Purpose-Driven Leadership: Connecting Inner Development with Global Sustainable Actions

Description

Schools today face the challenge of fostering sustainable leadership that not only meets educational demands but also aligns with global goals like social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

Many school leaders find it hard to connect their personal values and inner growth with the broader impact their leadership can have on global issues.

This course will introduce participants to purpose-driven leadership, guiding them on how to align their leadership approach with both Inner Development Goals (IDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to create more impactful and sustainable schools.

During the course, participants will learn how to develop a purposeful vision for their schools, lead with empathy and resilience, and inspire their staff to foster global citizenship within the school community.

Activities will include self-reflection exercises, practical tools for vision-setting, and strategies for embedding global goals into daily school leadership.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to lead their schools with a clear sense of purpose, fostering a culture that promotes sustainability, inclusion, and global responsibility, while aligning personal and professional values with meaningful global action.

Concept by Veerle Ponnet

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Develop a clear leadership purpose:
  • Identify and articulate their leadership purpose and align it with their school’s mission;
  • Explore how purpose-driven leadership can inspire and sustain positive change within schools.
• Connect inner development to global action:
  • Learn to integrate Inner Development Goals (IDGs), such as self-awareness, purpose, and empathy, into leadership practices;
  • Understand how to connect IDGs with SDGs, focusing on creating socially and environmentally responsible schools.
• Lead global citizenship initiatives:
  • Gain skills to foster global citizenship education in schools, promoting values like sustainability, inclusion, and social justice;
  • Learn practical strategies to integrate SDG-driven projects into school activities.
• Inspire staff and students:
  • Learn how to use purpose-driven leadership to motivate staff and students, fostering a culture of innovation and global responsibility;
  • Practice techniques for empathy-based leadership and growth mindset cultivation.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Connecting values to global citizenship in schools

(Wednesday afternoon)

• Course overview, learning objectives, and participant introductions.
• Defining purpose in leadership
• Inner development goals for purpose-driven leadership
• Introduction to IDGs and how they support sustainable leadership;
• Connecting purpose to global action
• Leading global citizenship in schools
• Guided cultural tour of Brussels.

Day 2 – Vision for sustainable schools

(Thursday morning)

• Purpose-driven leadership in action
• Case studies: Schools successfully aligning leadership purpose with SDG-driven projects;
• Motivating and Inspiring Staff Through Purpose
• Practical techniques to use purpose as a tool for motivating and engaging staff and students;
• Group discussion on empathy’s role in creating inclusive and sustainable school environments;
• Creating a purpose-driven vision for your school.

Day 3 – Course closure and leadership planning

(Friday morning)

• Creating an action plan for purpose-driven leadership
• Group presentations: Share action plans and receive feedback from peers.
• Review action plans and discuss how to implement these strategies in participants’ schools.
• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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