How do we lead when the ground beneath us is shifting? How do we stay true to our values while adapting to new realities? How do we guide our team through change when we’re still grappling with it myself?
These are some questions that leaders grapple with especially in an era where unpredictability is promised and social media is there to amplify every misstep.
Mdm Goh Meei Yunn has navigated schools through different phases of Singapore’s education landscape for the past 25 years.
Before SOTA, she assumed leadership appointments including Principalship at two primary schools and stints at the MOE Schools Division’s former Educational Leadership Development Centre. Mdm Goh, who has a degree in Music, started her career as a teacher in the Music Elective Programme at Dunman High School.
She shares some practical strategies from her experience that’s useful for navigating change in any group or organisation.
1. Work on the personal impact before leading others through change
When dealing with change, Mdm Goh typically doesn’t start with strategy or policy. She starts with herself.
When Singapore’s education system was evolving in the 2000s towards more holistic education and a reduced emphasis on grades, she felt unsettled.
“I grew up in the older system,” she explains. “So as a beginning teacher in the 1980s and 90s, I prided myself on improving on my students’ academic performance every year. But as our education philosophy shifted away from celebrating straight As, I was caught between two worlds.”
Then a young parent of two, it was doubly hard for Mdm Goh to imbibe the shift in approach to teaching and learning – she could understand why parents would continue to prioritise good grades or preferred schools for their children, as that was the benchmark they were brought up on; “I believe all parents of my generation went through that,” she says.
After working on her inner conflicts, she found it easier to lead empathetic conversations with her colleagues and students’ parents facing similar struggles. As a parent herself, she found it easier to connect with other parents, as she was able to articulate their inner parenting insecurities.
Insight: Before you can authentically lead others through change, wrestle with your own doubts and contradictions. Clarity gained here could be your foundation for effective leadership.
2. Leading with vision doesn’t stop at walking the talk
As a leader focused on change, marching “too fast and too far ahead” can leave you running solo.
Visionary leadership isn’t about looking ahead or racing ahead — it’s about being clear enough in your direction that others can follow and contribute to the journey.
Mdm Goh subscribes to a leadership philosophy that Ms Seah Jiak Choo, who was Director-General of Education from 2004 to 2009, introduced at a leadership programme she attended. She has adapted it from what was originally shared.
It goes beyond the proverbial “walking the talk” or leading by example. Rather, there are four aspects to the process:
- Talk the talk: Paint the picture of your vision which should be grounded in theory and research
- Talk the walk: Explain the steps to get there
- Walk the talk: Model the behaviour yourself
- Walk the walk: Execute alongside your team
Insight: Experienced leaders shuffle constantly between these four aspects.
3. Start with the willing and define success clearly to them
When introducing change, you don’t need everyone on board from day one, says Mdm Goh. Pilot your initiative with the segment who are willing and ready; when momentum builds, even resistant individuals will need to ride the wave or risk being left behind.
When she was introducing concepts like “every student is a leader” to her staff to grow leadership capacity in every child, she was explicit about what this meant in practice, offering clear examples of observable and measurable behaviours in their students.
“Grow your leaders by involving them in designing the plans and programmes,” says Mdm Goh. This approach serves two purposes: It develops your team’s capabilities and creates sustainability. When people understand and own the plan, they can explain and continue it even after leadership changes.
After targets are set and programmes rolled out, she advocates open acknowledgement if they are not there yet, to create a shared understanding of the distance remaining towards their desired outcomes.
Insight: You don’t actually have to win over everyone. Actionable visions and honest assessments have the power to drive change and win over skeptics.
4. Repeat your message consistently across every platform
Having been the principal of more than one primary school, Mdm Goh has managed the release of PSLE results on several occasions.
“I’ve seen a parent jump for joy when their child scored 25 points, while another parent, whose child scored 13 points, walked out of the hall in distress, unable to speak to anyone.
“As school leaders, we are dealing with very different expectations from parents.”
Communicating the importance of growing a child holistically takes consistent effort and outreach to every stakeholder group.
She is there at every parent engagement and speaks to every Primary 6 class to talk about the importance of values, character, and lifelong learning. She also reminds them of the purpose of the PSLE – that is to match the child with a school that best fits them. Her school leaders echo the same messages to cover more engagement opportunities.
“It can take years for that messaging to go deeper.”
Insight: Changing deeply held beliefs requires persistent reinforcement of the narrative over time, sometimes years, before cultural shifts can happen.
5. Redefine success metrics to reflect your new priorities
At Kranji Primary School, Mdm Goh transformed its rewards system to reflect its focus on impact and achievements beyond the academic domain.
Its Sparkle Awards were created to celebrate good character and positive learning dispositions, and qualities like resilience and proactive participation.
Teacher appraisal has evolved similarly. Before, teachers reported on how many quality and quantity passes they achieved. Today, evaluation calls for more qualitative responses to questions like how well they know their students, and how they have differentiated their lessons to cater to the learning needs of different student profiles.
“These shifts reinforce the broader message that the impact of the strategies and methods matter more than numbers,” says Mdm Goh.
Insight: When you change evaluation criteria, you fundamentally alter what people prioritise.
6. Leverage societal shifts to make sense of the change
Connect your strategy for change to the larger environment – and vice versa.
When you peg your convictions to the realities of life around you, you provide a more compelling rationale for change that transcends personal preference or arbitrary decision-making.
Post-Covid, there has been a worldwide focus on mental health, self-care and well-being, which is very much aligned to the shift from emphasis on results to focus on developing the whole child, says Mdm Goh.
At SOTA, Mdm Goh is heartened that the school’s educational set-up – where artistic and academic potential are developed and realised in a vibrant learning environment that is anchored in the arts – is very much aligned to the ongoing shifts in the system.
She hopes to continue the good work of her predecessors and the team at SOTA, and play a pivotal role in leveraging on the arts to develop well-rounded creative citizens for the future, who positively impact Singapore and the world.
Insight: Anchoring change in broader societal shifts gives leaders the leeway to challenge assumptions and make bold decisions for a better future.
7. Build networks of critical contacts
Being a leader isn’t easy, says Mdm Goh. “Your role is to connect the dots – linking resources offered by one group to ideas from another person, for example – all whilst keeping sight of your strategic goals.”
Having a large network can facilitate that process, such that change comes easier.
Being a leader can also expose you to plenty of surprises, problems, and your fair share of bad days, so a trusted network is also a source of ideas and support.
Mdm Goh says the fraternity of principals in Singapore is close-knit, and many are in chatgroups and networks — whether formed through formal opportunities like courses and school clusters, or informally from organic connections — and provide invaluable leadership inspiration, experience and support.
“These networks are safe spaces where we can really talk about the various situations we face, learn from one another through our shared experiences, and seek solutions together,” says Mdm Goh. “Our fraternity of school leaders is remarkably supportive, with people willing to answer even ‘noob’ questions without judgement. That beats any leadership guru.”
Insight: Leadership networks can serve dual purposes: connecting resources to advance strategic goals and providing community support.
