Leadership, Presence, and Trust
I’m in my first year as principal at a large international school and being present matters deeply to me. I value being at the gate each morning, greeting families, checking in with staff, and being visible around the school. I don’t like missing days and have always tried to keep absence to a minimum.
When Absence Becomes Necessary
So when I was recently struck down with severe back pain and physically unable to move, I had to give in and stay off work. And interestingly enough, the sky didn’t fall in. The school ran well and, despite a few significant issues arising, the team on site handled everything beautifully, and without me. I wasn’t surprised.
Moving Beyond the Hero Leader
This experience reminded me that leadership is not about one person or being the hero. A “hero leader” is not in the best interests of a school, its students, staff, or families. Leadership at its best is about recognising the collective strength of a team and ensuring that responsibility, power, and knowledge do not rest with a single individual.
Trusting the Team
The weekend after my absence, there was a school event I wanted very much to attend. Being there felt important to me. But when the Head of Secondary gently messaged on Friday evening to suggest I stay away due to the pain I was in, I’ll admit I was a little put out. After some reflection, however, I felt deeply grateful. Grateful that we have open communication, that colleagues feel able to speak honestly, and that doing what is right for students and the school always comes first.
Learning Across Phases
My background is in primary education, and I’ve worked in schools across five countries, most with students from Foundation Stage through to Sixth Form. My understanding of secondary education continues to grow, supported now by my experience as a parent of two sons at university. Navigating their journey through the secondary years has given me a valuable parent and student perspective.
I don’t pretend to know everything about secondary education. I naturally default to spending more time in the primary section, something I know I need to work on. I have avoided dropping into secondary Maths and Science lessons more than I should for fear of being ‘found out’ at not knowing the answers!
I defer often to our secondary leadership team for a steer on things. I do ask questions and I’m learning quickly. In my role, there is much beyond the day to day running of the school and for me, that is when leadership means trust, humility, and a willingness to serve the community rather than centre myself within it. That means working as part of a team, not being the ‘Hero’.
Understanding Servant Leadership
What this experience reinforced for me is the idea of servant leadership, a way of leading that places service, trust, and empowerment at the centre, rather than control or visibility.
Servant leadership in a school context means recognising that my role is not to be indispensable, but to help build a community where others are confident, capable, and trusted to lead. When leadership is overly dependent on one person, systems become fragile. When it is shared, schools become resilient. My time away due to injury reminded me that strength lies not in constant presence, but in the structures, relationships, and culture we build together.
High Expectations and Humility
Being a servant leader doesn’t mean stepping back or lowering expectations. On the contrary, it means holding high expectations while creating conditions for others to meet them. It’s about listening before acting, asking questions rather than offering quick answers, and making space for expertise beyond my own, particularly in areas where others know far more than I do. In my conversations with the secondary leadership team, I am conscious that my learning is ongoing.
Rethinking Presence
Servant leadership is also about presence of a different kind. Sometimes that means being visible at the gate or in classrooms; other times, it means stepping aside so others can lead confidently without interruption. It means being secure enough to know that the school does not need me to be everywhere, all the time, in order to succeed. I am working on this!
Keeping Students at the Centre
Most importantly, servant leadership keeps the focus where it belongs; the students. When leadership serves the community rather than the individual, trust grows and with trust comes collaboration, innovation, and a shared sense of purpose.
Learning Along the Way
And of course, practicing servant leadership does not mean getting it right all the time. I don’t. I still arrive at decisions too quickly on occasion, I am guilty of not asking enough questions when I don’t have the answers. Some days I lead with clarity and confidence; other days I learn, sometimes the hard way.
I am grateful to work with colleagues who lead with integrity and confidence, and who feel empowered to challenge, guide, and support one another openly. If my absence showed me anything, it is that this school is strongest when leadership is collective, humble, and grounded in service.
That is the kind of leadership I aspire to practice and to continue learning, every day.
