By Joanna Povall (author)
"An insightful and highly relevant read for anyone committed to creating cultures where both staff and pupils can thrive."
Paperback In Stock £16.99 £15.29
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Kind Leadership is a timely and thought-provoking exploration of what effective leadership can look like in today's schools. At a time when education is facing growing pressures around accountability, recruitment and staff wellbeing, Joanna Povall makes a compelling case that kindness is not a soft option but a leadership strength.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its challenge to the belief that kindness and high expectations cannot coexist. Povall demonstrates that the most effective leaders are often those who communicate clearly, act with integrity and create cultures in which staff feel valued, trusted and supported to do their best work.
Central to the book is the CHASE framework: Communication, Honesty, Accountability, Self-Esteem and Ego management. Each element is explored through practical examples, reflective questions and research-informed insights, giving leaders clear strategies they can apply in their own contexts. The reflective questions are a particular strength, encouraging readers to evaluate their own practice and consider how they can develop further.
Equally powerful is the book's focus on the everyday interactions that shape a school's culture, from difficult conversations and performance management to celebrating success and supporting wellbeing.
What sets this book apart is its balance of compassion and rigour. Povall never suggests lowering standards but instead shows how trust, respect and psychological safety enable individuals and teams to perform at their best. Her message is both reassuring and challenging: leadership can be demanding and decisive whilst remaining deeply human.
Suitable for aspiring leaders, middle leaders, senior leaders and headteachers alike, Kind Leadership offers practical guidance alongside an inspiring vision for the future of education. At its heart is a simple but powerful reminder: schools are built on relationships and kindness remains one of the most effective tools a leader can possess. An insightful and highly relevant read for anyone committed to creating cultures where both staff and pupils can thrive.
In a world where educational leadership is often reduced to metrics and mandates, Kind Leadership by Joanna Povall offers something radically different: kindness as a powerful, strategic force for transformation.
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Drawing on over 30 years' experience in schools around the world, Joanna demonstrates how genuine strength emerges through leading with empathy, kind communication and accountability. Far from being weak or sentimental, kindness in leadership builds trust, strengthens teams, and creates inclusive school cultures where everyone, students, staff, and communities - can thrive.
At the heart of the book is Joanna's award-winning 'CHASE' model of kind leadership, a mindset of:
Rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and Joanna's lived experiences in education, the 'CHASE' model demonstrates how compassionate actions enhance performance and resilience. Each chapter unpacks one aspect of the model with examples, reflective questions and practical tools that leaders can immediately implement into their work.
Kind Leadership ultimately challenges and empowers leaders to lead with a genuine heart. It is not just a leadership guide; it's a movement toward a more human, hopeful, and resilient future for schools.
Suitable for all leaders or aspiring leaders in schools.
'When it comes to improving schools many leaders take a firm approach and by doing so create a climate of fear. Not so Joanna. She leads through kindness and the result is a school where students and teachers know they matter and are valued. Joanna is leading the way in pioneering compassionate leadership and with this culture of respect everyone gives of their best and the results improve accordingly. This has to be a better way to educate our children.' - Professor Deborah Eyre, Founder, High Performance Learning
Joanna Povall is the Principal of Wales International School in AbuDhabi. With over 30years in education across the UK, France, and the UAE, she serves as a Lead Improvement Partner for COBIS, accrediting over 20 schools worldwide. Joanna was awarded TES International Principal of the Yearin 2024, and her 'CHASE' framework of leadership was shortlisted for the TES International School Staff Wellbeing Initiative of the Year in 2025. She champions inclusive, compassionate leadership.
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In a world where educational leadership is often reduced to metrics and mandates, Kind Leadership by Joanna Povall offers something radically different: kindness as a powerful, strategic force for transformation. Drawing on over 30 years' experience in schools around the world, Joanna demonstrates how genuine strength emerges through leading with empathy, kind communication and accountability.
Kind Leadership: Leading schools with empathy, honesty and impact features in the following genres: Books for Teachers, Recommendations, Reference Works, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. In Stock.
Kind Leadership: Leading schools with empathy, honesty and impact was written by Joanna Povall and published by Crown House Publishing
Kind Leadership: Leading schools with empathy, honesty and impact has 192 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. In Stock.
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