High Challenge, Low Threat: How the Best Leaders Find the Balance

by Mary Myatt

High Challenge, Low Threat is Mary Myatt's smart and thoughtful exploration of all the things that wise leaders do. Informed through thousands of conversations over a 20-year period in education, Mary shows the lessons that school management teams can learn from leaders in a wide range of other sectors and points to the conditions which these leaders create to allow colleagues to engage with difficult issues enthusiastically and wholeheartedly. This book makes the case that any leadership role is concerned primarily with the relationships between individuals. It is the quality of these, whatever the size of the organisation, which make the difference between organisations which thrive, and those which stagnate. This is not to argue for soft, easy and comfortable options. Instead it considers how top leaders manage to walk the line between the impossible and the possible, between the undoable and the doable, and to create conditions for productive work which transcend the difficulties which come towards us every day. Instead of dodging them, they embrace them. And by navigating high challenge, low threat, they show how others how to do the same.

Genres: Education, Leadership, Nonfiction, Teaching

146 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2016

Reviews

[Thom Gething · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that I was disappointed by this book. The structure is very simple, with short chapters focussing on aspects of school leadership. In many ways it is a quick read but it also became a little monotonous and I gradually came to feel the tone was too much like a self-help book, complete with inspiring quotations. It is hard to keep reading 'top leaders do...' or 'great leaders make sure...' simply because it seems a short on substance. Maybe for somebody who approaches this as their introduction to school leadership it serves as a good set of basic principles but I was looking for something a little sharper and richer. My loss...

[Bec Tulloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenge, support and inspiration

After twenty years of teaching, ten of which were part time, after roles as a HoY, HoD, HoF and Duty Day Manager for the school, I finally find myself on the senior leadership bench leading Oracy, literacy, a house and a duty team. This book was my go to summer hols prep. It's actually taken me till half term to read, because I have re-read most sections. It is a life affirming, well referenced, ideas packed read. Get on it.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshing insight pointing to what good teaching should be.

Inspirational for managing practical leadership in teaching and class work. Not just for leaders. Helped me think about what good teaching practice can be and should be.

[Alan Horberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, nuggets of tips and tricks......

[Alan Tarry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring read.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful for my NPQSL, but as a teacher, I couldn't help correcting the typos ...

[Catullus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great advice here...lots of good references to other works too.

On occasion felt like I had already read a chapter....only to find that the basic advice given earlier was now being expanded upon.

Essential reading for school leaders looking to develop their reflectiveness. Inspiring stories of leaders Myatt has met in the course of her work.

[Jon Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally agree with all the ideas in here and it is a good reminder of why we came into the profession. More practical examples would have added to the experience. Very good though.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read on what works in schools. It is easy to read and there are some really important messages that all Heads and Senior Teachers should think about.

[Nikki Mcgee · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is great advice for any teacher stepping up to or already in a leadership role in this book. It is at times however a little repetitive.