From Drain to Gain – Making Meetings Work

From Drain to Gain – Making Meetings Work

Are your meetings driving progress - or just filling calendars? In this episode of The Principal’s Perspective, Dr Adrian Camm and Teagan Collins examine meetings not just as calendar events, but as powerful signals of school culture and leadership practice. They share the structure of executive meetings at Westbourne and reflect more broadly on meetings that don’t work and how leaders can redesign them with greater purpose. This fast-paced conversation also covers how to make one-on-one meetings more valuable, and the trade-offs leaders need to consider when creating time efficiencies. They explore: * The risk of senior teams getting stuck in the wrong level of discussion. * Why leaders need clarity about where decisions should be made. * The tension between efficiency and making people feel seen, heard, and valued. * How meeting habits across an organisation can either strengthen or weaken culture. * It' a thoughtful and highly practical episode for school leaders wanting to improve how time gets spent. Want to learn more about our hosts? Connect with them on LinkedIn: * Dr Adrian Camm: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/] * Teagan Collins:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/]

Banning or Band-aid

In this year’s premiere of The Principal’s Perspective, Dr. Adrian Camm and Teagan Collins enter the high-stakes topic of technology bans. With new legislation targeting mobile phones, smartwatches, and social media, they discuss the operational reality and teacher burden and the way teens bypass restrictions. It’s a provocative conversation about moving from prohibition to preparation. You’ll learn: * How history is littered with examples of how fear drives panic * The impact on isolated young people when their social pathways are restricted * The administrative reality of schools becoming the enforcers * How young people are bypassing the bans and going underground Want to learn more about our hosts? Connect with them on LinkedIn: * Dr Adrian Camm: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/] * Teagan Collins:⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/] Show Notes: Rethinking Education in the Age of Technology: The Digital Revolution and Schooling in America – Allan Collins & Richard Halverson

Candid with Your Toughest Questions

A principal interview panel, emotional labour you can’t rehearse for, staff who feel powerless, and AI that’s changing how leaders work. In this year’s final episode, Dr Adrian Camm and Teagan Collins take on your toughest questions. Join in as they: * Go deeper into principal interview technique, the questions that really distinguish candidates, and how to respond with authenticity rather than polished jargon. * Explore what can and can’t be taught about the emotional and political labour of principalship – and how aspiring leaders can still prepare. * Break down daily practices, wellbeing routines and calendar design that help leaders stay effective, visible and human. * Discuss how Adrian is using AI in his role as principal – from analysis of complex information to a new, more personalised school website – and where he draws the line on AI‑generated comms. Adrian and Teagan close out 2025 with a conversation that is both thought-provoking and immediately useful, helping you refine your leadership approach and prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.  Want to learn more about our hosts? Connect with them on LinkedIn: * Dr Adrian Camm: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/] * Teagan Collins:⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/] Show Notes: Brené Brown – Strong Ground Julia Baird – Bright Shining and Phosphorescence Patrick Lencioni – The Ideal Team Player Viktor E. Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning Jane Wilkinson – Practice Matters in Educational Leadership1

When Tradition Meets Innovation | A change management case study

How do schools reimagine long held traditions for modern contexts? Dr Adrian Camm and Teagan Collins share the story of Westbourne Grammar’s shift from chapel and chaplaincy to a philosophy led program called Echoes and Dialogues.  They reveal the tension, stakeholder engagement, and data informed reflection behind this change, and how leadership humility and philosophical dialogue create belonging and critical thinking.  You’ll learn:  * How to evaluate which traditions still serve your purpose. * How to involve staff, students, and families in change. * Why decoupling religion from wellbeing can open space reflection. * How philosophy builds ethical, articulate future leaders. A thought-provoking case study in courageously leading reform while protecting community identity.  Want to learn more about our hosts? Connect with them on LinkedIn: * Dr Adrian Camm: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/] * Teagan Collins:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/]  Show Notes:  Carl Jung – Modern Man in Search of a Soul  Michael Polanyi – The Tacit Dimension

Systems Thinking Principalship

From purpose to performance through systems thinking.  Everything in a school is connected. Dr Adrian Camm and Teagan Collins unpack a five-linkage model: Purpose → Strategy → Capabilities → Organisational Design → Management Systems and show how leaders can create coherence. Hear how misalignment shows up (trust, retention, clarity), what to prioritise because you can’t do it all, and how to use reverse-engineering questions and simple two-by-two prioritisation to sequence change. They share examples for talent management, leadership capability frameworks, coaching, student leadership redesign, and radical transparency.  You’ll learn:  * How to define ‘winning’ for your context and choose what not to do  * How to spot and fix capability gaps that block strategic delivery * How to decentralise decisions without losing alignment  * How to communicate openly because radical transparency builds trust What is one thing you will realign to strengthen thelinkages and remove friction from your structure?  Want to learn more about our hosts? Connect with them on LinkedIn: * Dr Adrian Camm: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriancamm/] * Teagan Collins:https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/teagan-collins-45699811a/]  Show Notes:  * Jonathan Trevor - Align: A Leadership Blueprint for Aligning Purpose, Strategy, and Organization  * A.G. Lafley and Roger L. Martin – Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works  *  L. David Marquet – Turn the Ship Around! A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders  * Marshall Goldsmith – What Got You Here Won’t Get You There  * AHISA - Association of Heads ofIndependent Schools of Australia | Home [https://www.ahisa.edu.au/]