PiXL Leadership Bookclub

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the PiXL Leadership Bookclub! Join host Rachel Johnson (PiXL CEO) as she engages in a captivating discussion with Samantha Rasmussen (Vice Principal at Ely College) and Lucy Morris (Deputy Head at The Kingston Academy). This week, they unravel the transformative insights of Cal Newport's "Deep Work". Newport's book sheds light on the power of focus amidst...

Set aside conventional wisdom as we challenge the status quo of organisational practices. Welcome back to Series 5 of the PiXL Leadership Bookclub, where we dive deep into the realms of leadership with unyielding curiosity. Join host Rachel Johnson as she embarks on an leadership approaches, extracting key messages and discussing the key concepts, alongside Jeremy Rowe (CEO/Director of Education a...

Schools are out for summer. We are preparing for Series 5 of the PiXL Leadership Book Club Podcast. 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. Know someone who would be a great guest? Send them the link to this and tell them how brilliant they'd be. PiXL is a partnership organisa...

Join us for an enlightening final episode of Series 4 of the Leadership Bookclub podcast, as we dive into 'Insight: The Power of Self-Awareness in a Self-Deluded World' by Dr. Tasha Eurich. Drawing from her extensive research and Fortune 500 experience, she reveals why introspection alone isn't enough and how experience can hinder self-knowledge. Hosted by Rachel Johnson, PiXL CEO, will equip you...

Are you tired of 'either-or' thinking? Struggling to balance competing demands in your personal and professional life? Join us as we explore 'Both/And Thinking' by Marianne W. Lewis and Wendy K. Smith. In this insightful book, Lewis and Smith provide tools and lessons for transforming paradoxes into opportunities for personal growth and innovation. They draw from more than twenty years of pioneeri...

Do you want to bring love back into your school environment? Join us for a game-changing episode of the Leadership Bookclub podcast, where we discuss 'Love + Work' by Marcus Buckingham. In this eye-opening book, Buckingham shows how to break free from conformity and decode your own loves and those of others to create an environment that thrives on love and connection. Our guest speakers for this e...

Join us as we explore 'Everybody Matters' by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia. Discover how to create a school culture where every staff member and student feels valued and motivated to contribute their gifts and talents towards a shared future. Our inspiring guest speakers, Laura Brogan (Key Stage 1 Leader and Phonics Leader for a Multiple Academy Trust) and Louise Jaunbocus-Cooper (Deputy Head Teache...

Are you tired of feeling burnt out and unfulfilled at work? Join us as we explore Bruce Daisley's inspiring book 'The Joy of Work' and discover how to find happiness and satisfaction in your career. As one of the UK's most influential voices on 'fixing work', Bruce Daisley's insights and advice are sure to inspire you to find joy and fulfillment in your own work. Whether you're a teacher, a school...

From Kiss-up/Kick-downers, to Credit-Stealers, Bulldozers, Free-riders, Micromanagers, Neglectful bosses, and Gas-lighters, there are several types of "jerks" we may encounter in our lives, including within the schooling environment. We all have the capacity to be a jerk at work and to cause others problems, but how we recognise that in ourselves and those around us can really impact the flow of a...

The conversations we have with ourselves can have a profound impact on our mental health, ability to lead, and overall well-being. Award-winning psychologist Ethan Kross takes a deep dive into the power of our inner voice in 'Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It'. Experienced and insightful school leaders Debbie Christiansen (Headteacher, Peel Brow School) and Rebe...

Have you ever wondered why some moments in life stick with you forever, while others fade into the background? In "The Power of Moments", authors and brothers Chip and Dan Heath explore the four elements that make up our most memorable positive experiences: elevation, insight, pride, and connection. To kick off the fourth series, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by Alex Pape (Assistant Headteache...

Whether it's within schools, our personal lives, or any other professional endeavour, many of us find ourselves falling into patterns of wanting to be liked and pleasing others. When we forgo our own needs for the needs and requests of others, this becomes a pressing issue, especially when we are in positions where we need to lead. In this final episode of the third series of the Leadership Book C...

Rachel Johnson, Sonia Thompson and Tracey Swinburne discuss Accomplishment by Sir Michael Barber. Listen to these school leaders explore their various fears and how they have countered those fears. They discuss the practical things you can do to get yourself unstuck and move forward, and suggest ways to effectively communicate your school's vision and values. Sir Michael Barber is a global leader...

If we have the humility and curiosity to reconsider our beliefs, we can always reinvent ourselves. That's what Adam Grant argues in his book 'Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know.' Rachel Johnson (PiXL, CEO), Shayne Elsworth (Vice Principal, Bede Academy) and Ruth Georgiades (Deputy Head, Tring School) discuss the states you operate in when you don't stay curious, where the sweet...

This episode, the book up for discussion is 'Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking' by Susan Cain. Senior leaders Rachel Ball of Co-op Academy Walkden and Carl Smith of Casterton College join PiXL's CEO, Rachel Johnson, to share their thoughts on how we can best serve the introverts, as well as the extroverts, in our schools – both staff and students. It is predicted th...

In this episode, Rachel Johnson speaks with senior leaders Taz Johal (Assistant Headteacher, Brookvale Groby) and Maria Williams (Headteacher, Brigshaw High School) about Reed Hastings' (Netflix, CEO) and Erin Meyer's book 'No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention'. This leadership book has some fascinating insights from business and sparks much discussion around ideas which could tr...

In this episode, Rachel is joined by school leaders, Dan Cowling (Headteacher, Oak Wood School, Hillingdon) and Sam Butterfield (Head of Pedagogy in Melbourne) to discuss 'The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups' by Daniel Coyle. The trio talk about the insights they've gleaned regarding improving school cultures, mixed with their own experiences, after reading the book. How we c...

Are you listening? This episode, Rachel is joined by senior leaders Amanda Wilson and Amy Bills to discuss Kate Murphy's book 'You're not Listening'. To listen is seen as such a basic tenet of human interactions, yet so often we go into a conversation with our ears half closed to what the person speaking is trying to tell us. Linking the books points specifically to a school environment, Rachel an...

PiXL's Leadership Bookclub returns for Series 3. In this episode, Rachel Johnson discusses 'The Checklist Manifesto' by Atul Gawande with senior leaders Miriam Sechere (Secondary and Sixth Form School Improvement Education Advisor, Croydon Council) and James D'Souza (Head of Psychology, Ewell Castle School). In truth, many see a checklist as basic, and oftentimes beneath them: 'my job is too compl...

Join us for season 3! In this final episode of Series 2, Rachel Johnson is joined by school leaders Clemmie Stewart and Sam Betts, to discuss Priya Parker's book The Art of Gathering. The conversation covers the main themes of the book: how important it is to have a 'human-centred approach' to our gatherings, whether that is a meeting, a lesson or a training session; how crucial it is to see and b...

In the penultimate episode of Series 2, PiXL CEO Rachel Johnson is joined by school leaders Will Teece and Jessica Moody to discuss their thoughts around Kim Scott's book Radical Candor, and how its premise could improve school leadership and create happier and healthier workplaces. Radical Candor is about caring personally but challenging directly, allowing us to give guidance and feedback that's...

In this episode, Rachel Johnson speaks with senior leaders Claire Knight and Matt Hardman about Ajaz Ahmed's book 'Limitless'. They explore the challenges of mastering one's craft, how to stay focused, communicating your message clearly and what happens in schools when we don't. With practical examples of where it's gone well, and when it hasn't, there are many valuable lessons here for leaders an...

"Education has been the primary instrument of change in my own life, the lever upward in the world." In this episode, Rachel Johnson and sixth-form leader, Balli Dail & Head of school, Sara Marshallsay, reflect on Michelle Obama's book 'Becoming'. Michelle's guidance counselor once told her she wasn't 'Princeton Material'. Much of the conversation focuses on metaphorical glass ceilings and how we...

In this episode, Rachel is joined by school leaders, Christopher Harris and Dave McPartlin, to discuss Malcolm Gladwell's bestseller 'David and Goliath'. The trio talk about a range of subjects, from being the underdogs, to how they have tried to raise aspiration in young people, and why often unconventional thinking should be welcomed. This episode has lots of laughter but also touches on some pr...

The book 'How Women Rise' focuses on 12 habits that have been identified consistently as holding women particularly back from success in their careers. Whatever your gender, all of us need help to overcome the areas of our character that hold us back. Bijal Pandya and Emma Pitcher, both senior leaders, join Rachel Johnson to discuss their key takeaways from the book, speaking about how it resonate...