L11. Learn to Bend toolkit
Toolkit
Great leaders hold firm to their vision but adapt their approach when circumstances change. Adaptive leadership means balancing conviction with flexibility, knowing when to stay the course and when to pivot. Schools are dynamic environments; policies shift, pressures rise, and plans rarely unfold exactly as expected. The strongest leaders learn from both the times they bend and the times they stand firm.
| Hold the Goal, Flex the Route |
| What outcome were you working towards, and how did you adapt while keeping your overall goal intact? Describe what changed and why flexibility was necessary to maintain progress. |
| Recognise When to Pivot |
| What signals indicated that your original plan was not working or that the context had shifted? Note how you identified the need to adapt before the issue escalated. |
| Learning from Adaptation |
| What did you learn from adjusting your approach? Reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how this insight could shape future decisions. |
| When Staying Firm Was Right |
| Record a time when you chose not to change direction and were ultimately right to do so. What values or principles guided your decision to stay firm? |
| Next Time |
| How will you use this learning to approach similar situations differently in the future? What would you repeat, and what would you avoid? |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Do I recognise when flexibility strengthens outcomes and when it weakens consistency? How do I ensure I stay open to feedback without losing sight of my principles? |
L11. Learn to Bend: example toolkit
Role: Deputy Headteacher
| Hold the Goal, Flex the Route |
| Our goal was to improve attendance among a small group of persistently absent students. The initial strategy involved weekly parental meetings and close monitoring, but engagement remained low. I adapted by shifting to a more relational approach, visiting families at home and involving the pastoral mentor in the conversations. The goal of improving attendance did not change, but the approach became more personalised and empathetic, leading to better results. |
| Recognise When to Pivot |
| I realised a pivot was needed when attendance data showed little improvement after four weeks, despite consistent interventions. Staff feedback suggested that parents felt overwhelmed by formal meetings. This was the signal that the plan, while well-intentioned, was not meeting families where they were. The decision to adapt came early enough to rebuild relationships before the issue worsened. |
| Learning from Adaptation |
| Adapting the approach taught me that sometimes success depends more on tone and connection than on structure. The home visits took more time initially but paid off quickly, improving both trust and attendance rates. I also learned the value of consulting the team earlier, as their insights about family dynamics proved essential in reshaping our approach. |
| When Staying Firm Was Right |
| Later in the term, I faced pressure to reduce the frequency of follow-ups due to competing demands. I chose to stay firm on maintaining weekly check-ins, as consistency was crucial for building new habits. That decision proved correct; attendance gains held steady and relationships deepened further. It reminded me that flexibility is not about constant change but about discernment. |
| Next Time |
| Next time, I will build adaptability into the plan from the outset by including review points and alternative strategies. I will also seek more diverse perspectives earlier in the process to identify blind spots. Flexibility works best when it is proactive, not reactive. |
| Reflection Prompts |
| Balancing consistency with adaptability is one of the most complex parts of leadership. This experience reinforced that bending without breaking requires self-awareness, consultation, and trust in the team. My challenge now is to model this mindset for others, showing that learning to bend is not a weakness but a strength. |