Empowering human teams to lead and sustain change

Abstract

This article describes the experience of the transformation of an educational center. The real change has been cultural: a profound transformation in the way we work, make decisions, and relate to one another. The transition from a subsidized-private school to a public school is just the starting point. The narrative is structured around the author's own convictions about what leadership for learning should look like, stemming from many years of experience as a Headmistress but also based on readings about leadership in education. Research shows that leading is, above all, about creating conditions for shared learning (Robinson, 2022; Hargreaves & Fullan, 2014; Stoll, 2020). And this is only possible when there is listening, trust, and a sense of purpose. Here, we share how to build a professional community capable of learning and transforming from within, through concrete practices, collective reflection, and a people-centered approach.

Throughout the different sections, the key ideas that have guided this transformation are unfolded: the difference between management and leadership, the importance of nurturing the beginning of change, the power of experiences that foster team growth, and the value of narratives that explain the knowledge built. All of this is presented with a clear intention: that educational improvement becomes a sustained and shared practice, not the project of a few, but the culture of an entire school. The first section presents the leadership perspective that has shaped the project; the second describes how this perspective has been tested in the school's transformation process; the third outlines three specific experiences that demonstrate how this leadership is put into practice in daily activities. Finally, a brief open and balanced assessment is offered.