Power, Leadership & Education

As we move into the new year and welcome 2026, I find myself reflecting on the concept of power by reviewing my doctoral research into educational leadership. Here are definitions of power by different researchers. However, Beerel's definition resonates with me the most. He explains it as "...personal power... capacity to adapt and cope with uncertainty....comes from within and can be used to accomplish something (2009)."

This translates to agency for me; the power to move forward - initiatives, daily tasks, new ideas; and for the classroom teacher, the power [autonomy] to move forward the learning, teaching and assessment process.

Power can be used as a tool to influence others or ...to subjugate by exerting authority. We can be bossy, micro-managers or we can choose to build on strengths, empower expertise and trust professionals to take autonomous decisions.

How do you use your power? As a leader, educator, or professional?

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In the international school context, interculturalism plays a significant role in power relations. Again, the question arises, how do you use your power? With the increase in global migration, the monolingual classroom is fading away and we are welcoming an era of multilingualism. The opportunities of linguistic and cultural richness this affords and the wider range of perspectives that come to the table of decision-making can enhance a learning environment if acknowledged and accessed.

Now that I have lived outside my home country for 22 years, it has impacted me and I am a very different person. Generalization and stereotypes no longer fit me in any way. Knowing where you fall on the Dimensions of Culture helps to identify cultural bridges to build. 

This analysis shows where I now fall and in some ways, I am near opposite from USA averages now.

How do you use your power? Click through the carousel to get an overview of the ways leaders [even teachers in the classroom] can use their power. Reflect on how often you rely on your position to assert authority, possibly shame people [or learners/students] through corrective actions. Then reflect on the opportunities where you may have been able to act as a restorative coach, supporting growth and development through reflective dialogue. We can choose to use authority or influence. How do your leadership choices impact the learning culture? I believe, leaders can be both pragmatic and caring. We can be intentional to see the strengths and expertise as well as the potential in those around us; our community members want to flourish and grow in their autonomy and as constructive team members. And we [including teachers in the classroom setting] can be authentic, employing intellectual humility to recognize we ourselves are flawed human beings who are also an ongoing work in progress. We can own our mistakes, restore the harm and move forward by modeling the way.

Through cultural and collegial models of leadership, it is possible to build a team of enabling behaviors who co-construct an effective learning environment. I believe this is possible when policies and expectations are clearly articulated, communicated and understood.

And when inhibiting behaviors surface, these can be addressed and reframed as an opportunity to grow, personal development as lifelong learning. I have heard so many teachers tell their students, 'mistakes are beautiful, they help our brains grow.'  If we truly believe this idea, then for adults, is it not the same? Ignoring inhibiting behaviors can destroy the school culture for achieving the mission and vision. Likewise, leading passive aggressively by ignoring inhibiting behaviors or making the entire team responsible for one person's actions undermines everyone. Can we not find the way and make the time for a caring pragmatic conversation? This can be used to shed light on a learning opportunity for a colleague, state the expectations, the observed behaviors and their impact and then to offer support to shift behaviors? 

It is our responsibility as leaders and teachers to educate ourselves, and to build our toolbox of strategies to navigate the complexity of a teaching and learning environment. And this extends to a culturally and linguistically diverse learning environment.

I now realize that I continue to build my capacity for learning, teaching and leading so that I can be a positive influence; a constructive citizen, a caring knowledgeable educator and pedagogical leader who endeavors to empower and elevate others. I want to build my skills as a global citizen through interculteral interactions - to build cultural bridges of understanding for the benefit of the learners.