CEO Thought for the Week

Hi All,

I hope you've had a great week so far, despite the horrendous weather! Let's hope we might at least glimpse some sunshine in the next few days.

Since I wrote to you last Wednesday, I've had the opportunity to visit four of our academies and spend some time with pupils, chatting with the team and seeing the awesome work that happens every day. When I get back in my car after a visit I can't help but reflect on the dedication and determination of our colleagues to try and provide every pupil with what they need to succeed. It is this "Grit" that makes all the difference.

On my travels I've been re-listening to the book "GRIT" by Angela Duckworth in which she gives evidence to suggest that it's not the most "talented" that thrive and go on to achieve extraordinary things but those with the most "GRIT". In her book she visits military colleges, schools, universities and businesses and systematically tests and compares groups to see who will go on to have the greatest impact. Her theory is that what most of us perceive as "talent" or "genius" is often the result of many weeks, months and years of perseverance and passion for a specific goal. We all look at Olympic athletes during the games and say "wow- aren't they talented", when in fact the athletes themselves often share that natural talent is just a small part of what makes them successful. The biggest impact comes from relentless training schedules optimized over years to try and make that one moment in front of the camera and crowd pay off.

I've heard many people in schools talk about talented children or teachers, support staff and sometimes even leaders! When I look more closely at those individuals I have to agree with Angela Duckworth most of the time the "Talent" is a result of sustained perseverance and passion over a long time. So if we want success in our schools, for our pupils and for ourselves the answer is not to wait for "talent" to manifest itself or for an overnight fix or quick win but to set our eyes on a shared goal, display perseverance in the face of every challenge, begin each day with a renewed passion and then stick at it for a long time! And to be fair that is exactly what many of you do each and every day!

Thanks for sharing your "GRIT" with our children, our colleagues and our academies!

Have a great week!

Best Wishes

Gavin

PS- you may find this TED Talk by Angela an interesting starting point when thinking about GRIT: Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The power of passion and perseverance | TED Talk