It is our pleasure to introduce this thoughtful and inspiring blog, ‘A Meeting with Two Giants: Reflections on Leadership, Learning, and Liminality.’ In this post, the author, Orla Jackson, shares two profound professional encounters with Andy Hargreaves and Graham Powell—educational leaders who have helped shape her thinking and practice. What emerges is a rich reflection on emotional leadership, professional purpose, and the importance of hope during times of uncertainty. This piece will resonate with school leaders navigating complexity, reminding us that connection, values, and presence are central to leading well.
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In education, we often speak of ‘transformative moments’, those rare times when our experiences, reading, and values converge to offer new clarity. Two such moments emerged for me through conversations with Professor Andy Hargreaves and Graham Powell, whose contributions to educational leadership and pedagogy continue to resonate worldwide.
Andy Hargreaves: Leadership in Times of Crisis
Professor Andy Hargreaves is a globally recognised scholar in the field of education, known for his work on professional capital, educational change, and emotional leadership. His writings have shaped my understanding of leadership as a deeply relational and human practice.
I first encountered Andy’s work early in my career, and it gave voice to instincts I already held: that effective leadership is rooted in connection and care. When he kindly agreed to speak with me as part of my PhD research, our conversation turned to leadership during crises, an area I’ve navigated personally through the devastating loss of students and a colleague within our school community.
Andy spoke candidly about the lack of preparation school leaders often face in such situations. His guidance was clear and grounded: surround yourself with trusted colleagues, stay aligned with your moral compass, and sometimes, the most courageous act is choosing the ‘least bad’ option. He also reminded me of the importance of resilience as a communal act, nurtured through connection with others, time outdoors, writing, and presence with students.
What stood out most was his attentiveness and generosity of time. Despite his international standing, he showed no urgency to end the conversation. For Andy, discussing education’s transformative potential is always time well spent.
Graham Powell: Leadership Learning Through Dispositions
Graham Powell is an educational consultant and co-developer of the Learning Power Approach (LPA) alongside Guy Claxton. He works internationally to support schools in developing learner-centred practices that build students’ cognitive and emotional capacities.
I first encountered Graham at a workshop hosted by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) titled Become a Leader of Learning. Attending with my colleague Dave Dempsey, we left the session inspired, energised, and transformed. Graham’s Learning Power Approach is rooted in a passion for nurturing student dispositions, resilience, reflectiveness, and reciprocity, aligned seamlessly with the needs of 21st-century learners.
Following this, we invited Graham to work with our school over six months. Initiatives like ‘Learning Hooks’, lesson starters which engage the metacognitive skills of the students, encouraged deeper engagement and autonomy. For teachers, the experience reignited professional purpose and dovetailed with the redevelopment of the Irish Senior Cycle curriculum. His core message, “learning is knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do”, underscores the kind of agile, values-driven education we need to prioritise.
Emotional Leadership and the Role of the Principal
Both conversations affirmed a vital truth: school leadership is more than operational management. It requires presence, empathy, and the capacity to hold a liminal, in-between space for uncertainty, grief, and hope. In times of upheaval, it is not only structures we lean on, but human connection. Principals are not just institutional leaders, they are emotional anchors and ethical stewards.
Holding Hope in Complex Times
The world our students face is marked by complexity: rising populism, digital misinformation, and fractured public discourse. These global trends surface daily in our schools and corridors. When I voiced my sense of overwhelm, Andy reminded me: our tools are our words, our values, and our steadfast commitment to young people. By staying close to students and grounded in purpose, we keep hope alive.
On Liminality and Leadership
In reflecting on these encounters, I return to the concept of liminality, a state of transition, ambiguity, and possibility. School leadership, especially during crisis, is often lived in this liminal space: between certainty and chaos, action and reflection, despair and hope. Embracing this space requires courage, humanity, and connection. It is where leadership becomes most real.
Conclusion
The phrase “never meet your heroes” did not hold true for me. Andy Hargreaves and Graham Powell surpassed expectations, not through grandeur, but through humility, wisdom, passion, and generosity. Their perspectives have deepened my belief in education as a transformative force and reminded me that in this work, we are never truly alone.
Sometimes, if we’re fortunate, we don’t just meet giants, we walk a short distance on this exciting leadership journey with them.
