The vast majority of people believe that things are getting worse, not better. People everywhere think the world is more frightening, more violent and more hopeless – in short, more dramatic – than it really is. This belief is fueled by the news media.

Contrary to this popular belief, the World is actually getting better. Despite what the media would have us believe, we have reason to be optimistic.

Step-by-step, year-by-year, the world is improving. Not on every single measure, every single year but generally as a rule. Though the world faces huge challenges, we have made and continue to make, tremendous progress. This is supported by facts beautifully described by author Hans Rosling in the great book, “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World”.

The facts of the matter are…
The proportion of the global population living in extreme poverty has halved in the past 20 years.

Almost all children are vaccinated in the world today and almost all human beings alive today have some access to basic modern health care.

According to Rosling, the viewpoint that the world is divided into two – the West and the rest, is dated. Levels of income, education, health care, electricity and democracy all tell the same story: that the world used to be divided into two but isn’t any longer. Rosling stresses that we should stop using such simple categories to suggest there is.

The human brain is a product of millions of years of evolution and we are hard wired with instincts that help us to survive. Our brains often jump to swift conclusions without much thinking. This helps us in times of immediate threat. We have become alert to potential threats, drama and an interest in gossip and dramatic events. Whilst we have instincts that used to be helpful a thousand years ago, we live in a different world today.

Whilst we still need these dramatic instincts to be on the lookout for potential trouble, we need to learn to control our drama intake. Rosling states “Uncontrolled, our appetite for the dramatic goes too far, prevents us from seeing the World as it is, and leads us terribly astray.”

Rosling advocates that his book will make you feel more positive, less stressed and more hopeful….we need those benefits in schools, more than ever. It worked for me and is well worth the read.

Resoundingly the answer is a very strong “NO!”

In the bustling halls of schools nationwide, an essential ingredient often overlooked in the pursuit of academic excellence is the element of fun. While the focus on rigorous learning is crucial, integrating joy and playfulness into the school environment can significantly enhance the overall educational experience. It’s time for school principals and other leaders to lead the charge in fostering a culture where fun thrives alongside learning.

First and foremost, injecting fun into school life creates a positive atmosphere that nurtures student engagement and motivation. When students associate school with enjoyment and excitement, they are more likely to actively participate in lessons, extracurricular activities, and social interactions. This, in turn, can lead to improved academic performance and overall well-being.

Incorporating fun activities encourages connection. Whether it’s through art projects, sporting challenges or group games, allowing space for playful exploration stimulates critical thinking skills and fosters a love for learning that extends beyond textbooks and exams. By embracing fun, schools can cultivate a dynamic learning environment where students feel inspired to think outside the box, pursue their passions and build positive relationships and respect. After all, schools are people places.

Think back to times when you have had a great time at school. Highlights that come to mind for me were staff vs student sporting events, shared experiences on school camps and lip syncing competitions! Perhaps we have become too serious and take ourselves too seriously.

It’s not just students who benefit from a fun-filled school environment; staff members also experience a boost in morale and job satisfaction. When principals and leaders prioritise fun and camaraderie among staff, it creates a supportive work culture where collaboration flourishes and burnout is reduced. Celebrating achievements, organising team-building activities and embracing humour in the workplace can strengthen staff relationships and enhance overall job performance.

In essence, integrating fun into the fabric of school life is not just a luxury—it’s a necessity for creating vibrant and thriving educational communities. School principals and other leaders play a pivotal role in setting the tone and fostering a culture where joy and learning go hand in hand. By prioritising fun, schools can unlock the full potential of their students and create lasting memories that shape their educational journey for years to come. So let’s dare to infuse a little more laughter, play and spontaneity into our schools—because when we embrace fun, everyone wins.

PS Whilst this is the April 1 edition of School Leadership Insights…this is NOT an April Fools Day joke! I’m serious about having more fun in school.

There are many expectations placed on school leaders. Setting the direction. Supporting staff. Managing student behaviour. Dealing with unhappy parents. Managing the budget. Recruiting great staff (a heartbeat is a good start in the current environment).

I believe the following quote from Kenneth Leithwood captures a key area.

Leaders provide the direction and create the environment that promotes good teaching and consistency across the school.

I would argue that all students in a school deserve a good deal. It shouldn’t matter which class students are put in or which teacher they have, they all deserve a good deal. The remit of the school’s leadership team is to identify what good practice looks like, for their students and then how do we consistently provide those practices across the school. The larger the school the harder this is to achieve.

Whilst I believe people are more important in a school than programs, I am concerned that in many schools, vast amounts of time and energy are put into writing and rewriting programs, year after year.

In launching our Early Career Teacher program this year I have been alarmed by the number of graduate teachers who are writing their own programs or making important pedagogical decisions such as, how to teach literacy. For many it appears to be a free for all or a pick your own adventure. Rather than adopting the school’s agreed practices, many new graduates are writing programs from scratch and reinventing the wheel.

Whilst none of us like to be micro-managed and told exactly what to do, I believe that it is far more powerful, effective and efficient to have programs and plans in place that teachers should be expected to adopt and then tweak. This approach also reduces the creation of lighthouses where teachers do their own thing and work independently of each other. This creates pockets of brilliance but also areas of questionable practice.

As well as improving staff well-being by reducing workloads, these approaches help to ensure that all students get a good deal.

I am blown away by the hype surrounding Taylor Swift. The interest in this year’s Super Bowl, her potential influence on U.S. politics and the impact on the Australian economy (60 additional flights from Brisbane to Sydney) to name just a few examples. Here are some leadership tips inspired by Taylor.

Embrace Change: Taylor Swift is known for reinventing herself with every album release. As a school leader, embrace change and adaptability. Stay open to new ideas and methods, even if they challenge the status quo.

Authenticity Matters: Swift’s success lies in her authenticity. Be genuine in your interactions with staff, students and parents. Transparency and honesty build trust and respect within the school community.

Empower Others: Swift surrounds herself with a talented team and trusts them to do their jobs. Empower your staff by delegating tasks and giving them the autonomy to make decisions. Encourage and support their professional growth and development.

Stay Resilient: Throughout her career, Swift has faced numerous challenges and setbacks. Develop resilience to navigate through difficult times in education. Learn from failures and setbacks, and bounce back stronger.

Communicate Effectively: Swift’s ability to connect with her audience through her music is unparalleled. Similarly, effective communication is essential for school leaders. Listen actively, communicate clearly and foster open dialogue within the school community.

Foster a Positive Culture: Swift’s music often promotes messages of love, empowerment and resilience. Create a positive school culture where kindness and inclusivity are celebrated. Encourage students and staff to support each other and celebrate successes.

Lead with Vision: Swift’s career is guided by a clear vision of who she wants to be as an artist. As a school leader, articulate a compelling vision for the school that inspires and motivates others. Lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to achieving the school’s goals.

Be Adaptable: Swift has successfully transitioned between different music genres and styles. In a constantly evolving educational landscape, be adaptable and flexible in your approach. Embrace innovation and change to meet the needs of your students.

Stay True to Yourself: Above all, stay true to who you are as a leader. Just as Swift stays true to her artistic vision, lead with integrity and stay true to your values and principles as a school leader. Your authenticity will inspire others to do the same.

The core principle of the 80/20 rule states that roughly 80% of your outputs come from 20% of your inputs. This can be applied to various aspects of life.

If you owned a business, 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers.
80% of food ordered at a restaurant comes from 20% of the items on the menu.
80% of your results at work come from 20% of your tasks.
Identifying this vital 20% and focusing your efforts on it can dramatically improve your efficiency and effectiveness.

Don’t try to do everything. Instead, prioritise ruthlessly and focus on the few things that will have the biggest impact. This means focusing your time on the things that matter and make a difference.

Play to your strengths: Everyone has unique talents and abilities. Play to your strengths and delegate or outsource the rest, wherever you can. Don’t waste time and energy trying to be good at everything. Some leaders are terrible at delegating. Some are martyrs who don’t believe anyone else can do anything as well as they can. Some are abdicators who flick ALL of the work off to others. Look for the ‘sweet spot’ in the middle. Play to your strengths and build the capability of those you lead.

Eliminate the trivial: Some of what we do is actually busy work that has little or no impact on our results. Identify and eliminate these time-wasting activities to free up your time for what really matters. Try to identify the 20% of your tasks or time where you have the most impact.

Leverage technology and automation: Use technology to your advantage to automate tasks and free up your time for more important things. For example, set up email templates for emails you often have to send but usually start from scratch each time. By saving a template you can have a great start and then edit or tweak the base. If you haven’t tried it already, check out Chat GPT.

Don’t be afraid to say no: It’s okay to say no to requests that don’t align with your priorities or goals. Don’t let other people control your time and energy.

Measure your results: Track your progress to see what’s working and what’s not. This will help you to make adjustments and stay on track.

Be patient: The 80/20 principle is not a quick fix. It takes time and effort to implement it effectively. Persistence can lead to improvements in your productivity and results.

For more insights check out “The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Achieving More with Less” by Richard Koch.

Attached are FIVE resources to support brand-new graduates in their first five weeks. The resources come from our brand NEW Happy Teacher – Early Career program. This advice is for FIRST year graduates. We also have specific advice for early career teachers in their 2nd and 3rd years as well.  Simply click to download each resource.

1 Congratulations On Becoming A Teacher
2 Setting Up For Success
3 The Keep it Simple Guide to Classroom Management
4 Plan For Success
5 Real World Classroom Management

The first three years are especially challenging for early career teachers. Whilst they often receive support from mentors and school leaders on curriculum, planning, processes and operational issues, if they don’t have the skills and knowledge to manage their own well-being, they are at serious risk of burnout. Our NEW Happy Teacher – Early Career program is tailored specifically to the well-being of beginning and early career teachers.

Once registered, we will provide the weekly resources directly to each of your early career teachers. Each of your early career teachers will receive weekly guidance and support to help them look after their own well-being and survive the demands of teaching. Specific yearlong programs have been designed for teachers in each of their first, second and third years of teaching.

Annual Investment
$690 + gst for one teacher
$1380 + gst per school (up to 5 early career teachers)
$2990 + gst per school (6 + early career teachers)

Additional teachers can be added at any stage.

To get started CLICK HERE to register your school. We will then contact you to set up the program for your early career teachers. Payment isn’t required at this stage. We will invoice the school.

We all know that term 4 is ballistic! It is always a hectic time of the school year and we are inevitably running low on reserves. However, saying or doing something dumb in term 4 wipes out all of the good work that you have done throughout the year. The mantra of all staff in schools, especially leaders, needs to be FINISH STRONG!

Attitudes are contagious, especially the leaders. If you are frantic, short with people and irritable that sets the tone for your staff. Let’s face it, no one cares how busy YOU are, they only care how busy THEY are!

Here are five strategies to make sure you finish the year well!

Live the Reputation You Want to Have
At this time of year it is important to be calm, organised and upbeat.

Praise Challenge
Find five opportunities each day to praise or thank somebody. Your comments need to be genuine, personal and specific. You will be amazed at how well the positive vibe spreads.

Increase Visibility
It is even more important than ever to be out and about. I know you have a lot to do but locking yourself away creates a disconnect when people need you the most.

Use the Pareto Principle
We get 80% of our results from 20% of our time. There are some critical times of the day when you have the most impact. Use this to your advantage. For example, being available to staff in that hour before school starts in the morning is peak time.

Ruthlessly Use Your Time
There is a lot to be done and not enough time. Focus and get serious about doing the important work, the things that matter and make a difference and doing them at the right time. Constantly reflect on, “What is the most important thing I can be doing with this time I have available?”

Make your mantra for the rest of the year, “FINISH STRONG!”

I’m worried about our early career teachers.  Recruiting and retaining good teachers is vital. Staff resignations and retirements have led to shortages and the appointment of many graduates. Working in schools can be challenging. The first three years are especially challenging for early career teachers. We have all heard the statistics of staff turnover in the first years of teaching. If early career teachers don’t have the skills and knowledge to manage their own well-being they are at serious risk.

Our NEW Happy Teacher – Early Career program is based on our very successful Happy School program but is tailored specifically to the needs of beginning teachers.

How It Works?
Register your early career teachers in the program and they will receive weekly guidance and support to help them look after their own well-being and survive the demands of teaching. Specific yearlong programs have been designed for teachers in each of their first, second and third years of teaching.

Once registered we will provide the weekly resources directly to your beginning teachers.

Annual Investment
$690 + gst for one teacher
$1380 + gst per school (up to 5 early career teachers)
$2990 + gst per school (6 + early career teachers)

Additional teachers can be added at any stage.

“Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter” by Liz Wiseman is a book that explores the concept of leadership and how effective leaders can multiply the intelligence and capabilities of their teams. Wiseman argues that there are two types of leaders: Multipliers and Diminishers. Multipliers are leaders who amplify the intelligence and abilities of those around them, while Diminishers are leaders who stifle and limit the potential of their team members.

One of the key messages of the book is that Multipliers believe in the capabilities of their team members and create an environment where everyone can excel. They are talent magnets who attract the best and the brightest because people want to work with them. Multipliers are also challengers who stretch their team members by giving them opportunities to grow and learn. They are also liberators who trust their team members to take ownership and make decisions.

In contrast, Diminishers are micromanagers who don’t trust their team members and tend to control every aspect of their work. They are also know-it-alls who believe they have all the answers and don’t seek input from others. This stifles creativity and limits the potential of the team.

According to Wiseman, Multipliers are not born; they can be developed through conscious effort and self-awareness. The author provides a framework for leaders to become Multipliers by adopting specific behaviours and mindsets. This includes asking questions to stimulate thinking, providing opportunities for team members to take ownership and giving credit where it’s due.

The book also emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of intelligence in an organisation by valuing all sorts of intelligence and talent. Multipliers set high expectations and challenge their team members but they also provide support and encouragement. They create an environment where it’s safe to make mistakes and learn from them.

One of the key takeaways from the book is that leaders should focus on growing and developing their team members rather than trying to be the smartest person in the room. Multipliers understand that the collective intelligence of the team is greater than that of any individual and they leverage that intelligence to achieve exceptional results.

Are you a Multiplier or a Diminisher? If you feel like you are the smartest person in the room and your school and your staff ‘need’ you, you may well be a diminisher. Harsh but true!

“Multipliers” is a compelling book that challenges traditional notions of leadership and provides a roadmap for becoming a more effective leader. It highlights the importance of creating a culture where everyone’s intelligence is valued and harnessed for the benefit of your school.

“If oxygen is required, a mask like this, will fall from above you. Apply your own mask first, before helping others.”

I fly fairly often and can recite word for word almost all of the pre-flight safety message. The key message above, applies to leaders and staff in schools. We need to take responsibility for our own care, if we are going to be in a position to help others in need.

Inspired by the 12 self-care tips from the Power of Positivity I have added a few extra tips.

1. If it feels wrong, don’t do it.
2. Say ‘exactly’ what you mean.
3. Don’t be a people pleaser.
4. Trust your instincts.
5. Never speak bad about yourself (or others).
6. Never give up on your dreams.
7. Don’t be afraid to say, “No!”
8. Don’t be afraid to say “Yes!”
9. Be KIND to yourself.
10. Let go of what you can’t control.
11. Stay away from drama and negativity.
12. LOVE
13. Presume the other person means well.
14. Practise patience.
15. Be the bigger person.
16. Don’t take it personally.
17. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
18. Keep exercising, even when you are busy.
19. When times are particularly challenging and stressful, think “This too will end!”
20. Your work is important and you have the opportunity to change lives every day.

As we come to the crazy final term of the school year, which of these do you need to put into action and have as your mantra?