AI is getting weird. Just got sent this…

How do you know if you've moved from healthy accountability into toxic control?

Sam and I unpacked this and it got me thinking about my own practice.

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Quick fixes in schools are like payday loans. Immediate relief, but the interest compounds.

Each initiative spends trust. Parents notice. Teachers notice.

Before long, your crisis response becomes the crisis.

Every change starts with someone's perception of a problem. Problem is, we often treat perceptions like facts and leap straight to solutions before we've even agreed what we're fixing.

One clear insight from Jo: coaching builds your “curiosity muscles” — leaders who coach get richer evidence than a single lesson observation. We talk about practical tools you can use tomorrow. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
#CoachingCulture

Jo said: “Coaching is an ongoing, careful professional reflection.” That line reframed how I think about retention, leadership pipelines and small changes that actually stick. We unpack what that looks like in school. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
#TeacherDevelopment

Behind the mic: Jo’s work on postgraduate programmes and ILM coaching informed the whole convo — we talked about designing school-specific coaching, protecting time for conversations, and practical next steps. buff.ly/O6zSYXd

I hoard conference stuff because once I own it, it feels valuable even when it's not.

Schools do this with initiatives.

Old programme clearly broken? "We've put time into it."
New idea? "Current way's fine."
You can't see what you own clearly anymore.

Recognise this? What are you defending?

What if PD fails because we stop at the workshop? Jo shares real examples of schools that rebuilt practice by adding short coaching cycles and simple reflection prompts. We unpack where follow-through actually lives. buff.ly/O6zSYXd

You can't persuade someone with authority alone. Especially not teachers.

Cialdini's persuasion principles remind us: people respond to reciprocity, not rank.

Have you genuinely helped someone before asking them to change? That's where influence actually lives.

I recorded this episode from an airport, which felt right — constant noise, constant requests. It’s about managing interruptions without guilt (and without losing your head).

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If you ever end a corridor chat wondering what you just agreed to, this one’s for you.
We explore how to set clear “containers” so every quick talk leads somewhere useful.

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#LeadershipDevelopment

Interruptions aren’t the problem — how we respond is. I talked about the small doorway habit that turns chaos into clarity and protects your thinking time.

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#EducationalLeadership

Amy Edmondson found that the best hospital teams made MORE mistakes than average teams.

Except they didn't. They just felt safe enough to report them.

If your staff aren't flagging problems, it's not because everything's fine. It's because they don't feel safe speaking up.

#EduSky

Just finished Growth Talk by John Campbell and Chris Munro on my flight back to Shanghai.

If you're a leader who wants better everyday conversations (not formal coaching, just actual useful chats), this is it.

Even has a checklist I'm printing for my desk.

Most school change dies because we rush to solutions.

Yesterday at Festival of Education: introduced the double diamond model. Expand thinking, align on goal, expand solutions, then act.

The "what else?" question changes everything.

We map four classroom leadership roles: motivator, project manager, facilitator, and advocate. Which role would your quieter students try first? buff.ly/1UTmcTi

Behind the mic: Maureen’s classroom moment stuck with me all week. A tiny story that gives you a ready-made activity. Hear it here: buff.ly/1UTmcTi