Recently, we were talking to the leader of a £100m education organisation. Widely admired, with a strong track record across multiple sectors, they felt deeply unsupported. It is easy to say that a chief executive should galvanise others — but genuine support also requires proactive effort from those around the executive table.
When we launched Networked in 2021, many of us were working from home, surrounded by the people who knew us best. It was a reminder of how different leadership feels when support is built in. We could bring more of that into our professional lives — especially for those at the highest level — and do it properly, not simply by liking a colleague’s LinkedIn post.
Leadership in education has always been demanding. Today, it can be isolating. Senior leaders face rising expectations from students, staff, regulators, partners and government, often without the capacity or financial headroom to respond easily. Scrutiny is intense. Missteps are less tolerated. Many leaders privately admit the role feels lonelier than ever.
Resilience cannot be reduced to individual toughness. The strongest leaders build collective resilience: trusted peer groups, supportive boards, mentors both inside and outside the sector, and teams where challenge and care sit comfortably together.
What education needs now is not heroic leadership, but connected leadership — spaces where people can speak openly, governance that invests in development rather than firefighting, and sector bodies that recognise leadership wellbeing as a strategic priority.
Resilience is rarely about standing firm. More often, it is about not standing alone.
We will be developing this theme and others throughout 2026, including convening a discussion event for sector leaders to reflect on these issues and share practical perspectives.