b'FEATURED ARTICLELeadership in wonderland COVID-19 and what lies aheadLeadership today seems a lot like the storyline from Alice in Wonderland.The world and how we traverse it has become curiouser and curiouser. Each turn we take is into unchartered territory that we cannot control. E ven though we know we really do not want to takeparticularly now, are at the forefront of keeping families a sip of the bottle of uncertainty we know we mustand young people connected and hope filled. in the fervent hope that things will turn out right.We pray that we will not lose our heads to this pervasive pandemic.So back to the question above. Am I prepared as a leader yes, and why? Because the following five items built from experience and training are in the leaders When we contemplate leadership in these very difficultkitbag. These five capabilities have been demonstrated times those in positions of leadership will be askingso empathically by educational leaders everywhere at this themselves lots of questions, and possibly these two.time. Leaders are demonstrating: Was I prepared for the kind of leadership required in a pandemic? and equally, Will I, and my organisation, survive in this uncertain landscape? Of course, the answer1.Courage to both of those questions is yes, but at what cost?Even when they have feared the outcome, they have approached the twists and turns of the pandemic and its impact on their community with immense courageGenerally, leaders question their ability to handle2.Agility challenges. They often feel like imposters, not sure ofA buzz word, but wow, leaders are showing they the next step. Courage and determination are two verycan tight rope walk and head in the right direction necessary traits in any leader. The greater concernbrilliantly now, during the pandemic, is that actions and decisions Get real-timeare relentless and fluid. The decisions that seemed3.Relationship building right yesterday, do not fit the circumstances of today. Building relationships across a diverse community in The pandemic, and the outfall from it for schools andnew ways, and being that glue that binds them, is the leaders, cannot be tamed.So often, the decisions usuallyleaders focus when our wellbeing is being so testeddiscerned calmly and over an appropriate time frame, are4.Vulnerabilityinsights now neverendingly iterative, which is testing and tiring.Not having all the answers and bravely letting that Change, whether we feel it is friend or foe, does not waitbe known as things change minute to minute, shows for us to be sure in this climate, it flows limitlessly andan incredible lesson to leaders of tomorrow and the fast.young people of the world5.HopeW I T HS Y N E R G E T I CD A S H B O A R D SLeaders are essential in this climate and must not despairThe ability to look forward and prepare for what is as this is where all their years of experience and teamworkahead is a unique ability demonstrated so well now by come into play. Even for those new to leadership, manyleaders everywhere in the education communityhave been leading for most of their career without formal leadership roles and so too are more ready than they Interactive dashboards include: believe. While none have had to deal with a pandemic Future Students before (and hopefully never do again) they, as leaders, have dealt with ambiguity and insecurity, and do make Fundraising See examplesthings certain for their communities. Leaders instil trust Student Absences and learn moreand confidence each day and educational organisations, External Test Results about Synergetic Financial Reporting, and more DashboardsNOVEMBER 2021 27Synergetic is brought to you by Education Horizons'