Well done to everyone for navigating the last week of summer terrors, training days and the mammoth piles of pre-term prep. The relaxing summer will be far behind in the rear-view mirror by now. For me, the summer also brings the chance to read something a little more demanding. This year, I chose Yuval Noah Harari’s latest book, Nexus, having enjoyed his earlier works Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century.
Nexus explores the history of information flow—from human networks to computer politics. It is not light reading, but one section resonated strongly with me, particularly in relation to leadership in schools: the contrast between “the fantasy of infallibility” and “self-correcting mechanisms.”
Harari explains that human history is full of belief systems and structures that assume people and their decisions are infallible. This, he argues, often leads to disaster—the Post Office scandal being a recent example. By contrast, humanity has thrived where “self-correcting mechanisms” exist. These are systems designed to acknowledge errors, surface them openly, and correct them. As Harari puts it, “…self-correcting mechanisms embrace fallibility.”
As a former science teacher, this struck a chord. Harari praises the scientific community for its willingness to correct itself: “…when a scientific journal publishes a paper correcting a mistake that appeared in a previous paper, that’s an example of institutional self-correction.” Likewise, our own biology depends on constant correction — feedback loops that maintain balance, blood sugar, and temperature. “Institutions, too, die without self-correcting mechanisms,” Harari notes, warning that those claiming infallibility are destined for failure.
So, what does this mean for schools?
From my own experience, one of the hardest parts of headship was the fear of not knowing everything. I felt pressure to have all the answers, and I was terrified to admit otherwise. Looking back, I wish I had embraced my fallibility earlier.
The best schools are built on strong self-correcting systems: governing bodies, dynamic SLT teams, advisors and consultants. But it goes further. Appraisal should not prove perfection but identify growth areas. Safeguarding audits exist precisely because no one person can be trusted to get everything right. Lesson observations and peer reviews work best when they foster collaboration rather than top-down judgement. Data systems and pupil progress tracking act as essential feedback loops, correcting assumptions about learning.
And beyond formal systems, the richest insights often come from the wider community. Staff surveys, exit interviews, parent forums and — most crucially— pupil voice all help schools avoid the illusion of infallibility. Curriculum, too, should be seen as an evolving project, refined over time. Even crises provide opportunities for institutional growth, if leaders are willing to run honest “lessons learned” reviews.
When I began a new headship, I always invited every staff member for tea and a biscuit. Alongside personal conversations, I asked three questions:
“What do we do well?”
“What do we need to do better?”
“How do we achieve this?”
This exercise was the foundation of shared vision, collaborative action, and school improvement. Above all, it helped embed a culture where feedback was valued and fallibility was not feared.
The key to sustaining growth and maximising pupil outcomes is to lead in a way that empowers everyone to contribute to the school’s self-correcting culture. As Harari reminds us, in science the mantra is “publish or perish.” Progress depends on challenge, innovation and reflection—not repetition.
So, my advice for this September is simple: be visible, be humble, and be open to correction. Walk the corridors. Stand on the gate. Meet your community. Visit all your classrooms. Take the temperature of your school. And then act decisively.
Leadership is not about proving you are infallible; it is about creating the conditions where mistakes are acknowledged, lessons are learned, and the whole community grows stronger together.
This blog was created by Simon Antwis and is part of the new blog series from Antwis Collaborative – The Leadership Lens.
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