Leadership and a duty of optimism

"Every day the opportunity for leadership stands before you" - Heifetz & Linsky

"Many people over-estimate their leadership skills and under-estimate the importance of practice" - Keith Grint

I found both of the above quotes in the beautifully bound purple and white folder from my National College DCS Leadership Programme in 2009. It is the 10th anniversary of that programme this year, and I was prompted to dig out my folder after spending a day a few weeks ago with ADCS Council of Reference colleagues in the morning, and honoured guests at Rachel Dickinson's Presidential Reception in the afternoon.

Rachel gave an excellent and impassioned speech setting out the Association's priorities for the year, as well as reflecting on the strong leadership shown by her immediate predecessor, Stuart Gallimore. Both Stuart and Rachel were part of Cohort 5 of the DCS Leadership Programme and for many directors of children's services of that era, their cohort became peer friends and colleagues for life.