From doing to enabling: 6 lessons I am learning about leadership in ELT

I have always been quite a problem-solver. If I see something that isn’t working, my instinct is usually to try and fix it. I enjoy coming up with ideas, creating things and finding solutions.

But one thing I’ve come to terms with on this leadership in ELT course is that solving everything myself is not actually good leadership.

One of the biggest changes in my thinking has been moving from seeing a problem and immediately jumping in to sort it out, to thinking about whether there are questions I can ask first. What have I learned that can help me move from being the person who fixes things to someone who enables other people to find their own solutions?

Keep reading and I’ll show you 6 lessons I am learning about leadership in the Oxford TEFL course Leadership in ELT.

Lesson 1. Stop and listen

Before I can help someone, I need to understand the problem rather than immediately jumping in with my solution.

On this course, we looked at different levels of listening, from basically not listening at all through to empathetic listening. I realised that I can sometimes be listening while also preparing my response, particularly if I feel that I am being criticised or challenged.

Looking back at difficult conversations I’ve had, I think I could have listened for longer. I didn’t have to agree with everything I was being told, but I could have tried harder to understand why other people saw the situation differently.

I learnt that we don’t always have to agree with someone to listen carefully. We can listen to empathise, ask questions and provide support before deciding what kind of intervention might actually be useful.

Lesson 2. Ask before giving the answer

I naturally tend towards giving information and suggesting solutions immediately. But the idea of catalytic intervention from Heron’s Six Categories of Intervention has really made me think. Instead of immediately telling someone what to do, I can ask questions that help them think about the problem themselves and potentially draw the solution out of them.

For example, if a teacher tells me that their teenagers are constantly talking in their first language, I could immediately suggest some classroom-management techniques. Or I could ask:

“When does it happen most?”
 “What have you already tried?”
 “Is it the same with every activity?”
 “What do you think is causing it?”

The second approach may take a little longer, but it gives the teacher an opportunity to work through the problem themselves.

No intervention fits all, though. Sometimes people need information, support or a clear direction. Heron’s model has helped me see that there are different ways of helping, rather than automatically giving the answer.

Lesson 3. Ask others how they experience you

By asking other people how I’m doing, I can gain insight about myself and feedback about my leadership that I can’t necessarily see myself.

I asked some teachers for informal feedback about how I work with and support them. Several people described me as calm, particularly in stressful situations. That surprised me because I hadn’t really identified “being calm” as one of my leadership strengths.

This is linked to the Johari Window for me. You can learn a lot about your leadership and your blind spots by asking other people how they experience you. I don’t have to wait for a performance review to ask for feedback.

Lesson 4. Involve people before solving the problem

This is probably the biggest shift for me.

If I listen and ask rather than immediately solve, I can involve people in the problem. This gives them a voice and can help them feel more responsible for what happens next.

In my previous role, I often saw a problem and felt I had to know everything and tried to solve it myself. A good example was creating coursebooks and digital materials when we didn’t have suitable books. I saw a gap and started creating something to fill it.

There was a positive outcome, but I’m also beginning to think about what could have happened if I’d involved other people earlier and given them more opportunity to contribute.

I recently tried a different approach with an error-correction CPD. Rather than deciding what teachers should do and presenting it to them, I asked about their experiences first. Their responses then helped shape the discussion, making it more participatory and tailored to where they were in their journey. What started as training became much more of a discussion, and everyone had a voice.

I’ve also used a WhatsApp poll to ask teachers what they consider most important in a good school. The strongest responses, as reported by teachers, include stability, clear communication, collaboration and connection between teachers, mutual respect, good resources, and having their voice heard.

What interested me wasn’t just the results, but the process. I had made assumptions in the past about what people needed or valued. Asking them directly gave me information I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

These activities have made me realise that consultation isn’t just about getting people’s opinions. It can help you understand the problem properly, identify priorities and involve people in shaping what happens next.

Lesson 5. Delegate the outcome, not just the task

Once we’ve understood the problem and agreed what needs to happen, I can delegate responsibility rather than continuing to do everything myself.

I used to associate delegation quite simply with giving someone else a task. The course has made me think more about giving someone responsibility for achieving something, rather than simply completing a task.

But delegation doesn’t mean simply saying, “You deal with it.” There still needs to be a clear goal, a realistic plan and follow-up.

For me, this means taking the time to understand the problem, agree what needs to be achieved, make a realistic plan and then decide what I need to do myself and what someone else could take responsibility for. I also need to remain available to support them and check that things are moving in the right direction.

I can then use the SMARTER framework to make sure there is a clear and measurable way of moving the plan forward.

The challenge for me is to recognise that just because I can do something myself doesn’t mean that I should.

Lesson 6. Lead the system, but manage the detail

The final idea I’ve found particularly interesting is the relationship between being a manager and being a leader.

A manager needs to make sure things actually happen. There are systems, deadlines, processes and day-to-day things that need to be followed through. But a leader also needs to ask whether those systems are actually working and, if they aren’t, be willing to challenge them.

I don’t think effective leadership is about choosing between being a manager or a leader. You need both. A manager needs to make sure the day-to-day work happens, while a leader needs to look at the bigger picture and be prepared to question and change things when necessary.

For me, the biggest change is probably quite simple. I don’t want to lose the part of myself that sees problems and wants to find creative solutions. I just want to get better at not automatically taking the problem away from everyone else.

Sometimes the best thing I can do is listen, ask a few questions, involve people, and then decide what kind of support is actually needed.

That feels much more like leading people rather than simply doing things for them.

I’m not trying to stop being a problem-solver. I’m trying to become someone who enables other people to solve problems too.

Leadership is not just a title, it’s a mindset and a skill. Whether you’re seeking to advance in your current career or exploring new opportunities, developing your leadership skills can be a valuable asset. Rather than waiting to be asked, you can take a proactive approach to finding new challenges and raising your profile in your school.

Would you like to find out more about the Certificate in Leadership in ELT?

You could consider our 30-hour online Leadership in ELT course with Tutor support.

Want to learn more? Check out some other blog posts:

• 5 Steps to make an effective leader in education: A reflective guide, from one of our Leadership in ELT graduates.
• Three Ways to Shake it up: from a Teacher to a Leader from one of our Leadership in ELT graduates.
• 6 tips to approach teacher observations in online teaching, from one of our Leadership in ELT graduates.