A principal’s reflection on authenticity, creating calm amongst complexity, protecting school culture, and helping children genuinely enjoy being at school.
– Greg Alan, principal South Makirikiri School
“I’m not going to be the perfect principal for everyone… but I can create a school where children genuinely enjoy being there.”
“When I first connected with David, I felt like we were already doing a good job as a school. But… I’ve always had that mindset of wanting to go from good to great.
And I think what this work helped me do was get clearer on who I actually am as a leader – what is the true me?
A big part of that was authenticity. Not trying to be everything for everyone, or getting caught up in what everyone else thinks, or trying to control everything.
One of the biggest shifts for me was simplifying things again; if the kids are happy, the teachers feel supported, and we’re creating a place where learning is happening, then we’re doing well.
That sounds simple, but in education there’s so much noise all the time. New initiatives, pressure, judgement, expectations, social media, the weight of the community, change. I think I used to carry more of that weight than I needed to.
Now I probably see part of my role as being a buffer for the staff. There are always going to be things coming at schools, but I don’t think teachers can live in that space all day every day. My job is helping keep us connected to what matters and not losing ourselves in the background noise.
One thing that really shifted for me was no longer feeling like I had to prove myself all the time.
I’m not worried now about whether I’m the perfect principal for everybody. I’m human. I’ll get things wrong, but I know I care deeply about our kids, our staff, and our community, and I know I’m bringing energy into the place every day.
That shift changed the way I lead. I think I’m calmer now, softer in some ways, and more patient. And I think that has had a ripple effect through the leadership team and the wider school culture as well.
We used to get all frustrated together, whereas now we just keep moving one step at a time and do the best we can.
The other thing I’ve really taken from this work is that meaningful change takes time. It’s not about rushing into the next big thing or trying to force change overnight.
It’s about getting yourself aligned first, being clear on who you are and what matters, and then consistently living that over time.
I also realised I don’t need a bigger school or bigger title to feel fulfilled in what I’m doing. What matters to me now is creating a place where kids genuinely enjoy being at school, where teachers feel supported, and where people feel like they can be themselves.
And honestly, more than ever before, I think we’re seeing that.
We’re seeing kids enjoying school, staff is stepping into things more confidently, and people are bringing more of themselves into the place.
For me, that’s probably what this work has really been about; not becoming somebody different, but just becoming clearer on who I already was.