Darren Wallwork, Regional Assistant Director, Department of Education, shares his thoughts about participating in the Executive Leadership for School Principals Program.
“I found the Executive Leadership for School Principals Program to be a highly engaging and self reflective leadership program which challenged and provoked thinking in the way you lead and in turn, the impact this has in developing leadership capacity within your own teams. The program provided a nice blend of personal and professional self-reflection which allowed for strategic thinking, yet recognised the importance of maintaining personal health and wellbeing. The highly engaging and knowledgeable presenters challenged my leadership style and helped me to rediscover the moral purpose of my work, such as my elevator speech.
The presentations and discussions facilitated throughout the program centred around evidenced based research, allowing all participants to consider the impact of our leadership on our school community (perceptions and reality) through different leadership models. Among participants, the program allowed for collective collaboration and a common sense of collective efficacy and purpose, creating a bond that has remained to this day.
Participating in the program allowed for time away from daily management practices to engage and listen to others about their leadership practice and common ways of working. It helped me to understand my role as Principal leader and to consider the personal and the relational skills required in working with my own school leaders, other school principals, and now in my new role, as a systems leader, shaping and influencing a much broader strategic agenda.”