Leadership

Purplemoon Monthly Musings – January-Getting to the heart of it, Part Three-The Nolan Principles and the Inadvertent Harm They Can Cause

By Jenny Bowers on

Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Posted 28th January 2026

Getting to the Heart of It-Part 3-The Nolan Principles and the Inadvertent Harm They Can Cause- a Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Welcome to Purplemoon Monthly Musings.

On the final Wednesday of every month Jenny will be posting out about a theme that has been appearing in her work, or her life, across all sectors. It could be a topic that particularly resonates with you, or it might be a new concept or idea to you. Either way the aim is to give voice to some thoughts, ponder some questions and explore what this might mean to us as individuals and as a community. Jenny will always aim to credit original sources as she explores the musings title and will welcome your comments and contributions to keep the musing going! This blog is also published on LinkedIn. Follow Jenny here.

Welcome to the January monthly musing, the first of 2026, and the final instalment of the trilogy ‘Getting to the Heart of It’.

For those in education in the UK, and in other public sector roles, the influence of The Seven Principles of Public Life—the Nolan Principles—may not always be obvious. Yet they are the ethical foundation behind the Teachers’ Standards and underpin the Headteacher Standards that shape the expectations placed upon every teacher and leader. These seven principles are:

  • Selflessness
  • Integrity
  • Objectivity Accountability
  • Openness
  • Honesty
  • Leadership

On the surface, they appear reasonable, even admirable. But when they are translated into the Teachers’ Standards, their impact becomes more complex. The preamble states: 

‘Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct.’

Part Two extends this further, requiring teachers to demonstrate consistently high standards

‘within and outside school.’

The implication is clear: once you become a teacher, your private and public conduct are held to the same uncompromising standards, you cannot be fallible, human.

 

This raises important questions. Where do these standards begin and end? To what extent are teachers responsible for navigating systemic, organisational or societal failings? What does selflessness mean when placed beside the very real need for self-care? Where does accountability for a student’s learning, behaviour and attitude start—and where should it reasonably finish?

This environment is the soil from which high‑stakes accountability has grown. How much do we take upon ourselves, when it is not our error or mistake to bear? This plays out in supervision again and again. What does selflessness really look like? In addition, for teachers, challenging poor behaviour or unethical practice from leaders can feel dangerous. The professional cost of speaking up is often high.

In Part Two of this trilogy, I discussed collusion and the importance of recognising, avoiding and managing it. But collusion does not only exist between colleagues or supervisors; supervisees may also be colluding and perpetuating toxicity or poor interpersonal behaviour unknowingly, their ‘norm’ reshaped by organisational culture.

These experiences form the backdrop of many conversations I now have in my supervisory role.

 I also look back and ask myself: how long did I collude? As a mentor and professional tutor, I assessed students and NQTs (now ECTs) against the very standards I am now interrogating. Did I know better? No, but somewhere within me I knew it didn’t quite sit right when taking a humanistic view. My overarching frame was ‘you do the best you can’, and ‘no one is perfect’ – but was it enough?

Teachers who step into leadership roles adopt the Headteacher Standards, which build upon the Teachers’ Standards and extend them further. Among these expectations is the requirement that 

‘Headteachers uphold and demonstrate the Seven Principles of Public Life at all times.’

The Standards also require leaders to behave ethically, fulfil their responsibilities fully, and model the behaviour of a ‘good citizen’. This shifts the expectation from doing the right thing to being the right thing—a significant leap.

 

There is a cost to this never‑ending selflessness, openness and accountability. We see it in recruitment and retention struggles, in burnout, and in leaders leaving the profession. And to my great sadness, leaving with a feeling that they weren’t ‘good enough’. To supervise effectively, we must recognise how deeply the Nolan Principles permeate the system.

This became clear during a discussion with my cross‑professional peer supervision group. The ethical frameworks for therapists explicitly include self‑care—a requirement notably absent from the teaching framework. The contrast created an ‘aha’ moment for all of us.

In supervision, we must help practitioners explore how ethical frameworks shape their decisions, self-perceptions and boundaries. What does it mean to uphold ethical and professional responsibilities while maintaining one’s own self?

I am not arguing for the removal of the Nolan Principles. Ethical standards matter deeply. But self-care must sit alongside them as an ethical imperative. Without it, selflessness becomes self‑erasure, accountability becomes fear, and leadership becomes unsustainable.

To truly serve pupils, colleagues and communities, teachers and leaders must be allowed to remain human first. Only then can they meet the ethical expectations of their profession with integrity rather than exhaustion.

Purplemoon Monthly Musings – November-Getting to the heart of it, Part Two-Congruence yes, Collusion no

By Jenny Bowers on

Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Posted 26th November 2025

Getting to the Heart of It-Part 2- Congruence Yes, Collusion No.- a Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Welcome to Purplemoon Monthly Musings.

On the final Wednesday of every month Jenny will be posting out about a theme that has been appearing in her work, or her life, across all sectors. It could be a topic that particularly resonates with you, or it might be a new concept or idea to you. Either way the aim is to give voice to some thoughts, ponder some questions and explore what this might mean to us as individuals and as a community. Jenny will always aim to credit original sources as she explores the musings title and will welcome your comments and contributions to keep the musing going! This blog is also published on LinkedIn. Follow Jenny here.

Welcome to part two of the ‘Getting to the heart of it’ trilogy. Some of you may have noticed that the purplemoon monthly musing inadvertently took a break in October! It wasn’t intentional, it is that I found part two tricky to coalesce.

This is because congruence is difficult at times,  and collusion can really turn up unintentionally when you are deeply relational and humanistic in your supervision, and creating psychological safety is of paramount importance.

 

What I do know is supervision is one of the most powerful spaces in leadership. It’s where we pause, reflect, and recalibrate. For education leaders, it’s a lifeline, a chance to process complexity and find clarity. To explore and reflect on self as well as others. For supervisors, it’s a responsibility, a commitment to hold space that is safe, honest, growth-oriented with a wellbeing lens. But within this dynamic, a subtle tension often arises: the pull between congruence and collusion.

Congruence is about alignment. It’s when our values, words, and actions harmonise. In supervision, congruence means showing up authentically—whether you’re the one offering guidance or the one receiving it. It’s about integrity: saying what you mean, meaning what you say, and acting in ways that reflect your principles. Congruence builds trust and therefore a psychologically safe space. It creates a foundation where real learning and wellbeing can flourish.

Collusion, on the other hand, is the quiet compromise. It’s the nod of agreement when your gut says, This needs exploring. It’s the temptation to avoid discomfort for the sake of harmony. Collusion can feel like kindness, but it’s not. It’s avoidance dressed up as empathy. And while it may soothe in the short term, it erodes growth in the long term.

 

So how does this show up in supervision?

For supervisors, the risk of collusion often comes when a supervisee shares something that feels ethically grey or professionally concerning. You might think, I don’t want to damage trust, and choose silence. But trust isn’t built on avoidance—it’s built on honesty delivered with care. Congruence means naming what you notice: I hear your perspective, and I wonder if we can explore the implications together. It’s not about confrontation; it’s about curiosity and courage.

For education leaders, collusion can look like self-protection. You might hold back in supervision because admitting uncertainty feels risky. You might agree with suggestions, ideas or comments you don’t believe in because challenging feels uncomfortable. But supervision is not a performance—it’s a partnership. Congruence means bringing your whole self into the conversation: your doubts, your questions, your convictions. It’s about trusting that growth comes through honesty, not through pretending.

Here’s the truth: congruence is hard. It asks us to be clear about our values and brave enough to live them out. It asks supervisors to balance support with challenge, and supervisees to embrace vulnerability without fear. But when both sides commit to congruence, supervision becomes transformative.

What does this look like in practice?

  • For supervisors:
    • Hold boundaries with compassion. Empathise without excusing.
    • Name what you notice. Sometimes the most supportive act is surfacing what’s unsaid: I sense some tension—shall we explore that?
    • Stay anchored in purpose. Supervision is not about pleasing; it’s about partnering for growth.
  • For supervisees:
    • Bring your authentic self. Share the wins and the worries.
    • Ask for challenge as well as support. Growth rarely happens in comfort zones.
    • Reflect on alignment. Where do your actions match your values—and where do they drift?

Both roles require courage and compassion. Courage to speak truth, even when silence feels safer. Compassion to hold differences without judgement. When these qualities meet, supervision becomes a space of integrity—a place where leaders are not just managed but mentored, not just supported but strengthened.

So here’s the invitation for this month:

  • If you supervise, notice where collusion tempts you. Where do you soften truths or avoid challenge? What would congruence look like instead?
  • If you are supervised, notice where you hold back. Where do you agree for ease rather than honesty? What would it mean to show up whole?

Because getting to the heart of it is not about perfection. It’s about presence—anchored, authentic, and willing to walk the harder path for the sake of growth. Congruence calls us to alignment, even when it’s uncomfortable. Collusion tempts us with ease, but it costs us trust—and ultimately, wellbeing.

Supervision done well is a courageous conversation. Let’s make it count.

Purplemoon Monthly Musings – September-Getting to the heart of it, part one-Empathy

By Jenny Bowers on

Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Posted 23rd September 2025

Getting to the Heart of It-Part 1- Empathy - a Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Welcome to Purplemoon Monthly Musings.

On the final Wednesday of every month Jenny will be posting out about a theme that has been appearing in her work, or her life, across all sectors. It could be a topic that particularly resonates with you, or it might be a new concept or idea to you. Either way the aim is to give voice to some thoughts, ponder some questions and explore what this might mean to us as individuals and as a community. Jenny will always aim to credit original sources as she explores the musings title and will welcome your comments and contributions to keep the musing going! This blog is also published on LinkedIn. Follow Jenny here.

At the start of the academic year I have had the opportunity to sit in reflection around the heart of my supervision practice, and consider the messages that need to go out about Professional Supervision/reflective supervision. This time has also allowed me to consider what I want my workshop at the Supervision in Education conference on 1st October to contain at its heart, and to ensure that the messages that are carried out into the sector by my audience are the same as the ones I want carried! 

Yes, on the surface, this musing is for those in the education sector, but in my work I come across so many people in ‘the helping professions’ and those who are conscious of their work and its potential impact on others in many fields, such as marketing and finance. So whatever your background, if you believe in a ‘human first’ approach stick with me here!

I grapple with the concept of empathy, and if you know me, this might surprise you, as I am very open about being relational. What I have learnt from all my years in my roles in the education sector is that I don’t want to ‘walk in your shoes’, and quite frankly how could I? They are uniquely yours after all, and I have my own shoes to manage! 

From a young age I was told I was empathetic, and I wore it as a badge of honour in my early years of safeguarding and SEND. I wanted to know what it was to be the other person so that I could understand, whilst also advising and supporting and, FIXING, because surely if I was empathetic, and I understood it, then I could find the ways to solve it, and then the person could go and do it. Right? Wrong!

This was exhausting, and crucially unsuccessful on many occasions. It can also be part of the route to burnout, vicarious traumatisation or compassion stress injury. Although, I did quickly realise that I couldn’t actually solve anything, but what I could do is give them the tools that I believed would help and explain their use. What I learned through all of this was the value of being willing to truly listen, to approach others with curiosity rather than judgment, and to accept that people’s different experiences shaped their actions and behaviours. I also learned about my privileges and how they had shaped my thoughts and behaviours.

Finally I believed I understood what it was to be relational, and how that made me good at my job. Around this time I also met Dr Kate Renshaw, and she introduced me to congruence and UPR. (Congruence will be delved into next month!)

UPR (Unconditional Positive Regard) was a revelation to me. Finally having a name for how I was trying to hold space when I was with staff, parents and children. It is being able to demonstrate that ‘I don’t want to walk a mile in your shoes, but I do want to know how you are finding walking in them. I do want to listen to how those shoes sculpt the decisions you make and I understand that those shoes are part of why you are doing what you are doing, even if you a repeating a pattern of behaviour that can ultimately damage you’ Don’t get me wrong, UPR can be exhausting too, but what understanding UPR gave me was a filter, a protective layer over myself. How I saw it and used it was to recognise that I don’t have to work at denying my own lived experiences and privileges so I can be in your shoes, to be creating psychological safety for you and co-produce different outcomes with you. What I do need to do is sit here, listen and appreciate the experiences you bring, so that you can explore them safely. Then sometimes I might bring another lens for us both to look through and think about. This space is about you knowing your agency and self efficacy, and knowing where you can go and what you can utilise. It is not me giving solutions that work for others and fixing.

So whilst I continue to grapple with what empathy is, and how I manage my empathetic self (you may be wondering how much it really matters what I name it)  I offer you the video of Brene Brown explaining empathy, as I do think that this is the explanation that sits most comfortably with me: YouTube Brene Brown Empathy Big thanks to Lisa Nel and Mark Stancombe who shared this as part of their informative and excellent Vicarious Traumatisation workshop I was a participant in. 

So what does this meandering through my thoughts on empathy have to do with the heart of professional supervision, and the messages that I believe need to be out there?

  • The space needs to psychologically safe for both the supervisor and the supervisee
  • It is not a space where an expert is there to fix things
  • Supervisors need to attend to their own mental and emotional health
  • Supervisors need to have experienced supervision and received training on supervision, no matter their background
  • Not all supervisors are the same, so they need to articulate their style and methodology so the supervisee has clarity

As I continue my musing next month, bringing congruence (but not collusion) into the mix, please let me know your thoughts on empathy, and how you utilise it (or not).

If you want to know more about Vicarious Traumatisation, Lisa and Mark are amazing: Vicarious-Traumatisation

If you want to know more about Compassion stress injury in the education sector, Dr Rachel Briggs has amazing wisdom in this area: ReflectedandBalanced

Dr Kate Renshaw, a font of many amazing things,(Play and Filial Therapy) she is also Dr Play on the podcast series: Dr Play Podcast

If you are interested in the Supervision in Education conference, and the launch of the Framework: SiE Conference

If you are a supervisor with a background in education, or an advocate of educator supervisors in education, please join us at CoPSiEbE

Purplemoon Monthly Musings – August-Collaboration-What is in it for me?

By Jenny Bowers on

Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Posted 27th August 2025

Collaboration, what's in it for me? - a Purplemoon Monthly Musing

Welcome to Purplemoon Monthly Musings.

On the final Wednesday of every month Jenny will be posting out about a theme that has been appearing in her work, or her life, across all sectors. It could be a topic that particularly resonates with you, or it might be a new concept or idea to you. Either way the aim is to give voice to some thoughts, ponder some questions and explore what this might mean to us as individuals and as a community. Jenny will always aim to credit original sources as she explores the musings title and will welcome your comments and contributions to keep the musing going! This blog is also published on LinkedIn. Follow Jenny here.

Definition: ‘the action of working with someone to produce something’

This month the musing is considering collaboration. Something that I have always considered a good thing. As someone naturally relational, the idea of collaborating with others has always been something I am drawn to. Good old fashioned ‘group work’. 

However, sometimes collaboration doesn’t quite feel right, it may be that you thought the aim was collaboration, but in fact it was someone ‘telling you’ what to do or how to do it, or the other end of that spectrum, it felt like you were doing all the input and sharing all your knowledge and ideas, which the other then took. Or the key factor that you thought was at the heart of your collaboration is not what it seemed to be for others.

Collaboration can also fall down when you are collaborating with someone who is a mirror of you, that has the same strengths, experiences or knowledge base. Here you might have a really nice conversation, but the output is not quite as creative or boundary pushing as you had hoped, or the discipline of the meeting disappeared as you both conversed and went of on tangents as you are having a ‘catch up’.

So what does powerful and effective collaboration need? How can you discern it from a jolly old catch up, from information sharing or from a networking meeting? I believe it needs these five factors below:

  1. People with different knowledge, experience and/or opinions
  2. An aim for an end product/service/item
  3. A willingness to give and take (all your ideas might be good ideas, but not all can be utilised)
  4. A structure (or agreement) for moving forward, with each person willing to be responsible for something
  5. Time frames

What is not listed here is an agenda, as collaboration does not have to be planned and structured; spontaneous collaboration can be unexpected, productive and fun! However, for the collaboration to have a final product/service/agreement then subsequent meetings would benefit from an agenda.

For collaboration to truly succeed, it’s essential to establish a shared understanding of what success looks like. How will you, as a group or pair, know when you’ve achieved your goal? Clear, agreed-upon success criteria provide direction and help measure progress.

But success isn’t just collective, it’s also personal. Each individual brings their own internal criteria, shaped by personal motivations and needs. These may include a desire for recognition, a sense of fulfilment, or tangible rewards. Acknowledging these personal drivers isn’t selfish, it’s human. When these needs go unnamed or unmet, frustration and misalignment can arise.

That’s why effective collaboration must include space for individual success. Make it a priority to understand and validate what each person hopes to gain. By doing so, you will have an inclusive, motivated, and harmonious team dynamic.

As those of us in education move into a new academic year, may you have many happy collaborations, and for those of you entering the last third of the year, may it be a productive and collaborative third.

Leadership Horizons, the power of being outdoors

By Jenny Bowers on

Leadership Horizons, the power of being outdoors

Posted on July 20, 2021

What do you get when you add a group of open-minded coaches, expert facilitators, the lake district and about 6 hours of time?

The answer is the feeling of being part of a something special, a lifting of soul and clarity of direction!

But first a bit of background:

I may have started my coaching journey many years ago, but in 2017 I met the truly outstanding Dr Paul Simmons as a new head in Oldham. The LA had teamed up with him (www.independentcoaching.org) to produce a program of support for new heads, and I embraced the coaching part of this wholeheartedly, finally a coaching method secure in theory, ethics and with a strong structure to work within. I then moved to the part two, whilst also sending my leadership team on part one, used the structure in my performance management meetings with staff and our senior leadership team meetings and progressed to part three.

When I left my headship in 2020, I was in contact with Paul as I considered the next stage of my journey. With sound advice and his support I ensured I completed part three, joined the executive coaching, added accredited supervision to my portfolio (my absolute passion for wellbeing) and embarked on my current chapter as Purplemoon.

Leadership Horizons Pilot

Paul, and his wife Marian, had been considering a day of coaching for coaches embedded in nature for a while. Nature and being outside as positive wellbeing factors have been a big identified as a feature of the pandemic Lockdowns and so when he approached me to ask if I would be interested in participating in a pilot day about coaching ‘in-situ’ in the lake district I jumped at the chance. As did nine others!

We gathered (socially distanced!) between 9-9:30 in a lovely room that was part of the University of Cumbria. We discussed what had brought us there, the theory and practice behind leadership coaching, and thought about

we then set off into the countryside, four of us opting for a shorter walk and then a sit in pleasant surrounds, and six opting for a longer walk and talk. (yes, I was in the walk and sit group!) we paired up, we coached, we came together for a packed lunch and chat, we changed locations and coached again in our pairs. We then met up as a whole group again to reflect on the day-our individual thoughts and learning, and our thoughts and learning as a group. We then drifted back home around 3pm, after all agreeing that it had been a remarkable day.

Remarkable Day Reflections

Whenever I have attended coaching sessions facilitated by Paul I have felt invigorated, have got clarity of next steps and also learnt more about being a coach. This day was no exception, however this day held something more, something deeper and we all felt it.

One phrase that has stayed with me is the difference between ‘feeling knowledge’ and the ‘knowing knowledge’, I know that being in nature is powerful and positive, but after this day I also truly felt it enhance and deepen the coaching experience. There was synergy between the heart and the head in a different way at the end of the sessions. What brought this about?

  1. Being outside brought different energy, it was more tranquil, less hasty or pressured- I also enjoyed not having to be in constant eye contact as I sat next to my coach rather than opposite across a desk/table. I fiddled with grass and flowers around me (as did she) and did not feel self-conscious about fiddling. Pauses were natural and mindful and invited further thoughts and discussion.
  2. I love working in metaphor and using the vista around me to describe my reality and my ideal, and work out how to get to that horizon, really helped both me and my coaching partner to depersonalise the issue/thoughts, describe them with rich language and give greater weight to our thinking. Whilst also being an aide memoir for the coach so more cognitive space could be given to support rather than remembering or note taking.
  3. Overall it felt very embryonic but also retained the structures and methods we all were so familiar with. Nothing was forced and for me there was less pressure as I felt unconstrained by time and the physical presence of work/workplace. I found the walking part as the nice bit of small talk, the shedding off of my ‘to-do’ list or my anxieties, frustrations or woes as I enjoyed the physicality of walking uphill and the taking in of the sights and sounds. When we sat, we paused and truly let go as we established our anchor for coaching in the surroundings, and then we delved deeper into the near, middle and far horizons.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! Am I looking into how I can incorporate this into my practise as a coach and supervision, oh yes!

Would it have been different if it had rained? Maybe, although we all gelt that some light drizzle wouldn’t have stopped us, a storm would have given us a different vista and energy, but there was always the safety of the building!

What is Listening?

By Jenny Bowers on

What is Listening?

Posted on March 22, 2021


Listening
I’ve had a few different conversations recently about listening: What the point of listening is and how we do (or don’t!) Listen!
As a daughter, sister, partner, friend, teacher and leader I have said ‘you are not listening to me!’ or ‘are you listening to me? ‘many times. Often with growing frustration. I’ve had it said to me from my brother, parents, partner, friends, a child, staff line manager and member of staff. There have also been times when I simply haven’t spoken up as I was sure the audience wouldn’t listen to me.
What I have come to realise, through my experience and through pulling together different strands of training over the years, is that there are many different types of listening, and may different ways to respond to someone when you have listened to them. I’m also really interested when people talk about ‘the listening ear’ and ‘active listening’- again there are quite a few facets to both of these descriptors.
What I do know is that when I am participating in a discussion as a coach or as a supervisor I have an intensive focus on me listening effectively and draw on my experience of listening and being listened to.
So here are my thoughts;

Listening to respond

This is where you may end up in a disagreement or misunderstanding if the emotions behind it are powerful and beginning to overwhelm.

However, there is a place for this, as there are times when it is a question or query that is being said.

Listening to understandThis is a big part of coaching and supervision and effective leadership. Yes, you will still be responding, but it is about ensuring that you are truly hearing what is being said to you, through words and through non-verbal cues so that your response is measured, calm and worthwhile
Listening to empathise and/or sympathiseWe have all had those moments when someone just wants to vent, or share something, good or bad. Here what they want is acknowledgement and validation.
Listen to give advice/solutionsThis is mentoring or when you are seen as the expert. Someone wants or needs you to give them a solution, or want you to advise what you would do in their position. Be warned, be sure that this IS what they want, or you may end up with frustration!
Listen to ensure the person has understood you and what you have saidThis became increasingly important for me when launching initiatives or trying to shift culture. I had had a discussion, I thought what I said was clear and obvious, but then I would ask a key question, or ‘check for feedback’ and what they would say was something different, So do this listening at key points so that you are making sure they have really grasped the main points that you wanted them to, and they understand them.
Listening to see who has the biggest voice and who is not engaging or being drowned outI am often fascinated by team dynamics, and will often sit back, watch and listen to a group discussion. Who is leading, who is engaging what listening styles, who is being silent and disengaging, who looks animated and who looks confused? And is there a way to rebalance or check in?
Listening to see who has the same values, ethics and ideals as us and who doesn’t.We often seek allies and gravitate to those that seem similar to ourselves. Particularly in friendships, in employment and we desire it in family. Having that internal debate to decide shall I engage in this discussion in the pub, around coffee stand at the conference, in the staff room can sometimes lead us to decide no, and this is ok!

What I do know is that sometimes listening is an effort, particularly when stressed or tired or desperately trying to get something done to a deadline! I also know it is ok to say ‘I cant listen just now, but lets talk in the morning, in an hour or let me grab a coffee first.’ All listening types require dialogue, and acknowledging that you can’t listen right now is better than half listening!

But what is it you do?

By Jenny Bowers on

But what is it you do?

Posted on March 3, 2021

What do I do? Here is a video explaining what I do.