Leadership Story

Leadership Reflection & Growth

Take some time to reflect on your leadership journey by responding to the following questions. Your insights will help shape your personal growth and leadership approach.

1. Your Leadership Journey

What inspired you to become a leader, and how has your leadership style evolved over time?

I have been in leadership roles in the early childhood sector for many years now and I did not go looking for these opportunities as they just seemed to come to me. I am inspired by leaders who place people at the centre of their leadership, who lead with empathy and work collaboratively with their teams. I feel like I have learnt on the job and have an instinct to lead and to nurture people’s inherent potential. I am a keen observer and will seek out those who I think I can learn from. My leadership style has evolved to become one that is underpinned by intentionality and purposeful optimism. I have learnt the value of strategic intent and actively seek opportunities where I can influence. Over time I have learnt the importance of active listening, meeting people where they are at and trusting your team. Humanity and empathy are key as people are complex, and we need to get alongside them to really understand and effectively lead.

2. Vision & Impact

What drives you as a leader, and how do you ensure your vision positively impacts staff and students?

My drive is around ensuring people can stretch themselves, to feel happy in their work and to have opportunities to lead and be innovative. Growing people is important to me and I gain much satisfaction from people doing things that surprise themselves and grow their self-belief. I am also driven by the greater good, i.e. growing amazing kaiako for our future tamariki and mokopuna; kaiako who can question, think critically and challenge ideas and theories. It is important that the professionalism of the early childhood sector is maintained and to do so, the ability to think critically and articulate from a place of deep understanding is vital.

3. Coaching & Mentoring

How has mentoring or coaching influenced your leadership, and what do you find most rewarding about developing others?

Mentoring is a key aspect of my own leadership, and I have also been mentored myself by colleagues such as my doctoral supervisors, team leaders, senior teachers and others. The mentoring I have been fortunate enough to experience has given me signposts for my own leadership practices. I have been able to unconsciously add to my own leadership kete and sometimes to think to myself ‘no I won’t be taking on board that way of working with people’. I have also been coached and have coached others, and coaching is a key leadership tool to support and enable team members to learn new processes and practices that may be unique to the setting they are working in.

The biggest reward for me is seeing teams fly and achieving great things.

4. Leading Change

Can you share a time when you led a significant change? What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?

I have led teams through structural changes and leading during times of change requires extra tools in your leadership kete. Some people thrive in times of change and others feel nervous and threatened. I have learnt that clear, consistent messages are important and being available to talk through the change and the potential impact. If your relationship with your team members is strong and trusting, then they will look to you for reassurance and support. Change is a constant in our lives, and I have learnt that it is important to provide a strong, calm sense of direction for your team.

5. Wellbeing & Resilience

How do you manage the pressures of leadership while maintaining your own wellbeing and support?

I have boundaries around weekends and indeed around the hours that I work (of course there are ebbs and flows). I have learnt to turn my work phone off after a certain time in the evenings and to ensure I look after my own wellbeing so that I can look after my team. Leadership can be a lonely journey at times, and I ensure I maintain strong relationships with my senior colleagues so that I can seek their support and fresh thinking when I need to. I also try to work as collaboratively as possible with my colleagues as this creates an immediate support network, as well as making the job more fun!

Next Steps for Growth

Based on your reflections, what are one or two key areas you’d like to focus on in your leadership development?

I am always learning and there is always more to do! I have found it important to seek new challenges and to keep moving forward. I tend to seek out opportunities as they arise and sometimes this can be the opportunity to work with a different team. So, although I cannot define key areas for my own leadership development currently, the idea of taking on complex challenges appeals, as I believe in making the best possible contribution I can to the early childhood sector. This leads me to seeking out new roles when I sense I am starting to stagnate. Leading is a privilege and one that requires courage and foresight.