Who We Are?
Meet the Leadership 43 TEAM
Jacqui Frost
Find out more about Jacqui
- B.A. Hon (QTS)
- Diploma in Educational Research
- Diploma in Language and Literacy
- OFSTED- additional inspector (no longer inspecting)
- NLP Practitioner
- NLP Masters
- Diplomas in Coaching
Post Graduate Diploma in Coaching - Coaching to Maximise Staff Performance
- Accredited Resilient Leader Consultant
- DISC personality preference profiling
- RLE-Lead in Uncertainty Facilitator
Throughout most of my adult life I have been a leader in varying guises: a teacher, a head of year, a deputy, a consultant, an OFSTED inspector, a headteacher and a mum!
As a school leader I often felt like a rogue wave at sea — frequently out of my depth and rolling around in a vast ocean. In 1997, when personal tragedy hit my three-year-old son and I, overwhelming feelings of devastation struck. However, I vowed to lead him and I out of the trauma and for neither of us to be defined by the awful experience.
It was not easy, and at times I wanted to give up. Professionals tried to “fix me” on numerous occasions, but somewhere deep inside, I had a drive; a desire and necessity to overcome the dreadful event and for us to thrive. To live.
When I entered a low point on the wave and my resilience was depleted, I found I couldn’t find the clarity I sorely required. I couldn’t think clearly or would simply feel overpowered and unsure of what to do or say. I never reflected on how I had reached that point (I hadn’t the time!), or indeed, what I had learnt about myself and others during those moments. I never viewed mistakes and failures as learning opportunities, just something to ignore and move on from, as quickly as possible.
I would explain to myself that I was not particularly good at ‘that sort of thing’. I had no tangible strategies to work from, or knowledge of how to effectively examine a problem. I certainly never saw those periods as an opportunity for personal growth.
Over time I attended a myriad of leadership training courses, looking for answers. Colleagues often told me I was a good leader, but I didn’t really understand what they meant. I was just doing and saying what felt right for me; sometimes to the detriment of my health and sanity.
Yet, I learnt to ride the peaked waves of stress, crisis and chaos well. I was good in an emergency: handling the death of staff, of a child, a child losing a finger in a doorway, discovering a 6-foot python (called Bernard) in the playground and even OFSTED.
After years of enabling aspiring leaders in my role as a headteacher, in January 2017 I made the fantastic decision to step away from headship and start a leadership coaching business — Jacqui Frost, The Leaders’ Coach. As time has progressed, I have discovered my passion lies in guiding, supporting and challenging leaders from all walks of life and from a variety of organisations; strengthening resilience in a conscious and proactive way.
My previous working experience in a variety of senior-level positions, combined with my inspirational and motivational coaching-style, ensures all clients are held in safe hands throughout their coaching journey.
Cheryl Singleton
Find out more about Cheryl
- BEd Hons
- MA
- NPQH
- Resilient leader Consultant 2019
- C Me personality preferencing profiling
- Currently studying for MBA.
In my early leadership roles I wrongly believed that leaders had a standard set of behaviours to adhere to in order to effectively execute their duty and that any sign of ‘the real you’ was a weakness. This view lasted about a week in my first leadership role until the real me came out. At first I thought this flood of authenticity was eroding my status but later I realised it is a huge part of what made me a good leader and why people followed me.
Being a leader requires passion and drive – something I think I have had in ‘spades’ since I was a child which often led me to be called ‘bossy’ or later ‘alpha female!’ Harnessing and directing that passion and drive has proven to be the challenge. When you put your heart into something it can become personal and then comes the amazing highs and some crushing lows. In my roles as teacher, school leader and now CEO of a multi academy trust I have learnt to stay authentic, take people with me, stay confident in my decisions and keep on a more even keel! Describing the bad days as the ‘ones I actually get paid for’ and acknowledging the successes (of which there are many) even in the failed ventures ensures I keep moving forward and continue to learn.
Two of my leadership roles involved sharing responsibility in a post which led to us both working to our strengths, being a sounding board for each other and as a result a really effective team. Many leaders don’t get that opportunity and whilst leading an organisation is the absolute best job, self doubt and isolation can pull the rug from under you. I am passionate about working with leaders to be creative and be confident in their decisions and to support them in the role they have been chosen to do.
Jo Stanley-Bell
Find out more about Jo
- BA Hons
- PGCE
- NPQH
- Resilient Leader Consultant
- RLE-Lead in Uncertainty Facilitator
- RLE- Accelerate Facilitator
I personally know the importance of resilience. I have been a type 1 diabetic for 50 years, diagnosed at a time when a stigma about chronic illnesses existed and future opportunities were uncertain. This has shaped my life. Rather a barrier it has been a companion, often having to re-think how I reach my goals and sometimes just carry on going when the going got tough. Very often I found it difficult to be authentic and say to people ‘I’m really struggling right now’. I thought that admitting this would let my guard down and people to question my own resilience.
Now I know that this has led me to look at other ways to plan, promote and problem solve. Skills which I have used through my leadership roles in schools which I am now excited to share with others. There is no ‘magic bullet’ to being a good leader, but I realise that it is a series of experiences, successes, failures and the ability to use these to an advantage and this has formed my personal approach to leadership.
This was made very real to me when I worked with a colleague to rebuild a broken school, where children were unable to learn and staff were ashamed to admit they worked there. The vision of it being a school where parents purposefully chose to educate their children is now realised. This is the true foundation that is now the bedrock of the Academy Trust formed from the need of schools to succeed together.
I have now achieved my ambition of making myself largely redundant from my present role. I am currently working on developing and supporting aspiring leaders who feel stuck as well as coaching senior leaders who need a fresh perspective
I love being outside walking my dogs, a time often to reflect and plan! I also enjoy making my own clothes. People don’t notice the tweaks and alterations which is what gives my pieces their characters and it’s the same with leadership and people. I always tell people to use their experience to focus not on a finished product but the valuable work they do in their process.