Reflections from The BSME Conference: Diana Osagie's Juggernaut Thinking

I've never hidden the fact that Diana Osagie?? has been one of my online mentors - even though she's unaware of it. So, having the opportunity to hear her keynote again was truly special. The last time I heard her speak, she focused on Courageous Leadership. This time, she's elevated her message to what she calls "Juggernaut Thinking" and just from the title, you know it's either not for the faint-hearted or perhaps precisely what the faint-hearted need to hear.

Diana is a masterful storyteller, weaving together experiences from her life, work, and time as a headteacher. Her stage presence is commanding; today, she even incorporated a chair as a prop to illustrate her points.

The core message resonated deeply with me: as a leader, if you want to be a juggernaut, you must be unafraid of your level of excellence. A juggernaut doesn't try - it simply does.

She posed a powerful question: do your staff work in a school where their success is inevitable because of your leadership? This kind of thinking, she explained, requires leaders to be both compassionate and robust.

One of her most thought-provoking questions was whether we allow our staff to challenge not just our actions but our thinking. She emphasised the importance of setting high goals while paying attention to daily developments, questioning not just the actions but also the thinking behind them. Her closing remarks were powerful yet simple: don't give up, and don't break the promises you've made to yourself.

I stayed for her workshop afterwards, which delved deeper into juggernaut thinking. The session forced me to confront an important question: what am I scared of? As a writer, I tend to hide behind my words. My pen is my shield, and I also use it as my cloak to hide my face.

Though I host a successful podcast, and I'm increasingly being called upon to speak publicly, I find it easier to stay curious and interview others than to stand before a room full of people. I've learnt to mask my social awkwardness over the years, but Diana challenged us to try something new today: to avoid self-criticism for an entire week and observe the results. That is gonna be hard for me, but I am willing to try.

I'm particularly guilty of deflecting compliments. When someone says, "Leisa, your podcast is amazing" or "I loved your article," I usually respond with a humorous deflection. But after today's session, I'm committing to simply saying "thank you." Thank you, Diana, for reminding me to be more loving and nurturing to myself.

I enjoy attending the BSME - British Schools in the Middle East conference each year becasue it feels like a reunion just seeing so many familiar faces.

Thanks to Nalini Cook and Debra Forsyth for allowing me the opportunity to attend.

P.S. Happy birthday Mark Leppard MBE . Thanks for always being so kind and welcoming.