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The cultivated leader

The cultivated leader

How much attention do you give to your personal growth? Start your thinking with this quick exercise from Stuart Sutherland.

In the busy, complex world of educational leadership, how important is your development as a person? How much attention do you give to nurturing your moral and intellectual life? This exercise is simply a thought-starter, designed to encourage you to reflect upon some of the behaviours characteristic of an authentic, personally effective, confident and rounded leader.

For each statement below, consider how accurately the statement describes you. Rate yourself from 1-5 for each statement, with ‘1’ indicating rarely and 5 indicating ‘usually. Try to answer based on your actual behaviour.

  1. I believe that it is a core part of my role to build and invest in relationships with colleagues and partners.
  2. I have a clear understanding of how my manner and behaviour impact upon others in a range of different contexts.
  3. I am able to articulate what my key interpersonal strengths are.
  4. I seek to add new knowledge and skills to my professional repertoire every year.
  5. I seek to add new knowledge and skills to my personal repertoire every year.
  6. I have friends or colleagues or mentors with whom I can and do discuss my personal development.
  7. I am able to clearly articulate the beliefs that drive me in my working life.
  8. I can point to concrete examples of where my moral purpose is embedded in my day-to-day practice.
  9. I foster an atmosphere where colleagues feel comfortable challenging what we do and being challenged themselves.
  10. I am not afraid to challenge ‘the way we do things’ in my organisation.
  11. I have a strong curiosity about how other leaders, within and outside my sector, lead their teams and organisations.
  12. I have sufficient space and time outside of my professional life to nurture deep, personal relationships.
  13. I have distinct opportunities outside of my professional life to nurture other curiosities and passions.
  14. I believe that the passions and curiosities I follow in my private life enrich my capacity to lead in my professional life.
  15. I regularly make time to reflect upon my personal skills and my leadership styles.
  16. I regularly find myself thinking carefully about the personal and relationship skills of other leaders.
  17. I regularly read articles, papers, books or blogs that will contribute to my personal development.
  18. I am acutely aware of the emotions involved in all of the interactions in my professional life.
  19. I articulate my reflections upon my professional life and personal practice in writing.
  20. I question my own assumptions and encourage others to question theirs.

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