Written by Alice Gregson, CEO, Forum Strategy
The Summer holidays. A good opportunity for many to take some form of a break (however brief or long) and to spend some quality time with friends and family. Personally, I like to use August to strike the balance of taking some pockets of time off with carving out some much needed time for reflection and planning for the academic year ahead. I hope you, like me, were able to find some balance and within that, some time for replenishment.
One of the things I did this Summer (in my pockets of ‘down time’) was to spend some precious time with my niece and nephew in London; and in between games, laughter, and their endless questions, I was really struck by how different their world is from the one I grew up in. The things they said – about technology, their friends, school, and even the way they see their futures – reminded me that their challenges and opportunities are not the same as mine were at their age. It also reinforced to me just how important education is, not only as a way to help them make sense of the world around them, but also as a tool to give them the confidence and skills to navigate a future that is moving faster and changing more than any of us could ever have imagined. As leaders in education, keeping up with these changes so we can equip our workforce, children and young people and communities to succeed, will be a defining part of our leadership now and in the future.
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
And talking of futures, we are of course now embarking upon a new academic year, the start of which often brings a sense of possibility and hope. There’s the renewed energy that comes with having time for a break and with that, perhaps a sense of new beginnings, the optimism of fresh plans, and the determination to continue to make a difference in the year ahead. But we also know that for so many of you, it comes with the sobering reality that the months ahead will be busy – perhaps busier than ever – bringing even greater complexity and multiple, often competing priorities.
We know the landscape that lies ahead for us: shifting policy, continued funding pressures, continued recruitment and retention challenges, and the ever-present swirl of national debate and dialogue surrounding education, related to important areas such as technology and AI, SEND and attendance, wellbeing and mental health, diversity and inclusion, environmental sustainability and much more. The temptation can be to respond to everything – to turn our heads quickly towards each new headline, policy announcement, or emerging issue. But in doing so, we risk missing the very things that matter most – let me explain.
Saccadic Masking: The Science of Missing What’s in Front of Us
In neuroscience, saccadic masking describes the brain’s remarkable ability to suppress visual processing during rapid eye movements (saccades). When our eyes dart from one point to another, the brain effectively ‘blanks out’ the blur to maintain a stable perception of the world. This is useful for survival, but it also means that in those moments, we can miss important details that have been blanked out in the blur. Leadership can be similar.
When we are constantly shifting our attention – reacting to every new demand – we can unintentionally ‘mask’ the signals that matter most. We might miss the subtle cues and shifts from within our teams or communities, the early signs of a problem, or the quiet opportunities for improvement or innovation. Daniel Kahneman, in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow, reminds us that “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it.” What he means by this is that our perception of the importance of something is often inflated when we’re pulled towards it (or the general consensus around us is pulled towards it, perhaps via a new policy announcement or a funding stream). Our brains tend to amplify the significance of whatever occupies our immediate thoughts, but in the grand scheme of things, many of those things jostling for our attention might not be as crucial as they first appear in the moment.
In other words, our attention is a filter – and when it is constantly redirected, we risk filtering out the wrong things. For leaders, the learning here is about slowing down enough to see. Find ways to build in regular moments of stillness and reflection and resist the urge to pivot instantly to every new issue. It will be important over the months ahead, to stay anchored to what we know truly matters and makes a difference and where we know we can have some significant influence and control.
As well-known American writer Susan Sontag so beautifully puts it “Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration’s shove or society’s kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”
Reflective question(s): How will you keep focused on the things that matter? How will you carefully direct your attention and guard against the instinct to react and respond too quickly?
Locus of Control: Knowing Where to Act
In our 2025 trust leaders symposium back in June, Michael Pain reminded us in his speech about the importance of identifying our circles of control, influence and concern – encouraging us to direct our focus to that which we can control and influence. This builds on the original work of Julian Rotter’s locus of control theory, first developed in the 1960s, and highlights how it has remained a powerful framework for leadership. As a reminder, Rotter’s model describes the extent to which individuals believe they have control over the events in their lives.
- Internal locus of control: Belief that outcomes are shaped by one’s own actions and decisions
- External locus of control: Belief that outcomes are determined by external forces beyond one’s influence.
In times of uncertainty, it’s easy for leaders to drift towards an external locus – to feel at the mercy of political decisions, economic pressures, or changing Ofsted frameworks. And to try (often with desperation and frustration) to gain some mental control over these things through dedicating significant bandwidth of attention to them. But as Michael outlined, effective leadership requires a disciplined return to the internal locus: focusing on what we can control and influence.
Stephen Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, calls this the Circle of Influence. He writes: “Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about.” For trust leaders, this means keeping the focus on critical aspects such as:
- Shaping the culture and climate of your trust and schools
- Investing in your own and staff development and wellbeing
- Strengthening community relationships, the social glue, and locality leadership
- Ensuring continued clarity of mission, vision, and strategic prioritisation
- Developing strategic partnerships and meaningful collaboration
It also means letting go of the rest. Not ignoring it, but instead keeping a watchful eye so you are kept informed and aware, but refusing to let it overly dominate your energy and attention. This balance and laser-like focus is crucial, particularly during times of wide-ranging change.
Reflective question: What are two or three key strategic priorities in 2025/26 and how are you going to be ‘laser like’ in articulating and remaining focused on these?
Effective Change Management: Intentional, Not Reactive
Change is inevitable this year – indeed, it has become a regular staple of our landscape over recent years. Whether it’s curriculum reform, funding adjustments, a new white paper or evolving accountability measures, we know changes are coming. But whilst we may have limited influence over the ‘what’ of the changes, we absolutely have influence over the ‘how’ of them. How we digest and process the changes that are announced; how we consider the application of changes to our specific contexts (and make them work for our children and young people, communities and staff); and how we communicate changes to those we work for and alongside, is all within our gift to shape.
When change is rushed, reactive, or poorly communicated, it can do more harm than good. John Kotter, in his seminal work Leading Change, identified eight steps for successful change and transformation, beginning with aspects such as creating a sense of need and urgency, building a guiding coalition and developing and communicating vision and strategy. But perhaps one of the most relevant for trust leaders this year is his warning against “declaring victory too soon” which is a reminder that change is a process, not an event, and that true transformation and successful change takes time and patience.
If we put this into a policy context as an example, a change in policy can often be seen as ‘the change’ in and of itself. However, in reality, the real change comes from the patient and measured delivery of policy on the ground. As Sir Michael Barber says in his book ‘Accomplishment’: “Great leaders understand that announcing a policy is not the same as achieving it. The hard work is in the delivery.” The point here, therefore, is that you, as leaders of trusts, have an essential and influential role in ensuring that where policy and government led change is announced, it lands in a way that is right for those you serve and work alongside. The ‘what’ of government policy has limited opportunities for you to influence and control but the ‘how’ of its delivery is where you can ensure it benefits those you serve and work alongside.
William Bridges, in Managing Transitions, makes a crucial distinction between change (external events) and transition (the internal psychological process people go through). We often underestimate the emotional and cognitive load of transition. As humans, when change happens, we need time to let go of the old, navigate the uncertainty of the neutral zone, and then embrace the new. And as leaders, we not only need to do this for ourselves, but we need to be able to lead others through it too. Our approach to change and the process of transition therefore, needs to be intentional and carefully mapped out.
An intentional approach to change management means:
- Clarity of purpose: Being explicit about why a change is needed.
- Sequencing: Avoid overloading people with multiple simultaneous initiatives.
- Communication: Being transparent, empathetic, and consistent.
- Support: Providing the resources and time needed for people to adapt.
As Kotter puts it: “Transformation is a process, not an event. It grows out of a series of actions and is always messy.” Therefore if we see the year ahead (and beyond it) as an inevitable period of transformation, we can keep in mind that it may well be messy and complex – but that it’s our responsibility as leaders to make sense of it, guide others through and to keep the focus firmly where it really matters most for those we serve. Our ability to resist and tune out the political naval gazing and maintain our attention on the work we know (and should have confidence in) delivers best for children, young people, communities and staff, will set apart the good leaders from the great.
Reflective question(s): How clear is the trust’s philosophy and approach to change management and transformation? Is there a model or process in place to manage significant change across the organisation? How are lessons learned captured and utilised from historical changes?
Choosing your peers, partners and support networks carefully
As is very often the case during times of change and complexity, there will be many people and organisations who profess to have the answers for you. New tools and solutions that can do it all for you. As trust leaders, you are the gatekeepers to your organisations and therefore for some, an attractive target for selling to (or offering ‘free’ opportunities that ultimately lead to selling you things!). Now, more than ever, when you are so busy and dealing with so many competing demands, is the time to be selective and meticulous in where you spend your time and who you surround yourselves with. Who are the people and organisations that have proven their commitment and loyalty to you, who have a track record of delivering on promises, and who offer you different perspectives that build and grow your thinking?
Effective networking, connection building and influencing is often less about numbers and quantity and more about quality and ongoing commitment, particularly at leadership level. As John C. Maxwell puts it in his book ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’: “Those closest to the leader will determine the success level of that leader.” Who we surround ourselves with and the depth of those relationships, is critical to our sense of belonging, support and success as leaders.
Einstein once said one of the most powerful forces in the universe is ‘compound interest’ – a financial concept whereby interest is earned on an initial investment plus accumulated interest over time. The longer the investment is made, the more the interest (and therefore the return) grows. This idea applies to networks too. The more we commit to, engage in, and involve ourselves in established networks over time, the more value and return we gain from them as trust, connection and awareness builds. High quality networking and ongoing professional development is about commitment and consistency over time.
“The more we commit to, engage in, and involve ourselves in established networks over time, the more value and return we gain from them as trust, connection and awareness builds”
So, beware the pull of shiny, new opportunities and those who suggest they have all the answers to your challenges. Instead, be intentional and carve out time to focus on identifying what your unmet needs are, and whether you can address these from within already established and trusted networks and opportunities. This can help with avoiding the trap of spreading yourself too thinly and keeps the focus on building on and investing in important foundations you’ve developed over the years.
Reflective Questions for Trust Leaders
As you step into this new academic year, you might ask yourself:
- Where am I focusing my attention and what might I be missing if I move that attention too quickly? What are my two or three major priorities for the year ahead?
- Which priorities are truly within my influence and control, and which are simply ‘the noise’ to be aware of and adapt to accordingly?
- How can I create the conditions that enable my team(s) to focus on what matters most?
- Am I articulating and sequencing change in a way that ensures it is embraced by and sustainable for staff and students?
- What signals – from staff, children and young people, or communities – do I need to slow down and notice? How can I build pure accountability into the fabric of the organisation to complement this?
- How do I support my staff and those we serve through the transition, not just the change?
- Who are my trusted sources of support, information and professional challenge? How will I avoid being drawn into too many commitments and keep my focus on the places and people I know will support, synthesize and offer something different that develops my thinking?
A Year for Clarity
The year ahead will be busy. It will be complex. And it will be full of moments where the easiest thing to do is to turn our heads quickly and respond to whatever is in front of us. But the most effective leaders will be those who slow down enough to see clearly, who choose their focus with care, who act with intention and who surround themselves with those they can trust and rely upon. In a world full of noise, clarity and intentionality is a gift – to ourselves, to our teams, and to the children and communities we serve.
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge. When leaders are clear about their vision, others can find focus in their work.” ~ Simon Sinek
Other useful resources to refer to:
Change management as CEOs and executives: what we need to consider
One year in: navigating the change as trusts and as a sector
In Practice Guide: Pure Accountability
Five reasons to join a professional network (and how to secure value when you join one)
The thriving CEO: Leader, know thyself and be intentional about it
