Credible friend, credible threat: Leadership in a politicised world with Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Schools Australia (Ep. 186)

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer of Independent Schools Australia (ISA) - the national peak body representing over 1,200 independent schools across Australia.In this conversation, they explore what it means for school leaders to operate inside a national policy and advocacy environment, and how leaders can influence decisions when education becomes increasingly politicised.Together they explore:The difference between representation and advocacyThe idea of being both a credible friend and a credible threatWhy evidence alone is rarely enough to shift political decisionsWhat it takes to lead effectively when you don’t have formal authorityWhy building relational capital - a “bucket of capital” - is essential before you try to spend itThis episode is for you if you’re a senior leader navigating forces beyond your school gates, seeking to understand how influence works at sector level, and reflecting on how to lead when authority alone isn’t enough.Episode linksPositivity, complexity and leadership with Julie Robinson (Ep. 178)Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!