This is how we train future
aspirational leaders at WCH
“
Leadership is like beauty – it’s hard to define but you know it when you see it.
——Warren G. Bennis
”
At Wellington College Hangzhou, we strongly believe in empowering our pupils and fostering a sense of ownership in their school community. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent in society, it is more important than ever for our pupils to possess strong soft skills such as communication, collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking. According to a recent study by LinkedIn, 57% of senior leaders believe that soft skills are more important than technical skills. Therefore, it can be inferred that soft skills are what make our pupils stand out, whether it is on campus or in the future workplace. Among these skills, leadership is highly appreciated by universities and workplaces. Recently, Wellington Hangzhou Campus has launched a series of pupil leadership training for the Heads and Deputy Heads of College. Our IELTS teacher, Mr Hywell Davies, with his MBA in Educational Leadership was the ideal organiser and provides more information on how our new pupil leaders are strengthening these essential skills.
Hywell Davies
MBA Educational Leadership
IELTS teacher, former IELTS examiner
In mid-June, Wellington College International Hangzhou and Huili School Hangzhou were proud to hold the investiture of the Heads and Deputy Heads of College. The candidates to represent the pupils’ ideas and initiatives were selected by popular vote, with over 90% of the pupil body taking part.
Before officially taking office, the young future leaders took part in a Leadership Skills seminar designed to prepare them for the challenges ahead. Over the course of a day, they were introduced to different leadership styles, debated their relative efficacy and were tasked to apply them in a variety of exacting cross-cultural challenges. These included setting goals, overcoming communication challenges, understanding a variety of motivations and recognising which leadership style is the most appropriate to achieve results in a given situation.
As new leader Célia said “This leadership training has helped me discover what type of leader I am (democratic) and how to develop my weaknesses as well as use the strengths to their full potential.”
Perhaps most vitally, the heads of the pupil body were tasked to consider what they wanted to achieve in the future, both within the college and in the greater world.
As new leader Lydia said “I am willing to be the person who can help our pupils as much as possible in any aspect, including building the passion of our academic studying, extra-curricular learning, mental health support, and even life decisions.”
Another valuable perspective was shown by new leader Jason, who noted “I aim to really listen to students’ voice and solve problems. I desire to make our school a better fit for all pupils.”
A key component of the Leadership Skills seminar was the concept of ‘servant leadership’, or the idea that the essence of true leadership is to dedicate work for the benefit of others.
New leader Hanni said “This leadership training programme helps me to become a better guider, listener, and speaker, which reveals to me a different picture to serve all pupils in the campus.”
Tellingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, although the new leadership team includes representatives from distinct cultures and nationalities, all of them saw the strategic value of building consensus and aligning goals, sharing resources and producing results, and the ultimate value of the win-win approach. Bringing different perspectives to the table was also found to be a significant advantage when competing in the inter-team challenges.
Mr Davies said “Leaders who value diverse opinions and utilise their teams’ unique strengths have a strong bias for success, both in training activities and in life.”
The Heads and Deputy Heads were officially invested in a whole-school ceremony, where they gave speeches announcing their plans for clubs and activities, and new venues to emphasise pupil voices in the running of the school. As they move forward and apply their new leadership skills, whatever challenges they face, we can be certain that the new leaders will make their mark.
At Wellington College Hangzhou, we prioritise the development of soft skills alongside academic excellence. Providing a holistic education and creating a caring, bilingual and international community with strong values are central to enhancing our educational learning environment.
