In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Rosie Connor, a leader in the field of education and not-for-profit leadership development. With over twenty years of experience, Rosie has dedicated her career to empowering leaders to excel and make a significant impact in their organisations. As the founder of BTS Spark, Rosie has pioneered innovative approaches to leadership coaching and development, specifically tailored for educators and not-for-profit leaders. Join us as we explore her groundbreaking work, the transformative concept of MESSY Leadership, and practical strategies for creating a thriving, future-focused leadership culture.

In this episode, we cover:

• The work that Rosie is doing through her educational leadership coaching company, BTS Spark
• How long it really takes to see a transformation at an individual and school level
• The value of seeking feedback from colleagues and peers in order to grow and evolve your leadership
• The importance of delegating work and empowering others to grow by challenging themselves with new responsibilities or projects
• What inspired Rosie’s book “Embracing MESSY Leadership”
• Understanding the acronym MESSY (Meaning Making, Emotional Connection, Seeing the Future, Seizing Momentum, and Your Presence)
• Mistakes that “nice” leaders frequently make and tips for creating a trusting team culture without becoming an authoritarian leader
• Why leaders should prioritise coaching opportunities both for themselves and their whole staff
• One thing leaders or aspiring leaders can do today to begin embracing MESSY leadership

About Rosie

Rosie Connor is the founder of BTS Spark, a not-for-profit initiative within the global leadership consultancy. BTS Spark is dedicated to providing affordable and targeted leadership development and coaching specifically tailored for education and not-for-profit leaders. Their programs combine a rich curriculum of 33 leadership mindsets with one-to-one coaching, workshops, group coaching, and online learning, ensuring a comprehensive approach to leadership development.

With a psychology degree from Cambridge and an MBA from Henley Management College, Rosie’s credentials are impeccable. She led one of Tony Blair’s most successful Education Action Zones, earning an ‘outstanding’ rating from independent school inspectors. Her expertise has been sought after by prestigious organisations such as the National College for School Leadership and the Innovation Unit in the UK, and the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) for the launch of the Australian Principal Standard.

Rosie has played a pivotal role in designing and overseeing leadership development programs for over 5,000 education leaders worldwide. Her work with BTS Spark reflects a commitment to high-quality standards and ongoing professional learning for their global coach community.

Links and Resources:

Explore Our Well-Led Schools Partnership Program:https://adriennehornby.com.au/school-partnerships/

Dive into Liz Wiseman’s work on Multipliers: https://thewisemangroup.com/books/multipliers/ 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

Connect with Rosie:

On LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-connor-33502677/?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egoogle%2Ecom%2F&originalSubdomain=au 

Her Website: https://btsspark.org/ 

Check out her book ‘Embracing MESSY Leadership’: https://btsspark.org/en-au/messyleadership 

Download the MESSY Leadership Toolkit: https://mailchi.mp/btsspark.org/au-messytoolkit 

Connect with BTS Spark on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bts-spark/ 

Subscribe to BTS Spark on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCX4s-LEQYPqcLnYMU-Csbsg 

Connect with me via:

My website adriennehornby.com.au 

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205/ 

Email hello@adriennehornby.com.au