7. Gwyn & Andy of XP Trust - Breaking through Absurdity with Innovation and Leadership Artwork

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Exceptionally Good: Leaders for a Better World

7. Gwyn & Andy of XP Trust - Breaking through Absurdity with Innovation and Leadership

January 27, 2025 • Ryan Maxwell • Season 1 • Episode 7

Ever had your barn burn down and then see the moon?

What happens when you realize those you put in place to lead are the wrong people?

How should you use critique to make you and your org stronger?

All the way from Doncaster, England, Andy Sprakes and Gwyn Ap Hari detail their journey as co-founders of XP Trust, a group of innovative and successful “free schools” in the UK. We discuss their unique approach to education, their personal leadership styles, the significance of culture in schools, and the importance of working in a team. They also delve into the challenges they faced, including a critical moment when their school burned down, which ultimately led to the foundation of XP Trust, and how they addressed leadership missteps to rejuvenate the culture and effectiveness of their schools.

“Separating yourself is a way of collecting power and collecting more money and collecting more influence. But it's not a way of leading, because if you're not spending time with people, you're not leading anything.”

Links:

XP Trust

https://xptrust.org/

Video on XP - Above all, compassion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwrtCFGGUaE

Education Research Reading Room:

Gwyn Ap Harri on Building, Breaking, and Fixing a World Famous School

How We XP - Andy’s and Gwyn’s book

https://shop.xptrust.org/products/how-we-xp

My barn

having burned to the ground

I can see the moon.