We hope you’ve enjoyed your well-deserved half-term break and feel re-energised for the push to Christmas.
As the year moves on, we invite you to pause and reflect - not just on the needs of others, whom you’re always serving - but on yourself, to consider a different perspective, regain a sense of control, realign with your purpose, and connect with your own potential.
Before too much of the year gets away, let’s get intentional about your professional growth. Being forward-thinking about your career path helps you move confidently toward roles that align with your goals and aspirations. While staying positive can be challenging at times, finding opportunities to grow, develop, and make a meaningful impact in ways that energise you, can make all the difference. How can you take steps towards a future that reflects your potential and purpose, rather than rushing or falling into roles that don’t inspire or fulfil you?
For educators, career development can mean many things: advancing in knowledge, progressing to leadership roles or refining classroom skills. Some of you will be focusing on making the most of your current role. For others, a change may be calling. Understanding how different roles align with your personal values and aspirations can have a significant impact not just on professional fulfilment, but also personal wellbeing, as you feel clearer and more confident in your decision-making when opportunities arise.
Career progression isn't simply about moving up; it’s about becoming more impactful. As highlighted by a recent Chartered College of Teaching article, continuous professional development is critical for teachers. However, CPD shouldn't solely aim to groom teachers for leadership; rather, it should empower them to excel in their current roles. The research they share suggests that mid-career teachers’ satisfaction with the profession broadly decreases with experience, and that the working environment plays a significant part in keeping their engagement alive.
Schools that invest in CPD, provide opportunities for growth at various levels, and build a culture of respect and psychological safety increases both teacher retention and student success. A commitment that all colleagues — not just the outwardly ambitious — have access to career support and opportunities can directly influence learning in the classroom as happy, healthy and committed teachers become role models of professional commitment, confidence, and growth.
Yet, as an individual, there is of course much you can do to proactively influence your next steps.
For example, have you thought about your ‘Personal Brand’? This concept, explored by career expert Harvey Coleman in his book Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed emphasises how career progression relies on more than just competence:
Performance (your results and impact)
Image (how you and your work are perceived by others)
Exposure (how often your efforts are visible to those who can influence your career advancement)
And you may (or may not) be surprised to see the weighting he places on each of these:
Of course, education is a different beast from the hiring-firing culture of cut-throat corporate life, and we are fortunate that there is much in place to support safe and fair recruitment processes. Nevertheless, the PIE concept could empower you to take a more active role in your career advancement. Giving consideration to your image and exposure will undoubtedly differentiate you from your competition. This could mean taking on special projects, contributing to school initiatives, mentoring newer teachers, presenting to other staff or leaders, or simply speaking up more in meetings.
Strong organisations take succession planning seriously, especially in the current recruitment and retention crisis. They will be strategically creating a pipeline of leaders at every level, exposing staff to incremental responsibilities; encouraging growth at a manageable pace ensures that individuals have the depth needed to step up.
This tool from Leadership Matters, shared in Mandy Coalter’s Talent Architects, exemplifies how leaders may frame and develop employees according to their Performance and Potential (leaning on their Image and Exposure). Where do you think you sit?
Building your self-awareness and confidence in your personal brand can empower you to place yourself in your chosen spot on the grid at any stage of your career.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it” - Abraham Lincoln
While you may not yet have a clear vision of your dream role, you can begin by actively reflecting on what you enjoy and value in your current work, and intentionally developing those aspects. Consider which elements of your job you find most draining or frustrating as well. Remember, the goal isn’t just to accumulate achievements for your CV, but to grow in ways that are personally sustainable, energising, and meaningful.
I was a Deputy Headteacher when I started the Leadership Edge programme and I know it is my coaching experience that helped me to progress to be becoming a Head of School and then Headteacher, and whilst I've been one, to maintain and manage well the many challenges that have come my way.
- Clare Harris, Headteacher, Perryfields Academy
We have certainly noticed a significant number of the people we coach growing in clarity and confidence to the point of applying for, and being successful in securing, new roles. Indeed, this is an aspect we will soon be measuring in our NEW impact survey - Coming Soon!
So, here are a few coaching questions for your own reflection:
Where would I like to be, career-wise, in 1/2/3* years’ time? (whichever is most appropriate for you)
Imagining that I have achieved my ideal next step, what am I enjoying about that role? What impact am I having?
How could I develop my current Performance, Image and Exposure to help me achieve my next step?
We all know our sector is suffering at the moment, but there are opportunities for you to thrive, and to inspire others to do so. We hope you’re able to reflect on your own career development while also considering how your growth and contributions empower others to imagine, pursue, and achieve their preferred pathways, too. By sharing your journey, you help shape their beliefs about what is possible and encourage them to create their own pathways toward a fulfilling future.
Very best wishes to all,
P.S. If you're interested in learning how coaching can support your career development and/or create a culture of aspiring, energised and proactive colleagues in your school or Trust, please reply here.
Director
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