Leadership is not management. It is not organising a system and then telling others how to use it. It is not about being the one in charge or having the biggest office with the most expensive chair. In the 21st century leadership is, and has to be, much much more.

Leaders step forward, they describe a vision for a better future; they empower others to be the best they can; they are trusted and respected for their abilities and for their values. They take risks, admit their mistakes, learn and grow. They celebrate their successes as unachievable without the efforts of those they lead. They inspire us to be better people. And what's more, a description like this can apply equally well to the director of an education authority as it can to a 3 year old playing with other children in the sandpit.

Take note: the next generation of leaders is in our classrooms right now! Give them the opportunities to thrive in their learning and succeed in their leadership.