Reflections From Lab 1.0
Friday 12th of September was the final day of our Lab 1.0, where participants from a wide range of our Lutheran learning communities have been exploring ways of growing leadership capabilities in themselves, and the teams and systems they lead.
Feedback for the 4 days included the following:
“I have valued the opportunity to pause and reflect on my leadership practice through structured frameworks. The labs pushed me to move beyond surface-level problem solving and think about the systems, mental models, and social fields that shape behaviour in my team and school. It was especially valuable to connect with colleagues across schools, to share challenges and see different approaches in action.”
“I have grown in confidence to step into adaptive leadership rather than relying on technical ‘quick fixes’. I am more aware of how my own mental models influence my leadership, and how shifting the thinking of others is often the key to real change. I now see my role less as ‘solving problems for people’ and more as ‘creating conditions where my team can collectively respond to challenges’. It’s lessened the pressure of feeling like I need to personally ‘fix’ every issue and has opened space for shared responsibility.”
“Through these leadership development sessions, I’ve experienced significant personal and professional growth. They’ve pushed me to reflect more deeply on my leadership style, encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, and provided practical frameworks that I’ve been able to apply in real time. I really enjoyed the iceberg and the ladder of inference.”
“I think we do well in getting the word out and inviting people to attend. We need to make sure we continue doing this and as those who have done the work will be exemplifying what it means it will continue to draw others in to spread it further. Would be great to be able to invite parents/students into this space too”.
“Building awareness and understanding of myself and how assumptions thoughts and feelings impact decision-making. Working on more networking and strategic relationships to share visions and initiatives that benefit the collective.”
