The Power of Context in Leadership

The concept of "context" has increasingly challenged my thinking as I've progressed through various leadership roles—from school leader and senior leader to principal and system leader. It’s a term often used in different ways across research papers, discussions, and examples by leaders themselves. But what exactly is “context,” and what falls under its umbrella? If we can understand what context is (and isn’t), we can become more empowered to discern what works, why it works, and what doesn’t, we can start new approaches, and equally stop approaches not working.

This line of questioning emerged from numerous conversations with leaders where I have heard things like, “That initiative won’t work in my context,” or “I can see how that’s successful in your context, but it wouldn’t be in mine.” Leading in a variety of contexts—primary and secondary schools, rural and suburban areas, highly disadvantaged to affluent communities, and highly culturally diverse environments—has taught me that every setting has unique nuances that require attention. More significantly, I’ve learned that each “context” required a different version of me as a leader.

I'm an advocate for saying “no” to initiatives, learning programs, or opportunities when a school has thoughtfully evaluated them and concluded that they don’t align with the school’s people, mission, or environment. In my recent book ‘The Art of Skimming Stones’, I discuss this using the metaphor of “skimming stones,” where the most critical step is selecting the right stone—and often, it’s about dropping more stones than you actually skim.

However, when leading improvement, context influences certain unchangeable factors within your community—such as socio-economic conditions, cultural dynamics, funding, political factors, community diversity to name a few. These aspects must be carefully considered in any improvement strategy. But I want to push this thinking further: when we say “context,” can we be more specific? Are we talking about people, environment, history, processes, policies, or governance? Pinpointing the exact elements within a context gives us more influence and clarity.

Another ‘Bleeping’ Garden Analogy

I love a good metaphor to explain my thinking. While I’ve tried to steer away from the typical “seed = growth” analogies, I find myself returning to the simplicity of a garden, particularly a garden bed.

Just as every context has certain, consistent fundamental elements, every garden requires basics like soil, water, and sunlight. But the way each garden thrives can vary significantly. Some are in full sunlight all day, while others sit in naturally moist soil, and still others need careful, consistent watering. Some have rich, well-drained soil; others are sandy or dry. These are no better or worse, they are simply the reality.

The role of the gardener—the leader—remains consistent: cultivate a thriving space. Although the gardener’s strategies might come from the same foundational knowledge, the same learning or qualification, the skills they apply must be adapted to suit the garden’s unique conditions. Likewise, as leaders, we need to understand the specific features of our context and apply our skills in a nuanced, intentional way. Ultimately, we are all leaders of improvement, aiming for the same outcome: a thriving learning environment.

Some elements within our context may be fixed, potentially immoveable. But each of us operates within environments that have a powerful, dynamic element in common—people. People bring energy, complexity, purpose, and variety to any context, making them the most influential factor in shaping our approach as leaders.

Language is Important

Being specific about the elements within a concept allows us to address, improve, or discontinue certain aspects as needed. This empowers decision-making by focusing on the micro-elements within a broader or more complex concept.

When discussing context, I encourage you to consider another layer of reflection: What specific part of the context am I referring to? If we encounter a barrier and say, “This won’t work in my context,” but we can’t pinpoint the exact element and reason, we risk losing valuable opportunities for improvement. Conversely, if we can identify enablers within our context, we can further highlight, celebrate, and amplify these successes.