Principled Headship

Principled Headship is a "how-to" book on developing personal excellence as a headteacher, concentrating on the thread of integrity that every person possesses. It presents current and aspiring headteachers with specific and usable skills in successfully leading a school. Unlike other books on school leadership, it provides practical activities linked to the beliefs and principles of behaviour that will allow headteachers to confirm their professional courage and personal integrity. These activities utilise the techniques of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) that have been developed over the last twenty years, and harness them to the relationship skills needed in today's schools. The outcome of utilising these techniques will be practical and noticeable improvements in communication with, and motivation of, colleagues. Some of the principles are personally challenging; all of them are professionally supportive. Written in a light, accessible style, Principled Headship will cause its readers to reflect on their own ideas about headship whilst greatly improving their leadership skills.

Review
This book is a gem - written in a refreshingly engaging and accessible style, it is the first I have read that addresses the ‘how’ of school leadership rather than just the‘what.’ The author makes explicit the importance of self-awareness in a Headteacher and emphasises the importance of recognising ones own values and beliefs before moving on to the specifics of how these are made manifest in behaviour: ‘How does a good Head walk?’ In addition to some general observations to current stateof education in the UK - the “McDonaldisation’ of education particularly impressed me -there is a central section on specific skills and readers are led through a series of exercises based on NLP techniques, which if adopted in schools would have a dramatic impact on the process of change.

The format of the book is very reader friendly - its a sad reality today that the time to read and reflect at length is minimal in the teaching profession - and it makes use of outer space as a metaphor for the journey of leading a school through change. A definite must for every serving and aspiring Headteacher.

Mark Edwards, NLP Ednet