Can You Be Successful And Still Be A Bad Leader

Can you be successful and still be a bad leader?In this episode of the SLT Podcast, Ziggy sits down with Adrian McLean for a powerful conversation on why leadership cannot be separated from character, identity, pressure, and personal values.Together, they explore what it really means to lead in education today — beyond strategy, systems, outcomes, and performance metrics. Adrian shares why some leaders may achieve results while still damaging staff, students, and school culture, and why true leadership is revealed most clearly under pressure.The conversation also unpacks the growing corporatization of schools, the impact of multi-academy trust structures, accountability pressures, SATs, exclusions, staff turnover, and the challenges faced by aspiring Black leaders trying to progress in education.Adrian also reflects on his own leadership journey, the rejection he faced while applying for headship roles, the importance of resilience, and why knowing who you are is essential before trying to lead others.💬 “You can be successful and not be a great leader.”📱 Join Our FREE WhatsApp Community→ ‎https://chat.whatsapp.com/LiTpC4FbUA2...📲 Follow Us:Instagram:   / the_slt_podcast  TikTok:   / slt.podcast  Listen to us on the go:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/13hI6St...Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...⸻⏰ Chapters0:00 - Intro: You can’t separate leadership from who you are1:25 - Adrian’s book: The Ten Character Commandments of Leadership1:45 - Can you be successful and still be a bad leader?3:53 - Why great teachers are promoted without leadership training5:28 - Metrics, pressure, and the problem with education leadership6:41 - How schools have become more corporate8:23 - Understanding multi-academy trust leadership structures11:46 - Pressure, SATs, and accountability in schools13:20 - Leadership under pressure reveals who you are14:54 - How pressure affects decisions about young people17:38 - The impact of leadership choices on school communities19:32 - Why the education system does not work for every child22:22 - The lack of Black leaders in senior education roles25:36 - Barriers facing Black male teachers and aspiring leaders28:25 - Navigating leadership progression and rejection31:11 - Adrian’s headship interview experience33:34 - Resilience, character, and learning from rejection35:48 - Finding the right school and leadership environment37:09 - Knowing who you are before leading others38:11 - Final reflections and outro⸻📢 About SLT PodcastHosted by Rena Johnson — Deputy Head, Designated Teacher, SENDco & DSL — and Ziggy Moore — Assistant Headteacher & Founder of Moore Education — the SLT Podcast is a bi-weekly series featuring powerful conversations with leaders doing impactful work in education and youth development.Each guest joins us for two episodes: one exploring their story, and one answering real questions submitted by parents and the community.#SLTPodcast #EducationLeadership #SchoolLeadership #AdrianMcLean #SeriousLeadersTalking #LeadershipInEducation #BlackEducators #TeacherLeadership #EducationPodcast