Product reviews for Calm Leadership

This book is a fortifying and practical read for current and aspiring school leaders. Patrick shares personal career insights gleaned from his impressive 20-year headship tenure with raw honesty and authenticity. As expected from the title, his tone is calm and reassuring.

While many other educational leadership books focus on theory and practice, Patrick deftly exposes the human, emotional and personal toil of school leadership. He highlights the importance of grounding yourself in principles and values to achieve integrity. He also emphasises how being intentional about mindset and setting realistic expectations of yourself and the role helps to anticipate and navigate the challenges of leadership.

By exemplifying leadership lessons from his own journey, Patrick provides a wise mentoring voice. He addresses the pressures and complexities of being accountable and representative of a minority of black headteachers, while also highlighting the ways of making the role joyful and satisfying to ensure sustainability and longevity.

Amidst the well-reported retention challenges in the sector and much negativity surrounding the demands of the job, Patrick’s leadership advice is a much-needed tonic.