Change the Lens: Building Empathy and Expanding Leadership Perspectives
As leaders, it is natural to see the world through the lens of our own experiences, values, and cultural background. But if we are not intentional, this can quickly become a limitation, one that shapes who we listen to, whose contributions we value, and how we understand the needs of those we serve.
At Seeds of Knowledge, we use the metaphor of changing the lens to describe one of the most vital leadership capacities in today’s diverse, complex educational environments. Great leaders are not those with all the answers, they are those with the curiosity and humility to continually expand their perspective.
When leaders change the lens, they become more attuned to the diverse stories, strengths, and challenges within their schools. They notice who is thriving, and who may be unheard or unseen. They ask questions that open up dialogue rather than closing it down. They develop the empathy and cultural intelligence needed to create truly inclusive, equitable learning communities. As Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has said:
"Tolerance is not simply a moral duty. It is a necessity for humanity’s survival."
This is especially true in education. In classrooms and staff rooms alike, there is no single “normal” learner or “standard” teacher. Schools today are richly diverse, across culture, language, ability, neurodiversity, lived experience, and ways of learning.
Leadership that fails to adapt its lens will inevitably exclude some voices and needs. But when leaders commit to ongoing reflection and perspective-shifting, they cultivate a school culture where belonging becomes a lived reality, not just a stated value.
Changing the lens involves both personal and structural work. It may include:
Actively seeking out diverse perspectives through listening and dialogue
Examining and addressing unconscious biases
Diversifying curriculum content to reflect the realities of all learners
Creating policies that support inclusion, equity, and well-being
Modelling empathy and cultural humility in leadership practice
It also involves being open to having one’s own assumptions challenged. This is not always comfortable, but it is deeply necessary for growth. Leaders who model this courage inspire others to do the same, creating a community that learns, evolves, and embraces difference.
At Seeds of Knowledge, we see changing the lens as an ongoing practice, not a one-time act. The world continues to shift. Our understanding of identity, culture, and inclusion must evolve alongside it. Leadership that remains fixed in an old lens will fall behind. Leadership that adapts and expands will foster communities where every learner and every educator feels valued, empowered, and seen.
Yet, leading this kind of work, building cultures of belonging, is also demanding. It requires sustainable energy, emotional resilience, and intentional well-being. Which brings us to our next reflection: charging the circuit, learning how leaders sustain themselves to lead for the long term.
Leadership grounded in empathy is powerful, but sustaining that work requires energy and balance. In the next reflection, we’ll consider the circuit, exploring how leaders manage their energy to avoid burnout and remain effective over time.
