EmpowerYou.

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EmpowerYou. is a consultancy company that helps organisations thrive, by enabling and empowering leaders. is based in Canterbury | Ōtautahi | New Zealand.

They collaborate with leaders across New Zealand both face to face and online.

04/11/2026

Great leadership teams don't need to think alike.

They need to understand each other.

One of the highlights of my work this year has been supporting the Senior Leadership Team at Waimea Intermediate through their DiSC journey.

It's been awesome watching their collaborative leadership continue to grow and flourish.

What's been particularly rewarding is seeing how their deeper understanding of each other's behavioural preferences has strengthened the way they communicate, collaborate and solve problems together.

One of the biggest shifts DiSC can create?

Moving from "Why do they always do that?" to "Now I understand why they approach things differently."

And that shift can make a real difference.
✅ Communication becomes more intentional.
✅ Differences are recognised as strengths rather than frustrations.
✅ Relational trust grows, making honest conversations and collective problem-solving easier.

DiSC isn't about putting people into boxes.

It's about understanding what makes each other tick and using those insights to become a stronger, more connected leadership team.

Because great teamwork isn't about being the same.

It's about making the most of your differences.

A big thank you to the team at Waimea Intermediate for your openness, commitment and willingness to grow together.

Considering DiSC for your leadership team in 2027?

Send me a DM. I'd be happy to have a chat.

02/11/2026

You can be a highly capable principal and still struggle to lead if people don't trust you.

That's something I've been reflecting on since a coaching conversation with a primary school principal last week.

We were discussing how much his relationship with the school board had changed over the past four and a half years.

When he first arrived, the relationship was challenging.

There was tension.

Trust was low.

Fast forward to a recent board meeting.

A matter came up, and a board member simply said:

"That's for the principal to decide."

A small comment, but a powerful example of how things had changed.

And it hadn't happened overnight.

It was the result of years of intentionally building relationships.

Listening.

Following through.

And consistently doing what he said he would do.

We also talked about how important relational leadership has become in our schools.

My client shared that when challenging situations arise with parents, he'll often hear:

"I trust you to follow it through."

What a powerful position to be in as a leader.

Not because everyone agrees with every decision.

But because people trust your intentions and your ability to do what you say you are going to do.

Relational trust doesn't remove difficult conversations or decisions. It changes how people approach them.

And perhaps that's one of the most important investments a principal can make.

Are you spending as much time building trust as you are managing the day-to-day demands of your school?

28/10/2026

Being a school principal can be incredibly rewarding.

But it can also be challenging, complex and, at times, lonely.

Having someone alongside you to listen, challenge your thinking and help you navigate those challenges can make a real difference.

That's what I love about the work I do.

26/10/2026

Great coaching starts before the coaching begins.

Recently, during an initial conversation with a school principal, something interesting happened.

She began questioning whether her own values and leadership approach were truly aligned with the community she was leading.

That's a pretty significant question to be asking yourself as a principal.

And we hadn't even started the formal coaching process.

It reminded me of something I've learned over the past six years.

Sometimes, the most valuable thing we can offer a leader is the space to step back, reflect and see things differently.

I've been spending some time recently refining how I welcome new coaching clients to EmpowerYou.

Before we talk about leadership goals, strategies or action plans, I want to get to know the person behind the principalship.

What's important to them.

What drives them.

What they're proud of.

What's keeping them awake at night.

And where they feel they could really benefit from having someone alongside them.

Because the quality of the coaching relationship has a huge influence on the quality of the coaching itself.

And that relationship starts with trust.

Trust takes time, genuine curiosity, honest conversations and a willingness to listen without judgement.

That's why I always begin with a relaxed, 20-minute, no-obligation conversation.

No pressure. No expectations.

Just an opportunity to connect, understand what's happening in their world and explore whether working together might be valuable.

From there, we explore their natural leadership strengths, how they communicate and what they want to grow as a leader.

Only then do we begin the deeper coaching work.

With everything happening in education right now, I know how much responsibility our primary school principals are carrying.

You don't have to navigate it all on your own.

If you're a primary school principal who's been thinking about getting some independent leadership support, perhaps our first 20-minute conversation is a good place to start.

Feel free to send me a message. It would be great to connect.

21/10/2026

Just how much can a school principal handle?

Something that's coming through loud and clear in my coaching conversations with primary school principals right now is how much they're juggling.

Curriculum changes, staff resistance, difficult conversations, increasing workloads, supporting learners with complex needs ... and somehow finding time to look after themselves!

And the reality is, these challenges don't arrive one at a time.

You might be working through curriculum changes with your staff, handling a tricky parent complaint, and supporting a teacher who's struggling. All before lunchtime!

Having spent nine years as a principal myself, I know how quickly things can pile up.

So, what can help?

Here are three things I encourage principals to try:

1. Get clear on what really matters.
You can't do everything at once, and that's okay. Identify one or two things that will make the biggest difference right now. Not everything needs to be a priority.

2. Don't feel you have to drive change on your own.
Bring your people into the conversation. Ask questions, listen to their concerns and involve them in finding solutions. People are far more likely to get behind change when they feel part of it.

3. Give yourself some space to think.
This is a big one. It's so easy to spend your whole week reacting to what's happening around you. Make time to step back, reflect and talk things through with someone you trust.

One of the things I really enjoy about coaching principals is seeing what happens when they finally get that space.

Sometimes it's about working through a difficult situation. Other times it's simply helping someone get clearer on what matters and what they can actually control.

And often, they already have the answers.

They just need the time and space to find them.

You don't have to have everything figured out, and you certainly don't have to carry it all on your own.

Principals, what’s helped you to cope with the competing demands that come with the job?

19/10/2026

The thing I value most about running my own business?

The people I get to work alongside.

I feel pretty privileged to support some incredible school principals across New Zealand.

Principals who care deeply about their schools and communities.

Who want to keep growing and learning.

Who are open to being challenged, reflecting on their leadership and sometimes looking at things differently.

And who recognise that, no matter how experienced you are, there's always more to learn.

With education in New Zealand navigating some significant changes, I think it's more important than ever that our principals have the support and space they need to continue leading with mana.

That's a big part of what drives the work I do.

Creating opportunities for principals to step away from the day-to-day demands of running a school.

To think.
To connect with others.
To challenge their thinking.
And to grow as leaders.

Yesterday was a great example of why I rate bringing principals together through the professional learning groups I facilitate.

As part of my Nelson professional learning group, we had the opportunity to visit OneSchool Global, where Natalie Doty is doing an incredible job leading the school.

We also had a tour of their new primary school learning spaces.

It was a great reminder of just how valuable it is for principals to get out of their own schools, see different approaches and learn alongside other leaders.

Sometimes the most valuable leadership development happens when we create the space to step back, connect and think differently.

And being able to support principals to do just that is something I never take for granted!

14/10/2026

CONNECTION. Sometimes it's exactly what we need.

I thought I'd share something a bit different from my usual leadership coaching posts.

Last year, after a few conversations with a good mate, Chris Wallace, I decided to give WNOW a go.

For those who haven't heard of it, WNOW (When No One's Watching) is a grassroots men's well-being movement focused on supporting men's physical, mental and emotional health.

Every Wednesday at 6am, rain or shine, men come together. Not just to get some exercise, but to connect, have honest conversations, share a few laughs and support one another.

Here in Christchurch, we meet at the Kind Foundation on Rolleston Ave.

Nothing complicated. Just a great group of blokes getting some exercise, talking about life and enjoying a coffee afterwards.

I've been missing in action for the past three months while recovering from a knee replacement, so it was awesome to finally get back amongst the crew this week.

And it reminded me of something important.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for our well-being is simply surround ourselves with good people.

People who listen. People who understand. People who make you laugh. And people who remind you that whatever challenges you're facing, you don't have to navigate them alone.

I always walk away from these Wednesday mornings with a better perspective on life and a renewed sense of energy.

There's something pretty special about that.

Connection matters. More than we sometimes realise.

If you're in Christchurch and fancy an early start, some exercise, good company and a coffee, flick me a message. Always happy to introduce someone new to the crew.

12/10/2026

From 2/10 to 8/10 in clarity. In just 22 minutes.

That's the shift one of my coaching clients experienced last week.

He came into our conversation feeling stuck.

As a school leader, he was dealing with a difficult situation involving one of his team members.

He'd put in the time and energy.
Regular communication.
Ongoing support.

Yet things weren't improving. And he'd started questioning himself.

What am I missing? Could I have done more? Am I getting something wrong?

I've been there myself. When you care deeply about your people, it's easy to take on more responsibility than you need to.

So rather than jumping to solutions, I asked questions that helped him step back.

What had he already done?

What was within his control?

And what needed to sit with the other person?

About halfway through, he paused and said:

“I've actually done a lot of this well”.

By his own measure, he went from 2/10 to 8/10.

The situation hadn't changed.

His perspective had.

What are you currently carrying as a leader that might not be entirely yours to carry?

07/10/2026

The 36-month AI window we can’t afford to ignore.

As I mentioned previously, I recently flew to Sydney to hear Tony Robbins speak.

One thing he said made me really think:

“You are not going to be replaced by AI. You’re going to be replaced by someone who uses AI.”

That landed differently for me because I spend a lot of my time alongside school principals.

And when I look at education’s response to AI, I see plenty of concern.

Academic integrity.
Assessment.
Privacy.
Student use.
Teacher workload.

All important.

But are we spending too much time asking:

“What could go wrong?”

And not enough asking:

“How do we learn to use this well?”

The window is open.

Robbins argued that the next 36 months could bring more change than the previous 11 years combined.

Whether you agree with that exact timeframe or not, the direction of travel is hard to ignore.

AI is already changing how people research, create, analyse, communicate and solve problems.

And the gap between those experimenting with AI and those who aren’t is likely to grow.

That matters for schools.

Principals don’t need to become AI experts.

But they do need to become AI-literate leaders.

Over the past few months, I’ve been exploring AI with groups of principals I work with, bringing in subject matter experts and creating space for genuine discussion.

And something interesting happens when people move beyond the initial anxiety.

The conversation shifts from:

“Should we be worried about AI?”

To:

“How do we lead this well?”

That shift matters.

Because school leaders set the tone.

The leadership challenge isn't becoming an AI expert or jumping on every new tool.

It’s being curious enough to explore it, thoughtful enough to question it, and courageous enough to lead the conversation.

One other line from Sydney has stayed with me:

“We’re drowning in information but starving for wisdom.”

That feels really relevant right now.

There is no shortage of AI tools, predictions and opinions.

What we need more of is good judgment.

The 36-month window isn’t something to fear.

It’s an invitation to get curious.

So, school leaders:

Where are you at with AI?

05/10/2026

Being available to your team isn't the same as being accessible.

For principals, that distinction matters.

One of the hardest shifts in leadership is moving from:

"I need to be there for everything."

To:

"I need to create the conditions for my team to lead."

That doesn't mean disappearing. It means being intentional about your presence.

One principal I work with has done this through a simple framework:

→ Two purposeful check-ins each month with his leaders
→ Format matched to purpose
→ Regular check-ins with emerging leaders
→ Visible calendar and priorities
→ Clear next steps

The specific model isn't the important part.

It's the consistency and clarity behind it.

When people are used to immediate access, creating space can invite pressure to go back to the old pattern.

That's where discipline matters.

You can be visible without being constantly present.

You can be supportive without solving everything.

You can be accessible without being the answer to every problem.

Perhaps the better question isn't "How available am I?"

It's "Is the way I show up helping my team become more capable and independent?"

What would change in your leadership if you stopped measuring your value by how available you are?

Address

Christchurch

Website

https://www.empoweryounz.co.nz/

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