Leader Wellbeing Thought - Structural load

APPA President Angela Falkenberg

My father was a bricklayer, tiler, and plasterer. Our backyard was always filled with timber offcuts and sheets of corrugated iron, the perfect materials for building cubbies. Even as kids constructing tree forts, we knew the importance of choosing the right timber; strong enough to hold us safely in the treetops.

This was our first lesson in structural load, a principle just as critical for bridges. When a bridge carries more weight than it was designed for, it bends, buckles, and eventually breaks. Principals have a load limit too. Yet, for the good of children, communities, and to meet system demands, we absorb more and more, convinced that we must. After all, if we don’t, who will?

But our willingness to serve does not make us limitless.

This week, Dr. Paul Kidson posed a powerful question: "If you could change one thing to have the freedom, and the lack of guilt, to look after yourself, what would it be?"

• What would you do?
• How could you make it sustainable?
• How can you give yourself the care you so freely offer others?

For many, awareness of personal load limits only comes when they’re exceeded, when the buckling is felt. But what if we could notice the signs earlier? Who can help share the load? Where can set firmer boundaries be established?

When you are at capacity and others try to give you more, consider using these responses:

• I’d love to help, but I need to take something off my plate first.
• That sounds important—can we find someone else who might be able to take this on?
• I just don’t have the bandwidth for that at present.
• I appreciate you thinking of me, but I need to focus on my current priorities right now.
• I’d love to contribute, but I have to be mindful of my commitments—maybe we can revisit this later?
• I’m stretched pretty thin at the moment, so I won’t be able to give this the attention it deserves.
• I want to support where I can, but I don’t have the capacity right now—let’s explore other options.
• I need to protect my time to ensure I can do my best work. I won’t be able to take this on.
• That’s a great opportunity, but I have to pass for now. I hope you find the right person!

Knowing your limits isn’t a weakness, it’s the foundation for long-term, sustainable leadership.

And, you don’t have to carry it all alone. A benefit of belonging to a professional association is access to a broad, wise, and supportive network.

Angela

Registrations Now Open

Registration Now Open for the 2025 APPA Conference!

Join us for the 2025 Australian Primary Principals Association National Conference, the leading event for primary school leaders across Australia. This inspiring gathering will take place on 26-29 August 2025 in Brisbane, bringing together principals and educational leaders to connect, collaborate, and drive innovation in education.

Featuring renowned keynote speakers, practical workshops, and valuable networking opportunities, this conference is your chance to be part of shaping the future of primary education in Australia.

Register today to secure your place and take advantage of early bird rates!

https://appaconference.com.au/home/registration/

Last chance to have your say: Survey on Offensive Behaviour Ends THIS WEEK!

Just 15 minutes of a leader’s time can spark a meaningful ripple effect—helping to shape a stronger, more supported school leadership profession for everyone.

The “Building a Sustainable Data-Informed Culture” 1-day workshop will be facilitated by Dr Selena Fisk, a keynote speaker and author who specialises in data storytelling, data strategy and effective data practices.

The workshop will delve into these pertinent key points for schools:

• Leadership first approach: Develop the data literacy, visualisation and storytelling skills of the school’s leadership team – “Do you know how to talk about data and how you want your staff talking about it?”
• Integrated systems and processes - The importance and role of having established data policies, plans and improvement frameworks that enhance existing workflows and school processes.
• Building the data-informed culture - How do we create a culture of evidence-informed practice that permeates the school and exists beyond one or two leaders?