PiXL Leadership Bookclub

What does it take to grow an organisation without losing what made it effective in the first place? In this episode, Rachel Johnson is joined by Dele Rotimi and Deborah Syme to explore The Founder’s Mentality by Chris Zook and James Allen. The book challenges the idea that growth challenges are driven by external pressures, arguing instead that the biggest risks are internal, loss of clarity, incr...

In this episode we take on one of the most widely accepted ideas in leadership and ask a difficult question: what if resilience isn’t enough? In Shatterproof, organisational psychologist Dr Tasha Eurich challenges the belief that we should simply “push through” tough times. Instead, she offers a more honest and sustainable approach, one that recognises that resilience has limits and that growth co...

Episode 5 of this series invites us to challenge one of the most deeply embedded beliefs in leadership: that working harder always leads to better outcomes. In this episode, Rachel Johnson is joined by Glynn Palmer‑Bell and Sevda Halavurt to explore Rest by Alex Soojung‑Kim Pang, a book that makes the case for “deliberate rest” as a crucial part of high performance. Drawing on scientific research...

Leading across multiple schools or teams brings a unique challenge: how do you stay connected, aligned and impactful when you can’t always be physically present? In this episode of the PiXL Leadership Book Club, Rachel Johnson is joined by Daniel Terry (Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Cygnus Academies Trust) and, Victoria Blunt (Executive Headteacher, Harlington and Sundon Lower Schools) to explor...

What does it really mean to lead through uncertainty, disruption and loss? In this episode, Rachel Johnson is joined by Victoria Reed and Jo Smith to discuss Come What May by Professor Lucy Easthope, a powerful and compassionate guide to navigating life’s most difficult moments. Drawing on her experience supporting survivors of major disasters, Easthope offers a clear-eyed view of what recovery ac...

In Episode 3, the Leadership Bookclub turns its focus to one of the most powerful yet underestimated forces in leadership: connection. Drawing on The Laws of Connection by David Robson, this episode explores why relationships matter far more than we often realise, not just for wellbeing but for effectiveness, creativity and long‑term success. Robson’s research reveals that our ability to connect i...

Team culture doesn’t come from posters or policies. It comes from the habits we repeat every day. This episode dives into Team Habits by Charlie Gilkey, a book that shows how small adjustments to the way people work together can transform energy, belonging and overall impact. Joining Rachel Johnson are Matt Renshaw and Claire Harley, who bring real stories from school life to the table. They unpac...

We’re starting the season with Shift by Dr Ethan Kross, a fascinating exploration of how our emotions work and how we can take charge of them using simple tools that sit right in front of us. From shifting perspective to grounding ourselves in our senses by pausing, Kross opens the door to practical, science-backed strategies that help us think clearly and make better decisions. Host Rachel Johnso...

The PiXL Leadership Book Club is back for Season 7 - with new books, new guests and lots of new takeaways to share. In each episode, two school leaders discuss how non-educational leadership books can help with leading remotely, building resilience, and even learning to rest. Now, there is a concept for leaders! We look at how the thinking behind huge corporations, and of change making leaders, ca...

We hope you are enjoying your summer holidays! We are preparing for Series 7 of the PiXL Leadership Book Club Podcast and now it's your turn to be a guest discussing the books on the list. Click here to see which books we'll be discussing and to register your interest in taking part. Or... know someone who would be a great guest? Send them the link to this and tell them how brilliant they'd be. Pi...

What if doing less is the key to achieving more? In this final episode of the PiXL Leadership Book Club, Rachel Johnson is joined by school leaders Tom Moseley and Stephanie Shaldas to discuss The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan – a book that challenges everything we think we know about productivity, balance and success. Together, they unpack the dangers of distraction, the myth of multit...

What does it take to break the cycle and who helps make that possible? In this deeply moving episode of the PiXL Leadership Book Club, Rachel Johnson is joined by Rebecca Broadley and Sapna Vadher to discuss Poor by Katriona O'Sullivan, a story of survival, resilience and the transformative power of education. Growing up in poverty, becoming a mum at 15 and experiencing homelessness, Katriona defi...

What does it really take to lead well in today's uncertain and fast-moving world? In this episode of the PiXL Leadership Bookclub podcast, Rachel Johnson is joined by Lynsey Holzer and Kerim Ramadan to explore Ruthlessly Caring by Amy Walters Cohen. They reflect on how school leadership is evolving and what it means to embrace paradoxes like being ambitious while staying grounded, or confident whi...

Are we all using our last embers just to keep going in our jobs as teachers? This week on the PiXL Leadership Bookclub, Rachel Johnson is joined by guests to explore Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas. This is a powerful guide to breaking free from burnout, overwork and the pressure to prove your worth by doing more. Though written for women, the truths in this book resonate across the profess...

There's an art to negotiating, and who better to learn how to handle the toughest conversations than from a former hostage negotiator? In our next episode, we delve into Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, a former international FBI hostage negotiator whose high-stakes experiences have shaped a revolutionary approach to everyday negotiation. Rachel (PiXL CEO), and Grace and Kay unpack how Vo...

1:1 meetings happen every day in schools, but are they as impactful as they could be? In this episode of the Leadership Book Club, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by experienced school leaders Claire Moss and Aaron Wanford as they delve into Glad We Met by Steven G. Rogelberg. Drawing on research from top organisations, Rogelberg reveals how to make these meetings a tool for growth, not just ano...

Schools are fast-paced environments where time is precious, but too often, unnecessary friction slows us down. In this episode of the Leadership Book Club, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by experienced school leaders Mariam Rizvi and Deneen Kenchington as they unpack their biggest takeaways from The Friction Project by Huggy Rao and Robert I. Sutton. Together, they explore how to spot and fix t...

We're kicking off Series 6 with Languishing by Corey Keyes, the book that finally puts a name to that feeling of being stuck, drained and just going through the motions. Rachel Johnson is joined by school leaders Chris and Angela to explore how this shows up in education and, more importantly, what we can do about it. From recognising the signs in ourselves and our teams to finding simple ways to...

The PiXL Leadership Bookclub Podcast is back! New books, fresh insights and real conversations about what great leadership looks like in schools. This series, we're exploring a great range of non-educational leadership books, including: Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down – because 'just getting by' isn't the goal. The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Rig...

Welcome to the final episode of Series 5 of the PiXL Leadership Book Club. Join host Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO) as she dives into "The 4 Disciplines of Execution" by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling. This week, Rachel is joined by Leo Dudin (Deputy Head Academic at Oakham School) and Carly Woodall (Head of Year 6 at Brooklands School). Together, they unpack the timeless principles of foc...

Welcome to the penultimate episode of the 5th series of the PiXL Leadership Bookclub! Join Rachel Johnson, PiXL CEO, with Chandini Misra (Principal at Repton Al Barsha in Dubai) and Amos Turner-Wardell (Principal at Regents International School Pattaya in Thailand), as they explore Jon Yates' impactful book, "Fractured: Why Our Societies Are Coming Apart and How We Put Them Back Together Again". Y...

Explore Nancy Kline's "The Promise That Changes Everything" with Rachel Johnson (PiXL, CEO) Angela Stanton, Headteacher at Brookhurst School in Warwickshire, and Chris Stephens, Deputy Head at The Romsey School in Southampton. In a world where communication is key, Kline's book introduces a powerful promise: "I won't interrupt you". Learn how this pledge can strengthen relationships and improve co...

Host Rachel Johnson is joined by Paul Ainsworth (author and Education Director at Infinities Academy Trust), and Damith Bandara (Deputy Head at St Margaret's CofE in London), as they dig out the gems from Daniel Coyle's "The Talent Code: Unlocking the Secret of Skill". In this captivating book, Coyle reveals the key elements for optimising performance in sports, art, music, math, and more. Our gue...

Welcome to another insightful episode of the PiXL Leadership Bookclub! This week, Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO) is joined by Alan Brooks (Deputy Head at St Michael's CofE High School in Wolverhampton) and Dina Shah (Deputy Principal at St Julian's School in Portugal). Together, they explore the transformative wisdom of Jake Humphrey and Professor Damian Hughes' "High Performance: Lessons from the Best...

Welcome to the PiXL Leadership Bookclub, where this week, brave humble and fearless leadership takes centre stage! Join Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO) along with Saiqua Zaneb (Assistant Head, Central Foundation Girls' School) and Cat Rushton, (Director of Institute, Academy Transformation Trust) as they uncover profound insights from Amy C. Edmondson's ground-breaking book, "The Fearless Organization"....