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    November 2009

    Not always on the dance floor

    The timing of the Girls Schools Association (GSA) Conference in mid-November is well placed. The school is up and running and the countdown of end of term school activities not yet started. It is a good time for Heads to step out of the busy routine of school life and enjoy three days of stimulation and camaraderie at conference.

    Conference also provides a time for reflection, a time to step off the dance floor and spend time on the balcony. It is a vital part of a Head’s life which is often lost in the daily demand of appointments and meetings.

    For me, the most powerful speakers at this year’s conference spoke about the challenge of leadership. Inevitably, after a demanding year managing the merger of Roedean with St Mary’s Hall, this was a theme which resonated. Other Heads, coping with the fall-out from the financial crisis, seemed to share my views.

    One such reference to leadership for difficult times was made by Jill Berry, GSA President. She cited the experiences of Stockdale quoted in Jim Collins’ “From Good to Great”. Stockdale, reflecting on his experience in a Vietnamese POW camp, states that true leaders must look directly at the brutal facts of their current reality whilst never losing faith that they would prevail in the end: appropriate words for unsettling times.

    Leadership requires “optimistic and cheerful leadership” in the face of the challenges of the year ahead. This can be a tough demand. So meeting to compare notes, share advice, and revive friendships  offer Heads a chance to recharge the batteries prior to returning to the “best job in the world”!

    By Frances King, Headmistress at Monday, 23 November 2009

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