In my role (and in life generally) I spend a lot of time thinking about words; how messages are shaped, when they’re sent, and how they’re received. I think about tone, timing and transparency. And, perhaps most importantly, how something will make the reader feel.
Working in media and copywriting and now alongside our schools, I’ve realised that communication is one of the most visible parts of leadership. Not because it replaces strategy or decision-making, but because it’s the part most people actually experience.
Those of us who aren’t part of a school’s senior leadership teams, (whether that’s the wider school staff or the parents), don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. What we see, hear and feel is what’s communicated and how it’s conveyed. We see the assembly that sets the tone for the term. The letter home explaining a change and the reminder about expectations. Over time, those moments shape how a school feels to its staff, its parents and its pupils.
Schools are busy environments, where time is short and expectations are high. In that environment, clarity and calmness go a long way.
Over the past couple of years our schools have had to deliver difficult news from sharing new security measures with parents, to explaining sensitive and unsettling world events to children. They must balance honesty with age-appropriate delivery, while not alarming parents or upsetting children and staff. Getting that right is no small task. When that’s done well, everyone’s needs are met.
One thing I’ve learned is that great communication is, at its core, a form of respect. Explaining a decision and providing context shows that you are not simply issuing instructions, but you care that people understand the why.
I’ve also learned that clear and consistent is usually better than clever (though I’ll defend clever when it comes to marketing!). The messages that land best are rarely the most elaborate. They simply say what needs to be said, in a tone that reflects the culture of the organisation or the school. On more than one occasion I’ve rewritten a message several times, only to realise the first, simplest version was the best one.
I see the same dynamic at home. Parenting is, in its own way, leadership. Where we set expectations, repeat them (often more times than we’d like to admit) and we explain the why. Occasionally we realise our tone missed the mark and we try again. Consistency matters more than perfection.
Whether in school or at home, it’s not about long speeches or constant updates. It’s about feeling that decisions are considered and the sense that communication isn’t reactive, but thoughtful.
In busy settings like schools and homes, good communication is the glue that keeps the connection we’re all striving for. It goes deeper than just messaging. It affects how we relate to people and influences the way we live day to day (but that’s a whole other blog!)
Strong, clear and warm communication changes how messages are received. With our children and pupils, it’s often the very thing that determines whether they absorb what you’re trying to teach them or if it goes in one ear and out the other. When you think back to a teacher who made a difference in your life, chances are it had a great deal to do with how they connected.
Trusted leadership, in all its forms, is felt through phrasing, timing and the tone of its delivery.
I’ve always marvelled at how incredible the English language is. You can say the same thing in so many different ways. The words we choose and how we deliver them shape the outcome more than we might realise. It’s often that choice that makes all the difference.
Niki Ehrlich
PaJeS Marketing and Communications Lead
