The joy of spending time in schools.

I am finally settled in to my new role as an Educational Consultant working for Life-Centric Educational Consultancy Ltd. I have also been approved as a Ministry of Education ‘Facilitator’.

I am loving the work and being amongst first class leaders and teachers across a number of schools. After 9 years in South Australia, including being the Dean of Education (Flinders University), it is truly great to be home in NZ.

The context for my work is around relational leadership, organisational leaders, principals, educational leaders, middle school leaders, team leaders, emergent leaders, aspirational and teacher leadership.

I use my book entitled ‘Relational Leadership in Education’ to support my contribution to the formation of leaders and organisations.

If there are ways of working together on a common task, don’t hesitate checking me out.

Sincerely

Emeritus Professor David Giles

Mobile 02108855825

Email dlgiles1@gmail.com

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One year on: Who would have known?

A number of years ago, in a reflective conversation with George Otero, he made the comment, “who would have known?” His words still linger in me as I look back over the last 365 days. Yesterday (23 March) marked the end of our 1st year back in New Zealand (NZ).

We continue to marvel at the timing of our flight home, 2 days before NZ’s first big lock down. Leaving Adelaide on what might have been the last flight to leave – 19 passengers and crew!

12 months on, sitting in the warm sun, having watered the vegetable garden, I look back on the pleasure of being able to be at all the grandkid’s birthdays, all the special events and celebrations. Who would have known just how wonderful and precious life can be. In all seriousness, so much has happened in the last 12 months.

And breaking news: As I am writing this blog, my daughter Amy is giving birth to her 3rd child. Yet another occasion to celebrate. A new baby on the first day of our 2nd year back in NZ. My ‘Grandpa’ duties will be extended.

I have been pondering the following statement in relation to our first anniversary of living and being back in NZ,

‘perseverance is not a long race, it is many short races, one after the other’.

So true!

Take care, David

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Bringing 20/20 vision into 2021 …

Optometrists check our vision.

They make assessments from the ‘outside in’, on what our vision is like for us from the ‘inside out’. Our goal for this assessment should be to have a prescription for improved vision, at best, a 20/20 ‘alignment’.

Optometrists check our eye-sight, not our in-sight.

Metaphorically, vision is also integral to our sight, our in-sight, and even our fore-sight. As an aside, I’m reminded of the expression that ‘some people look but they don’t see’.


To go where no optometrist can go.


For us, 20/20 was a year of ‘re-turning’ and being ‘welcomed home’ after 9 years of living in South Australia.

In the last 7 months, Pauline and I have been
seeking vision, gaining perspective and purpose,and receiving in-sight, in readiness for how we might ‘be’ in 2021.

Our hope is that refreshing thoughts and in-sights ‘find you’ each day.

David & Pauline

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Online teaching of Relational Leadership

I have just finished a 2 day intensive leadership course today for the University of Adelaide, South Australia.

. During the afternoon session, one student asked the question: how do you find teaching on Relationships and Relational Leadership in an online manner? Do I enjoy it?

I thanked the student and began pondering his questions.

It certainly is a different experience to be teaching life-centric relational material online rather than face to face.

It’s more difficult to look into someone’s eyes and read their unspoken messages. It’s more challenging to sense the relational movements between those involved.

. But I’ll persist with teaching this way if this remains as our dominant medium of delivery. I’m glad the student was pondering these questions.

Dg

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