ABSTRACT
Ideas about effective and ineffective leadership have been the subject of study for decades, yet practitioners still find it difficult to get useful guidance on how some leaders succeed while other flounder. Aside from the inconsistencies in advice, it seems that some leaders use a particular approach and are successful, while others seem to use the same ideas, but fail. This chapter attempts to define the elusive concept of nuanced leadership. Leading with nuance means being sensitive to human action and interpersonal relationships, and recognising that changing human dynamics are key to significant improvement. This is not about what a leader knows, has experienced or has achieved, but about how they go about their work. Nuanced leadership means always being and becoming. It means working synergistically to jointly determine change, embracing adaptability and establishing culture-based accountability. It means being curious, open, connected, engaged, and sensitive to context. As society grapples with complexity, opportunities, and crises never before faced by humanity, nuanced leaders are who we need leading in education more than ever, now and into the future.
