Leadership glossary
A quick access glossary that explains the leadership terms used across Everyone Succeeds and links them to the behaviours they support.
This glossary brings together the leadership models, frameworks, and ideas referenced throughout the book. Each entry offers a clear definition, a link to the behaviours where the concept is most relevant, and a reference to the original source. It is designed as a practical resource you can dip into whenever you encounter a term you want to explore further, helping you connect major ideas in leadership literature to your daily work as a school leader.
Above the line shows ownership, curiosity, and problem solving. Below the line shows blame, defensiveness, and avoidance. Leaders model above the line states under pressure and coach teams to notice and reset.
Appears in: Y3 Manage Emotions, T5 Mastering Conflict, L1 Lead by Example.
Reference: Buck, A. (2018). Leadership Matters. John Catt.
A self-coaching and coaching structure to move from insight to action. Beliefs: what assumptions are shaping my behaviour. Actions: what I am doing now. Strengths: what I can leverage. Impact: what result I need. Change: what I will do next and by when.
Appears in: Coach and Practice section of the website.
Reference: Buck, A. (2020). BASIC coaching.
A BHAG is a bold, long-term target designed to stretch an organisation’s ambition and inspire collective effort. Introduced by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, BHAGs are intended to shift thinking beyond incremental improvement and force leaders to consider what is truly transformative. In practice, a well-chosen BHAG can galvanise a school community, providing a powerful narrative of possibility and direction.
See Behaviour S13 Aspire to Greatness (Strategy).
Reference: Jim Collins & Jerry Porras, Built to Last (1994)
An approach to testing new ideas and innovations. Leaders begin with small, low-risk “bullets” to see what works before committing significant resources to a full-scale “cannonball.” It emphasises disciplined experimentation and reduces the risk of wasting time and energy on unproven initiatives.
See Behaviour S9 Leverage Marginal Gains (Strategy).
Reference: Jim Collins & Morten Hansen, Great by Choice (2011)
Simple tools that ensure consistency and reliability in complex tasks. By writing down the essential steps, leaders reduce errors, improve clarity, and free up mental capacity to focus on higher-level decisions. In schools, checklists can be applied to routines, safeguarding processes, or lesson observations to ensure no crucial steps are missed.
See Behaviour L9 Use the Checklist (Leadership); C3 Establish Routines (Culture).
Reference: Atul Gawande, The Checklist Manifesto (2009)
A structured approach to recognising effort and exemplars that reinforce values and priorities. It is planned, balanced, and specific, so that the culture you want is the culture you reward.
Appears in: C5 Celebrate Successes, C8 Create Moments, T6 Be Wonderful to Work With.
Reference: Heath, C. and Heath, D. (2017). The Power of Moments. Bantam.
The shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices that shape how people behave in an organisation. Edgar Schein describes it as the “way we do things around here,” created through both visible routines and deeper, often unconscious assumptions. In schools, culture strongly influences behaviour, expectations, and outcomes, making it a critical focus for leaders.
See Behaviour C1 Hold High Standards (Culture); C4 Maintain Consistency (Culture).
Reference: Edgar Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership (1985)
Targeted, repeatable practice on a small slice of performance with clear feedback and frequent reps. For leadership this means scripting key phrases, rehearsing difficult conversations, and tightening high-leverage routines until fluent. It builds skill faster than experience alone.
Appears in: Appendix B Practising Leadership, T2 Ask First, T5 Mastering Conflict, Y9 Build Habits That Last.
References: Ericsson, A. and Pool, R. (2016). Peak. Bodley Head. Lemov, D. (2012). Practice Perfect. Jossey-Bass.
Doing the right things means choosing the highest-impact goals. Doing things right means executing efficiently and consistently. Effective leaders sequence both: choose impact first, then drive disciplined delivery. In schools this looks like selecting the main thing, then building reliable systems so the work is done well every time.
Appears in: Y6 Prioritise What Matters, S6 Focus on the Main Thing, S8 Find the Lead Measures, T8 Create Actions.
References: Drucker, P. (1967). The Effective Executive. Heinemann. Buck, A. (2018). Leadership Matters. John Catt.
A prioritisation tool that divides tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. Popularised by Stephen Covey, it encourages leaders to focus less on urgent but low-value activities and more on important, long-term tasks that build capacity.
See Behaviour Y6 Prioritise What Matters (Yourself).
Reference: Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989)
The ability to recognise, understand, and manage your own emotions while being attuned to others. Daniel Goleman highlights self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills as its core elements. For school leaders, EQ is vital in managing stress, building relationships, and leading with empathy.
See Behaviour Y3 Manage Emotions (Yourself).
Reference: Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence (1995)
Illustrates how sustained effort builds momentum over time until a breakthrough occurs. It shows that lasting success comes from consistent actions compounding, not from one dramatic change. For schools, it reinforces patience and discipline in embedding strategies.
See Behaviour S12 Lead for Lasting Excellence (Strategy).
Reference: Jim Collins, Good to Great (2001)
Simon Sinek’s model for inspiring leadership that starts with “Why” at the centre, followed by “How” and “What.” Leaders who start with “Why” connect more deeply with people, creating purpose and loyalty.
See Behaviour S1 Explain the Why (Strategy).
Reference: Simon Sinek, Start with Why (2009)
Great organisations succeed by focusing on one thing they can be the best at, are deeply passionate about, and that drives their engine. It highlights clarity and focus rather than chasing multiple priorities at once.
See Behaviour S6 Focus on the Main Thing (Strategy).
Reference: Jim Collins, Good to Great (2001)
Simple if–then plans that link a cue to a specific action. Example: If it is Thursday 3.00 pm, I will send feedback from the learning walk. These plans convert intention into behaviour by reducing reliance on willpower and making the desired action automatic.
Appears in: Y9 Build Habits That Last, Y6 Prioritise What Matters, 90 Day Leadership Plan.
References: Gollwitzer, P. (1999). American Psychologist, 54, 493–503. Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006). Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.
Explains why individuals and organisations struggle to make changes despite good intentions. “Competing commitments” and hidden assumptions act as barriers to progress. By surfacing these, leaders can enable sustainable change.
See Behaviour Y9 Build Habits That Last (Yourself).
Reference: Robert Kegan & Lisa Lahey, Immunity to Change (2009)
Treat messages as tasks to capture, clarify, and either complete, schedule, delegate, or discard. The goal is not an empty inbox for its own sake, but reduced cognitive load and better focus.
Appears in: Y5 Organise for Clarity.
Reference: Allen, D. (2001). Getting Things Done. Piatkus.
A structured goal-setting system that combines qualitative objectives with measurable key results. They create focus, alignment, and accountability by linking daily work to strategic priorities.
See Behaviour S5 Establish Collective Goals (Strategy).
Reference: John Doerr, Measure What Matters (2017)
Outlines eight stages for leading successful organisational change, from creating urgency to anchoring new approaches in culture. It stresses vision, communication, empowerment, and short-term wins.
See Behaviour S10 Sustain Change (Strategy).
Reference: John Kotter, Leading Change (1996)
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Indicators of outcomes that can only be observed after the fact, such as exam results or attendance. They are vital for accountability but cannot be influenced once they occur.
See Behaviour S8 Find the Lead Measures (Strategy).
Reference: McChesney, Covey & Huling, The 4 Disciplines of Execution (2012)
Predictive, influenceable actions that drive performance and help achieve goals. Unlike lags, they can be acted upon daily and provide leverage for improvement.
See Behaviour S8 Find the Lead Measures (Strategy).
Reference: McChesney, Covey & Huling, The 4 Disciplines of Execution (2012)
Leadership sets direction, aligns people, and inspires movement toward a vision. Management creates order, plans, budgets, and ensures reliable execution. Schools need both. The skill is noticing which mode you are in and switching deliberately.
Appears in: S10 Sustain Change, S12 Lead for Lasting Excellence, T7 Hold Meetings for Impact, L1 Lead by Example.
Reference: Kotter, J. (1990). A Force for Change. Free Press.
The principle of making many small improvements that together create significant progress. In schools, this can mean refining numerous small elements of teaching, leadership, or systems to generate overall excellence.
See Behaviour S9 Leverage Marginal Gains (Strategy).
Reference: Dave Brailsford; Matthew Syed, Bounce (2010)
Small changes in choice architecture that make the desired behaviour easier, more visible, or more attractive without removing choice. In schools this could be default seating plans, pre-written positive messages, or pre-scheduled check-ins.
Appears in: S9 Leverage Marginal Gains, S8 Find the Lead Measures, C7 Engage Parents, Y5 Organise for Clarity.
Reference: Thaler, R. and Sunstein, C. (2008). Nudge. Yale University Press.
Around 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of efforts. Applied to leadership, it helps identify the few actions that create the largest impact.
See Behaviour Y6 Prioritise What Matters (Yourself).
Reference: Vilfredo Pareto (1896); Richard Koch, The 80/20 Principle (1997)
Short experiences that elevate emotion, create insight, spark pride, or deepen connection. Leaders can design these moments deliberately to shape culture, mark milestones, and make values vivid.
Appears in: C8 Create Moments, C5 Celebrate Successes, T6 Be Wonderful to Work With.
Reference: Heath, C. and Heath, D. (2017). The Power of Moments. Bantam.
A planning technique where a team imagines a project has already failed, then works backwards to identify the reasons. This helps anticipate risks and unintended consequences before they occur.
See Behaviour S15 Plan with a Premortem (Strategy).
Reference: Gary Klein, Sources of Power (1998)
A belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking; members can speak up, admit mistakes, and challenge ideas without fear. It underpins collaboration, trust, and learning.
See Behaviour T5 Mastering Conflict (Teams); T10 Embrace Accountability (Teams).
Reference: Amy Edmondson, The Fearless Organization (2018)
A model where the leader’s primary role is to serve others, placing the growth and wellbeing of staff and students first. It emphasises humility, empathy, and support.
See Behaviour L6 Leaders Eat Last (Leadership).
Reference: Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership (1977)
Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. The framework ensures clarity and accountability, translating vision into concrete actions that can be monitored and reviewed.
See Behaviour S5 Establish Collective Goals (Strategy).
Reference: George T. Doran, Management Review (1981)
A model where leaders inspire followers through vision, motivation, and personal example rather than authority. It raises aspirations and collective commitment to improvement.
See Behaviour S12 Lead for Lasting Excellence (Strategy); S13 Aspire to Greatness (Strategy).
Reference: James MacGregor Burns (1978); Bernard Bass (1985)
A mindset of deliberate generosity that exceeds expectations for how people are welcomed and supported. In schools this looks like personal touches for staff, students, and families that say “you matter here.”
Appears in: T6 Be Wonderful to Work With, C8 Create Moments, C7 Engage Parents.
Reference: Guidara, W. (2022). Unreasonable Hospitality. Ebury.
Deeply held beliefs and principles that guide behaviour and decision-making. In leadership they shape culture and provide a moral compass during challenges.
See Behaviour S4 Uphold Values (Strategy).
Reference: Thomas Sergiovanni (1992); Michael Fullan (2003)
A compelling picture of the future that provides direction and purpose. Vision aligns staff and students around a shared sense of where the community is heading.
See Behaviour S1 Explain the Why (Strategy); S2 Tell the Story (Strategy).
Reference: John Kotter (1996); Simon Sinek (2009)
The one or two priorities that matter most and make the biggest difference if achieved. They provide clarity and focus so energy is directed at the levers that most improve outcomes.
See Behaviour S5
Reference: McChesney, C., Covey, S., and Huling, J. (2012). The 4 Disciplines of Execution. Simon & Schuster.