The uncommon sense of MESSY leadership

School leadership is changing. Principals and school leaders are leading in increasingly complex and uncertain environments and needing to develop adaptive leadership and collaborative approaches. In this spotlight session, co-author of Embracing MESSY Leadership Rosie Connor will share key insights including the top nine challenges that school leaders are grappling with. These insights were drawn from coaching over 20,000 school leaders. Dozens of education leaders around the world – including Angela Falkenberg, President of Australian Primary Principals’ Association - were then involved in trialling MESSY leadership tools and improving the book text. Rosie and Angela will reveal the ‘uncommon sense of MESSY leadership’ – turning on its head old doctrine on what ‘effective school leadership’ entails. They will unpack further how this truly is a school leadership model developed from, with and for school leaders. During the workshop to follow, they will offer some practical strategies for school leaders to trial as they free themselves up to embrace the wonderful ‘messiness’ of school leadership.

Rosie Connor

Founder and Global Director of BTS Spark, Rosie has launched hundreds of leadership development programs for school leaders across four continents.

As Chief Executive of Tony Blair's Education Action Zone, her leadership turning around 19 failing schools was described by independent inspectors as 'outstanding' and the Zone designated a national flagship. She consulted for England’s National College for School Leadership and facilitated the launch of Australia’s Professional Principal Standard. Named a 2023 Most Influential Educator by Australia’s The Educator magazine, Rosie collaborates with the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), OECD2030 and leading-edge school systems on future-focused school leadership.

Angela Falkenberg

Angela Falkenberg is an experienced school and community leader dedicated to supporting students, educators, and families in building capabilities, resilience and optimism. She emphasises the importance of leading well and uses data-driven, high-impact strategies to foster positive cultures and wellbeing.

Currently the President of the Australian Primary Principal’s Association, she has also been a principal of three primary schools and held various leadership roles in secondary schools and system positions, including wellbeing and literacy leadership.

Angela's career began in First Nation education in the NT and has focused on addressing educational disadvantage. She has led a healthcare project in neonatal nurseries and served as the president of SIDS and Kids SA. With a master's degree in special education, she is a lifelong learner and a rational optimist (as she can’t see the point of being anything else).