PiXL Leadership Bookclub

Have you ever wondered why some moments in life stick with you forever, while others fade into the background? In "The Power of Moments", authors and brothers Chip and Dan Heath explore the four elements that make up our most memorable positive experiences: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. To kick off the fourth series, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by Alex Pape (Assistant Headteacher at Vyners School) and Adam Lewis (Deputy Headteacher at Sewell Park Academy) as they discuss how, as leaders, they try to create powerful and impactful moments in their educational environments by utilising those four essential elements. Join us on this illuminating and engaging Leadership Bookclub episode as we delve into the fascinating mysteries of experience. We also learn how these educators and leaders have harnessed the power to become the authors of their defining moments, and how they share that with those they lead every day, whether it’s their staff, students, or themselves.  

Whether it’s within schools, our personal lives, or any other professional endeavour, many of us find ourselves falling into patterns of wanting to be liked and pleasing others. When we forgo our own needs for the needs and requests of others, this becomes a pressing issue, especially when we are in positions where we need to lead. In this final episode of the third series of the Leadership Book Club, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by experienced school leaders Mags Gee and Jay Davenport as they unpick each of their own valuable takeaways from Psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell’s life changingly insightful book, ‘Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live’. These leaders explore how they identify their own people-pleasing tendencies, and how, using the practical advice uncovered within the pages of this book, they can ensure they are pleasing themselves, without compromising the best interests of each situation they are leading. Emma Reed Turrell has worn a multitude of hats throughout her life, from reading English at Cambridge University, to working in sales and marketing roles, but it is her passion of psychotherapy where she holds immense impact. In her debut book ‘Please Yourself’ she outlines how to care about others in the right way, and ultimately, help you better yourself, too.  PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

Rachel Johnson, Sonia Thompson and Tracey Swinburne discuss Accomplishment by Sir Michael Barber.  Listen to these school leaders explore their various fears and how they have countered those fears. They discuss the practical things you can do to get yourself unstuck and move forward, and suggest ways to effectively communicate your school's vision and values. Sir Michael Barber is a global leader in system delivery and change, former policy director under Prime Minister Tony Blair, and a renowned educationist. In Accomplishment, he distils complex processes to manageable steps, encouraging us to “Speak plainly, speak clearly and listen with care” with the promise that if you can do that, you can accomplish anything. PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

If we have the humility and curiosity to reconsider our beliefs, we can always reinvent ourselves. That’s what Adam Grant argues in his book ‘Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know.' Rachel Johnson (PiXL, CEO), Shayne Elsworth (Vice Principal, Bede Academy) and Ruth Georgiades (Deputy Head, Tring School) discuss the states you operate in when you don’t stay curious, where the sweet spot is and how to get there. They talk about why it’s important to be open, how to go about being more curious yourself and how they have helped others to be. They explore the three negative modes you might fall into when you aren’t ‘Thinking Again’ and how to avoid them. How are you encouraging others to be open and curious in your school? PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

Discussion on the importance of valuing introverted traits in schools, challenges faced by introverts in extroverted environments, strategies for creating inclusive classrooms for all personality types, and the role of technology in enhancing learning experiences.

In this episode, Rachel Johnson speaks with senior leaders Taz Johal (Assistant Headteacher, Brookvale Groby) and Maria Williams (Headteacher, Brigshaw High School) about Reed Hastings' (Netflix, CEO) and Erin Meyer's book 'No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention'. This leadership book has some fascinating insights from business and sparks much discussion around ideas which could translate well into the education world, as well as some which might would not. The conversation covers three key areas: building talent density, increasing candour, and reducing 'controls', with lots of discussion around vision alignment, feedback, and continually developing staff. PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

In this episode, Rachel is joined by school leaders, Dan Cowling (Headteacher, Oak Wood School, Hillingdon) and Sam Butterfield (Head of Pedagogy in Melbourne) to discuss 'The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups' by Daniel Coyle. The trio talk about the insights they've gleaned regarding improving school cultures, mixed with their own experiences, after reading the book. How we can we create environments in which responsibility is non-hierarchical, leadership is humble, vulnerability is praised, and all members feel psychologically safe and valued? PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

Are you listening? This episode, Rachel is joined by senior leaders Amanda Wilson and Amy Bills to discuss Kate Murphy's book 'You're not Listening'. To listen is seen as such a basic tenet of human interactions, yet so often we go into a conversation with our ears half closed to what the person speaking is trying to tell us. Linking the books points specifically to a school environment, Rachel and guests discuss how engaging in active listening, both for staff and students, could help our school cultures in myriad ways. What are we missing, and why does it matter? PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.

PiXL’s Leadership Bookclub returns for Series 3. In this episode, Rachel Johnson discusses 'The Checklist Manifesto' by Atul Gawande with senior leaders Miriam Sechere (Secondary and Sixth Form School Improvement Education Advisor, Croydon Council) and James D’Souza (Head of Psychology, Ewell Castle School). In truth, many see a checklist as basic, and oftentimes beneath them: 'my job is too complicated to be reduced to a checklist'. However, Gawande and our trio of school leaders make the case that checklists could provide a solid foundation, from which magic can happen – be it in the classroom or in leadership meetings. How can they be crafted intentionally to reduce cognitive load and, potentially, bring about better school cultures? PiXL is a partnership organisation of thousands of schools, colleges and alternative education providers spanning KS1-5. Find out more about how you could gain value from a PiXL subscription: https://www.pixl.org.uk/membership PiXL Leadership Bookclub is a We Are In Beta production. Subscribe now to download every episode directly to your phone automatically.  

Join us for season 3! In this final episode of Series 2, Rachel Johnson is joined by school leaders Clemmie Stewart and Sam Betts, to discuss Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering. The conversation covers the main themes of the book: how important it is to have a ‘human-centred approach’ to our gatherings, whether that is a meeting, a lesson or a training session; how crucial it is to see and be seen, making sure everybody in the room can hear and be heard and how, ultimately, the way you conduct yourself and your gatherings can make an enormous difference. PiXL is a partnership of 3,000 schools and colleges spanning KS1-5, focusing on equipping leaders and teachers to bring a better future and brighter hope to young people. Learn more at www.pixl.org.uk