Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Daniel Atlin, a Canadian leadership executive and researcher, about leading through complexity. Drawing on his dissertation research with 25 university leaders across the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Daniel introduces his framework for sense-making as the antidote to leadership myths built on charisma and control. He argues that leaders must first make sense of themselves before they can make sense of others, and turns to higher education as a case study in radical collaboration, examining how institutions built for permanence must now adapt or risk becoming irrelevant.

Takeaways:

·       Leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about making sense of the mess with clarity, purpose and courage.

·       Inner sense-making (self-awareness, emotional regulation) matters as much as outer sense-making (exploration, narrative, collaboration).

·       Put your own oxygen mask on first: leaders must understand their impact on the system before leading others through it.

·       The traditional charismatic "convening power" model of leadership is a myth that needs busting.

·       Universities built for permanence and scale must adapt their business models or risk irrelevance.

·       Radical collaboration — merging, restructuring, rethinking pedagogy — is now essential for institutions to survive.

·       Disengagement, not attendance, is the real crisis in education at every level, from schools to universities to the workplace.

Links:

Daniel Atlin | LinkedIn

DJA Sensemaking

Radical Collaboration: Why UK Universities Are Moving Faster Than Canada | LinkedIn

Messy with Daniel Atlin | Podcast on Spotify

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn are joined by two guests for the first time: Nour Kharsa, who leads a charity supporting displaced children and families in Lebanon, and Miriam Gosling-Gage, Head of Programmes at Co-Create Consultancy and Co-Director at Pelumbra. Recorded through a patchy internet connection from Lebanon, a fitting metaphor for the conversation itself. Nour describes the daily reality of running a centre for around 150 children and their families through displacement, economic collapse and two wars, and what it means to choose to show up when no one else will. Miriam draws on decades of work with leaders navigating complexity, unpacking the difference between critical, tame and wicked problems, and why leadership, not management, is what wicked problems demand. Together they explore what it takes to hold multiple truths, ask better questions instead of forcing solutions, and find hope that isn't abstract but built from small, real wins.

Takeaways:

• Wicked problems need leadership, not management, there's no clean fix, only better questions.
• Hope isn't abstract; it's measured in the actual children and families reached.
• Showing up, even on the hardest days, is a choice, not a job you clock out of.
• Understanding someone else's reality means stepping fully into their perspective.
• Psychological safety grows when leaders loosen hierarchy and turn directives into conversation.
• Small wins are what sustain people through work that never fully switches off.
• Becoming a global citizen starts with questioning your own vantage point rather than assuming it's neutral.

Links:

Nour Kharsa Nour Kharsa | LinkedIn

Instagram: @mawtin_al_amal

Centre Instagram: @daralamal2021

Nour Kharsa (Director): [email protected]

Mawtin Al Amal (Organisation): [email protected]

If you'd like to donate to this very worthy cause then here is the link to do so. https://rrym.uk/snowdonclimb2026/

Miriam Gosling Gage Miriam Gosling Gage | LinkedIn

http://www.cocreateconsultancy.com

http://www.pelumbra.com

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Allana Gay, headteacher, education consultant and co-founder of the BAMEed Network, about why representation in education leadership remains so stubbornly unequal. Drawing on her rejection from headship roles and her upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago, Allana argues that meritocracy is a myth unless equity sits underneath it. She unpacks how narrow governance structures and a single, inherited image of leadership keep shaping who gets to lead, and shares what has sustained her through the personal cost of being a visible voice for change: curiosity, community, and knowing who's actually ready to listen

Takeaways:

• Governance shapes leadership far more than we acknowledge, and needs far greater scrutiny.
• Merit without equity isn't really merit at all.
• Curiosity, built early, becomes the foundation for lifelong advocacy.
• Career growth is more like rock climbing than climbing a ladder.
• Genuine dialogue only happens with those willing to learn.
• Sustaining change requires a network that reminds you why you're doing the work.
• Leadership needs to flex beyond a single, narrow image of what it looks like.
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Links:

About Us – BAMEed Network

Allana Gay | LinkedIn

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Dr Jeremy Hannay, Executive Principal of Three Bridges and Wolffields Primary Schools, about leading schools through trust, curiosity and human-centred growth rather than fear and compliance. Drawing on his Canadian background and experience challenging traditional school improvement models, Jeremy explores the impact of high-stakes accountability on educators and learners. He argues that sustainable improvement comes from psychological safety, teacher agency, collaboration and a clear sense of purpose. Through examples from his own schools, he demonstrates that happy, thriving schools can also achieve exceptional outcomes without relying on excessive scrutiny or control.

Takeaways:

• Psychological safety is essential for innovation, learning and growth.

• Teacher development is most powerful when it is collaborative and research-informed.

• School culture shapes classroom culture.

• Strong outcomes can be achieved without excessive monitoring and compliance.

• Leaders create conditions for growth.

• Looking beyond national systems can inspire new possibilities.

• Meaningful change happens slowly and requires courage, curiosity and patience.

Links:

Three Bridges Primary School - Home

Home | Wolf Fields Primary School

Dr Jeremy Hannay | LinkedIn

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn speak with Laura-Jayne. Rawlings MBE, CEO of Youth Employment UK, about the growing disconnect between education, employment and the realities facing young people today. Drawing on her own experience of poverty and an unconventional route into work, Laura-Jane challenges the assumption that current systems are serving young people well. The conversation explores findings from Youth Employment UK’s Youth Voice Census, highlighting rising anxiety, inequality, lack of work experience opportunities and a growing sense of futility among young people. Laura-Jane argues that the social contract has broken down, with hard work no longer guaranteeing opportunity. She calls for greater youth voice, system-wide change, shared leadership responsibility and a renewed focus on purpose, agency and joy.

Take Aways:

· Young people want to work but face growing barriers to opportunity.

· The “social contract” feels broken for many young people.

· Youth voice must shape policy, education and employment systems.

· Trusted adults can empower agency rather than direct decisions.

· Apprenticeships offer lessons in personalised learning and support.

· Leadership is everyone’s responsibility, not just those with titles.

· System change requires shared purpose across organisations.

· Joy, belonging and hope are essential for meaningful learning and work.

Links:

Youth Voice Census - Youth Employment UK

About Youth Employment UK | Youth Employment UK

Young people and work: interim report - GOV.UK

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Summary

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Jade Garratt talks to Tamara and Kathryn about why psychological safety matters so deeply in education and more widely, in leadership. Drawing on her experience as a teacher, researcher and co-founder of Psych Safety, Jade reflects on the power dynamics, accountability pressures and cultural norms that shape whether people feel able to speak up, take risks and learn together.

Jade challenges the idea that psychological safety is about comfort or “bringing your whole self to work,” instead describing it as the shared belief that it is safe to speak up with ideas, questions, concerns and mistakes. The conversation explores how fear, hierarchy and high-stakes accountability can silence innovation, while trust, curiosity and thoughtful leadership can create environments where people collaborate, experiment and improve together.

Take Aways:

· Psychological safety means feeling safe to speak up.

· Strong teams learn through challenge and honesty.

· Power dynamics affect whether people contribute.

· Fear and accountability can silence innovation.

· Leadership behaviours shape team culture.

· Curiosity and questions reduce hierarchy barriers.

· Collaboration creates safer professional learning.

· Middle leaders can build safe team cultures.

· Psychological safety enables reflection and change.

· Schools should extend this mindset to adults too.

Links:

Psychological Safety: Workplace Training, Online Workshops and Consultancy​ - Psych Safety

Reducing Power Gradients - Psych Safety

https://psychsafety.com/making-it-safer-to-fail-in-teaching/ Making it safer to fail in teaching- article about Joint Practice Development

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Summary

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Jonny Uttley reflects on challenging systems, from his upbringing to leading schools and multi-academy trusts. He explores the tension between education’s moral purpose and a system that often works against inclusion and equity.

Jonny argues that many schools deliver inclusive education despite the system, not because of it. He examines how accountability measures, competition and narrow definitions of success can leave young people behind, while calling for a more collaborative and community-focused approach.

At the same time, this conversation is hopeful. Jonny highlights the power of courageous leadership, thought partnership and human connection, and challenges leaders to move beyond fear, competition and short-term metrics towards systems built on trust, belonging and shared responsibility.

Takeaways:

· Education should challenge the status quo, not reinforce it.

· Inclusive leadership often happens despite the system, not because of it.

· Competition and accountability measures can create barriers to inclusion.

· Staff wellbeing is essential to improving outcomes for children.

· Sustainable improvement comes from shared thinking, not imposed solutions.

· Context matters, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to schools.

· Leaders need to communicate the “why” behind change.

· Collaboration during COVID showed what schools are capable of without high-stakes pressure.

· Shared accountability across communities could transform outcomes for young people.

· Relationships, trust and human connection remain powerful forces for change.

Links:

Jonny Uttley Education

Jonny’s Substack | Substack

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, we are joined by Will Richardson, who challenges the very foundations of modern education through the lens of “cathedral thinking.” He argues that we are living in a “time between worlds” yet schools continue to prepare young people for systems that are already breaking down.

Will invites us to confront an uncomfortable truth: education is not just out-dated; it is often complicit in creating the very problems it claims to solve. Rather than chasing quick fixes or superficial reform, he calls for deeper honesty, long-term thinking, and the courage to rethink what school is for.

This conversation pushes leaders to move beyond short-term outcomes and instead imagine futures rooted in relationships, wellbeing, and sustainability — even if they take decades to build. It’s not about fixing the system. It’s about questioning whether it still deserves to exist in its current form. 

Takeaways:

· We are preparing young people for systems that may no longer exist.

· Schools often prioritise reputation and performance over wellbeing.

· Education is complicit in sustaining outdated and harmful models.

· This is not a problem to fix, but a complex predicament to navigate.

· Short-term thinking is limiting meaningful change.

· Honest, uncomfortable conversations are essential for progress.

· Leaders need to develop imagination, not just strategy.

· “Cathedral thinking” challenges us to think in decades, not years.

· Small acts of relational change still matter.

· New stories are needed to make change visible and possible.

Links:

Confronting Education — Future Serious School

Confronting Education — The Manifesto | Future Serious School

Future Serious | Will Richardson | Substack

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Summary:

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo we are joined by Nilema Bhakta-Jones who shares her journey of courageous leadership, discusses the importance of challenging the status quo, the role of psychological safety in leadership, and the need for creativity and play in the workplace. She emphasizes the significance of empathy and storytelling in leadership and highlights her work with Courageous Leaders and Empathy Week, aiming to empower marginalized communities through education. Nilema encourages listeners to embrace courage as a virtue that enables them to be their authentic selves and make a positive impact in their communities. 

Takeaways:

·      Courage is a daily practice that leaders must embody. 

·      Challenging the status quo often begins in childhood. 

·      Psychological safety is crucial for open communication in teams. 

·      Creativity and play can enhance leadership effectiveness. 

·      Empathy is a skill that can transform communities. 

·      Leaders must navigate tensions and competing ideas. 

·      Education systems need to foster critical thinking and creativity. 

·      Storytelling is a powerful tool for leaders. 

·      Courage can manifest in quiet, everyday actions. 

·      Supporting marginalized communities through education is vital. 

Links:

Courageous Leaders

Empathy Week 2026 is coming!

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Episode Summary

In this episode of Beyond the Status Quo, Tamara and Kathryn are joined by Ewan McIntosh, founder of NoTosh, an international education consultancy, for a practical conversation about learning and leading in education.

Drawing on his work with schools and systems across more than 70 countries and his cross-sector experience, Ewan challenges the status quo from a global vantage point, seeing first-hand that the world is changing rapidly, and that how we learn and how we lead must evolve just as quickly.

Together, they explore what happens when schools and organisations focus on performative tasks instead of meaningful learning. Ewan unpacks his idea of “stupid questions”: including the ones that feel risky to ask but reveal hidden assumptions and blind spots.

The conversation also tackles AI’s impact on assessment and curriculum design, not from a place of fear, but through the lens of redesign. Rather than rushing to control, they discuss how leaders can create the conditions for better thinking: prioritising judgement, originality, empathy and craft.

Finally, they zoom out to what courageous leadership looks like under constraint: holding structure lightly, focusing on purpose that actually guides decisions, and putting people first so schools (and teams) can thrive.

Key takeaways

• AI increases performance optimisation; task design must protect learning.

• Use AI to accelerate low-value work and make space for judgement and originality.

• Creativity is learnable and strengthened through complementary teams.

• Purpose should guide decisions and clarify what you won’t do.

• People-first leadership creates the conditions for better outcomes.

• Hold structure lightly, and focus on what you can influence.

• Policy (and strategy) works better when designed around real users, not silos.

• Sometimes asking the “foolish” question reveals the real problem.

Links:

Inspired Strategic Planning with Community at its Heart | NoTosh

Leadership Lessons | Yestothemess

Lament - YouTube

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