[Adapted from an article published in Principal Connections; The Magazine of Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario. Fall 2025, Volume 29. Issue 1.]

“What did you learn on the job today?”

It’s a simple question, and one that often stops school leaders in their tracks. Not because there’s nothing to say, but because the learning we experience in a day is embedded in moments that move quickly: a walk down the corridor, a quick exchange with a teacher, a tense but productive parent conversation, or a coaching session that energizes us just as much as the person we’re supporting.

These daily interactions aren’t just routine; they are the very fabric of our leadership. And if we’re paying attention, they’re also the heart of our professional growth and the growth of others.

In a world where sustainability in leadership is about more than self-care and succession planning; where it’s about building leadership that lasts and leaves a legacy. The quality of our conversations matters more than ever.

Leadership that Lasts Starts with How We Talk

We often think of coaching as something formal: scheduled sessions, defined goals, set protocols. But what if we saw coaching not as a process or bounded activity, but as a way of leading?

This is the core premise of Growth Talk: A Coaching Way of Leading in Schools (Munro & Campbell, 2025). A coaching way of leading does not belong solely to certified coaches or designated mentors. It’s a leadership approach available to every school leader, every day. It’s grounded in how we listen, ask questions, notice what matters, and support others to make sense of their work and move forward.

And crucially, it’s sustainable. Why? Because it does not rely on charisma, authority, or heroic effort. It draws on curiosity, trust, and a belief that people grow best when they are supported — not steered — by their leaders.

Conversations as Currency

Schools can be thought of as “human-intensive systems,” where the complex work of teaching and learning happens through webs of human interaction. They don’t run on processes or metrics alone. They run on relationships and relationships are built, maintained, and deepened through conversation.

That’s why John Campbell and I describe conversations as the currency of school life. And like currency, their value depends on how they are exchanged. A purely transactional conversation might serve a purpose: a compliance checklist, a quick instruction; but it rarely fuels growth.

Sustainable leadership conversations are different. They are infused with what researchers call “positive energy interactions” (Cross & Parker, 2004) — moments marked by presence, progress, possibility, and trust. They’re not always long or formal. In fact, many of them happen in hallways, staffrooms, between meetings, or even at the school gate. But when we lead these interactions intentionally, they have the power to shift mindsets, deepen agency, and build a culture that can outlast any one leader.

Four Functions of ‘Growth Talk’ Conversations

Drawing on contemporary leadership literature and our work with school leaders, we have identified four core functions that a coaching approach to leadership conversations can serve. Together, these build the foundation for a conversational form of leadership that is both effective and sustainable:

1. Sensemaking
   In times of change, people need help interpreting what’s happening and why. Coaching questions like “What’s most on your mind?” or “What are the three most important aspects of this topic for you right now?” help others find clarity in complexity. Equally, the seemingly simple process of playing back what we think we’ve heard to our conversation partner can have the powerful effect of them hearing their own thinking for the first time.
2. Learning
   A coaching approach assumes that everyone is capable of growth. Asking “What’s something you learned from that experience?” or “Who might offer a different perspective?” activates reflection and resourcefulness. Coach-like leaders lead learning conversations that serve the thinking and progress of those around them.
3. Experimentation
   Progress often comes from small iterative steps. A good conversation doesn’t need to end in a perfect plan — it might simply help someone try one new thing. Asking “What small change might move this forward?” can ignite action and learning. Encouraging informed experimentation is not just about the ‘doing’; it’s also about noticing the impact of the new action. This is where leaders help to build the conscious competence of their team members.
4. Progress
   Sustainable leaders support others to take meaningful action. Even small wins create momentum. Asking “Where are you up to with this now?” or “What’s one step you’ll take next?” or “What’s gone well since we last spoke?” helps lock in growth.

Why This Matters for Sustainable Leadership

Sustainable leadership is not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters — and doing it in ways that empower others to lead alongside us and after us.

A coaching way of leading:

• Builds capacity, not dependence. It grows the leadership of others by encouraging agency, initiative, and ownership.
• Creates a culture of learning. When everyone expects conversations to include reflection and growth, the culture begins to shift.
• Strengthens relational trust. People feel seen, heard, and respected — the foundation for high-functioning teams and resilient communities.
• Leaves a legacy. Coach-like conversations don’t end when the leader moves on. They shape how others think, reflect, and lead themselves.

Conversations are Leadership

If your days as a school leader are filled with meetings, quick chats, and impromptu corridor check-ins — take heart. These are not distractions from leadership. Theyare leadership.

The shift comes when we choose to approach these moments with intention; to consciously step into the role of conversation leader. When we stop thinking of coaching solely as an activity and start employing a coaching approach in the myriad of conversational contexts through which we lead. When we recognise that each conversation holds the possibility to serve our conversation partners’ thinking, growth, and progress, and, in doing so, sustain the culture we want to leave behind.

That’s sustainable leadership in action.

References

Cross, R., & Parker, A. (2004). The hidden power of social networks: Understanding how work really gets done in organisations. Harvard Business School Press.

Munro, C. & Campbell, J. (2025). Growth Talk: A coaching way of leading in schools. ASCD.