It’s the end of the first week back at school.
From the conversations I’ve had already, it’s been energising. Warm. Full of hope and movement. And a lot has already been set in motion.
It’s been a big week.
This is a grounded leadership reflection for anyone who feels overwhelmed after the first week back.
In my book, I tell a story about a moment in a room full of principals. After a coaching conversation, I asked the group what they’d learned and found helpful. One principal took a breath, looked around the room, and said:
“It’s just good to know I’m not the only one running a shitshow.”
The room erupted in laughter.
Not because it was funny.
But because it was true.
There was relief in that honesty. A shared recognition that leadership can feel like barely holding it together some days. And in that moment, something shifted amongst the leaders. The isolation lifted.
The conversation that followed wasn’t about fixing things.
It was about being real.
About knowing they weren’t alone.
If you’re sitting here at the end of week one feeling tired, stretched, or overwhelmed by the scale of what’s ahead, let me say this clearly:
You’re not the only one.
So many leaders carry more than anyone sees.
Decisions. Demands. Care. Responsibility.
Worry. Doubts.
This grounded leadership reflection is a reminder that leadership is not something you carry alone.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can hear is simply that we’re not alone in it.