Lee Crockett’s 2026 paper, The Leadership Pressure Triangle, offers a timely reflection on the realities of contemporary school leadership. Published this year as a research-informed paper for school leaders, Crockett explores a challenge many principals know well: the pressures they face are often more complex than they first appear.
He suggests that while leaders naturally respond to the most visible signs of pressure, the underlying cause may lie elsewhere—in personal capacity, relationships or the broader systems in which they work. His key message is both practical and powerful: before acting, take time to diagnose the true source of the challenge.
This aligns closely with the work of bower(schools). Through the bower(method) protocol, school leaders are supported to make visible the patterns, relationships and systemic factors that often sit beneath presenting issues. Rather than addressing behaviour, conflict or workload in isolation, the protocol helps leaders understand how these pressures interact and influence one another.
When leaders can accurately identify the source of pressure, they are better equipped to make informed decisions that lead to sustainable improvement for staff, students and their school communities.
Leadership will always involve complexity, but with the right protocols, processes, practical tools and support, that complexity can become an opportunity for meaningful and lasting change.
©Copyright Bower Place™ Pty. Ltd. 2026
