The Leader as Learner: Modelling Curiosity and Growth
(Seeds of Knowledge: Leadership Series — Article 3)
In schools, we speak often of lifelong learning, for students, for teachers, and for communities. But what about for leaders?
The most powerful leaders I have known, and the ones who shaped my own thinking, have shared a common trait: they never stopped learning. They approached leadership not as a finished role to be performed, but as a living, evolving practice. They were leaders who read widely, asked questions, sought feedback, reflected on their mistakes, and remained open to change. In doing so, they modelled for everyone around them what a true learning culture looks like.
Too often, leaders feel a pressure to “have all the answers.” Yet in a world as complex and fast-changing as education today, that expectation is both unrealistic and unhelpful. Far better is the leader who is willing to say: “I don’t know yet. But I am learning.”
When leaders model curiosity, when they openly explore new ideas, experiment with new approaches, and reflect on what is and isn’t working, they give their staff and students permission to do the same. They create a culture where learning is valued over perfection, where questions are as important as answers, and where growth is celebrated at every level.
Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” Curiosity is at the heart of leadership in education. Leaders must be curious about teaching and learning, curious about their staff’s experiences and perspectives, curious about how their school’s culture is evolving, curious about the future of education itself.
But curiosity alone is not enough. The leader as learner also models humility. They show that it is not weakness to admit gaps in knowledge, but strength. In doing so, they foster trust. Staff feel safer to take risks, to ask for help, and to explore their own learning journeys.
This is especially important in today’s schools, where innovation, adaptability, and inclusion are more critical than ever. No leader, however experienced, can rely solely on past knowledge. They must remain active learners, reading research, seeking diverse voices, engaging with new technologies, and learning from the lived experiences of their own school community.
Moreover, when students see school leaders who are visible learners, leaders who attend workshops, read books, visit classrooms, and ask questions, they gain a powerful message: learning is for everyone, at every stage of life. Education is not something that ends at graduation or promotion; it is a lifelong pursuit.
Ultimately, the leader as learner contributes to a dynamic, forward-moving school culture. A culture where change is welcomed, not feared. A culture where reflection is a daily habit. A culture where everyone, from the youngest student to the most senior leader, is seen as capable of growth.
In a time when education faces both great challenges and great possibilities, perhaps this is one of the most important roles of leadership:
To model not expertise, but curiosity.
Not certainty, but openness.
Not arrival, but continuous journey.
As we continue exploring what true leadership looks like, this is a truth worth holding close:
