a personal level, show genuine care and respect, and foster an environment of trust and collaboration. Building strong relationships promotes a sense of belonging and enhances your effectiveness as a leader. When we work with leaders on creating their remarkable story it is often the key to begin opening up to stakeholders because it is so powerful and brings reason to the direction you are leading in.

7. Lead by example: Model the behaviours and qualities you want to see in others and be explicit about the standards you set. Demonstrate integrity, honesty, and ethical behaviour in all your actions. Actively engage in professional development, stay up-to-date with research and best practices, and continuously seek opportunities for personal growth.

8. Empower others: Foster an environment that encourages autonomy, growth, and professional development for teachers and staff. Empower them to make decisions, take risks, and innovate in their teaching practices. Again, contracts are strong here but when created by those taking ownership of the change. Provide the necessary support and resources to help them succeed and establish clear roles- an opportunity for succession planning and onboarding resistance.

9. Foster a positive school culture: Create a positive and supportive school culture that celebrates achievements, fosters collaboration, and promotes a love of learning and embraces diversity and inclusivity. Encourage teamwork, recognise and appreciate the value of and contributions of others, and celebrate successes, big and small. Our latest developmental workforce plan maps out how to do this.

10. Stay committed to your purpose: Keep your passion for education and the well-being of students at the forefront of your leadership. Remember your purpose and the impact you can make on students' lives. Let this drive your decision-making and motivate you to continually improve as an authentic leader.

An important concept worth mentioning here which can act as a barrier to authentic leadership is imposter syndrome (see our previous blog).  Imposter syndrome can impact authentic leadership by undermining a leader's confidence, authenticity, and ability to effectively lead; leaving you feeling inadequate and doubting your abilities despite evidence of your accomplishments. In addition to the steps outlined above the following may be of use when imposter syndrome lurks in the shadows:

1. Embrace vulnerability: Authentic leadership requires embracing vulnerability and being open about your own experiences and challenges. Share your struggles with imposter syndrome with trusted colleagues or mentors. Opening up about these feelings can help you realise that you are not alone and gain support.

2. Challenge negative self-talk: Imposter syndrome often stems from negative self-talk and internalised beliefs of inadequacy. Challenge these negative thoughts by focusing on your accomplishments, strengths, and positive feedback from others. Remind yourself of your unique skills and perspectives that contribute to your authentic leadership.Practice self-care: Take care of your physical and emotional well-being. Engage in activities that promote self-care and stress reduction, such as exercise, mindfulness, or hobbies. Prioritizing self-care helps build resilience and boosts your confidence and authenticity as a leader.

3. Emphasise collaboration and teamwork: Foster a collaborative environment where everyone's contributions are valued. Appreciating the collective success of the team rather than solely focusing on individual achievements creates a team ethos. Recognize that leadership is a collective effort, and authentic leaders value and leverage the strengths of their team members.

4. Embrace imperfections: Understand that perfection is not attainable and that everyone has areas for growth. Embrace your imperfections and view them as opportunities for growth and learning. Recognize that authenticity lies in embracing your unique self, including your strengths and areas where you may still be developing.

5. Celebrate successes: Acknowledge and celebrate your achievements and milestones along your leadership journey. Take time to reflect on the positive impact you have made on others and the growth you have experienced. Celebrating successes can reinforce your confidence and reinforce your sense of authenticity.

Remember that imposter syndrome is a common experience that many leaders face, particularly in new contexts or roles. By actively addressing imposter syndrome and nurturing your authentic leadership, you can overcome self-doubt and lead with confidence, integrity, and genuine authenticity. Getting this out on the table with a coach often allows you to discover the true root of the fear that arises. 

In an educational landscape where strong leadership is crucial, authenticity is proving to be a powerful catalyst for change, driving schools toward a brighter, more inclusive future with a clear impact on retention and innovation. 

Coaching and team journeys can play a crucial role in developing authentic school leadership and addressing imposter syndrome. Our coaches help leaders reflect on their values, provide feedback, and guide them in their journey toward authenticity. If you are interested in exploring cutting edge diagnostics and coaching opportunities further for either yourself or your team and the benefits it can offer more widely for your organisation, we would be delighted to discuss options further. Please book a discovery call or contact us at info@glasshouselab.com.

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References:

Bradley, S., Taylor, J. & Anh, N. (2003). Job autonomy and job satisfaction: new evidence. [online]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5161837_Job_autonomy_and_job_satisfaction_new_evidence