When did you last really talk with your colleagues?

Think back to your last leadership meeting ... how much of the conversation was genuine dialogue, and how much involved people talking at one another, skimming past misunderstandings, or sitting in silence because they felt unheard? If you are honest, you will probably admit that much of what passes for communication in schools is not nearly as effective as it could be.

We all know that language is imperfect; yet it remains one of the best tools we possess to move information from one human being to another. When communication falters, frustrations rise - and in schools, where human interaction is constant and high-stakes, the consequences can be particularly sharp. Many of the challenges school leaders face daily - staff conflicts, resistance to change, endless misinterpretations - can be traced back to one root cause: the way we speak, and more importantly, the way we listen.

Over the past decade, schools have invested considerable effort into developing the oracy of students. The rationale is clear: the ability to express oneself fluently in speech is vital for confidence, social mobility, and learning itself. Teachers are familiar with frameworks that help children build their vocabulary, structure their arguments, and speak with clarity.

But here is the uncomfortable truth: adults in schools need this focus just as much as children do. We often assume that because leaders are experienced and articulate, they do not need to revisit the fundamentals of communication. In fact, the opposite is true. Children may need to build confidence in communication, but adults — especially leaders — need to build patterns. Left unchecked, our habits of speech harden into blind spots that make us less effective.

Every leader has blind spots in their communication - recurring ways in which our words and behaviours undermine the impact we want to have. Perhaps you speak too quickly, leaving colleagues overwhelmed. Perhaps you think aloud, but others hear indecision. Perhaps you dominate discussions, or perhaps you withdraw, and your silence is read as judgement.

These blind spots do not make you a bad leader; they make you human. We are all subject to unconscious biases that shape how we interpret what we hear, and how others interpret us. Tools like the Johari Windows remind us that there are always aspects of our communication that others see, but we do not. The key is not to deny these blind spots, but to become aware of them -  and to learn how to adapt.

Psychometric tools can play a powerful role here. By making behavioural patterns visible, they allow teams to move past irritation and towards curiosity. Instead of thinking “why does she always…?”, leaders can ask, “what does she need from me to communicate more effectively?” This is the power of oracy for leaders. It is not about polishing speeches or refining public presentations, although those matter too. It is about learning how to talk to colleagues in ways that unlock rather than block, that build trust rather than erode it.

Schools today face immense pressures: accountability, recruitment challenges, the complex needs of students and families. In this environment, leaders cannot afford to waste energy on misunderstandings. Every ounce of collective attention must be directed towards what matters most: learning and the wellbeing of young people.

And yet, without attention to oracy, we haemorrhage that energy. We replay arguments in our heads, we avoid difficult conversations, we spend hours resolving conflicts that could have been prevented with clearer communication. Improving oracy among school leaders is not a ‘nice to have’; it is essential to sustaining healthy, resilient, high-performing schools.

As I write this article, I have just completed an intensive 3 day process with a leading international school in Saudi Arabia, where we worked first on understanding individual leadership work behaviours, and then on how to communicate with colleagues about these behaviours. The result – more honest, detailed conversations based firmly on the data derived from psychometric tests, and translated into concrete action points – was uplifting to see. A high functioning team emerged – and well done to them for engaging so positively with the process! Talk matters, and they embraced this wholeheartedly.

Their experience illustrates a wider truth: when leaders take time to understand both themselves and their colleagues, communication transforms. So, the next time you walk into a meeting, pause and ask yourself: what do my colleagues need from my communication today? That single question may be the first step to transforming the culture of your school.

Dr Helen Wright - globally recognised international education advisor and executive coach. She will be speaking at GESS Dubai, and can be contacted on helen@drhelenwright.com, or via LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drhelenwright/