7 Summary

You have considered in this unit the various dimensions of leading change, including different styles of leading, such as distributed leadership, and the importance of trust and motivation in bringing people along with the change. Some leaders may focus on the benefits to those who will benefit from the change, rather than on the problems of those who will be negatively affected by the change. It is therefore important to consider the impact on everyone concerned.

You have thought about whether change is driven by external forces or is initiated within the school, and have probably come to the conclusion that leading change is not simple and does not necessarily follow a logical path. As a leader of change, you need to:

• establish a shared vision of the future that people can believe in
• motivate people and steer them through any challenges during the change process
• share responsibilities and ownership of the change
• ensure that there is resilience and action taken to overcome barriers
• support colleagues before, during and after the change.

This unit is part of the set or family of units that relate to the key area of perspective on leadership (aligned to the National College of School Leadership). You may find it useful to look next at other units in this set to build your knowledge and skills:

• Building a shared vision for your school
• Leading the school’s self-review
• Leading the school development plan
• Using data on diversity to improve your school
• Implementing change in your school.