Being a dynamic leader

A recent student on our level 3 Forest School Leader training created a great overview of the internal and external factors that influence how children respond and behave in different situations at forest school as I previously posted.

Clearly​ Maslow's hierarchy of needs is at the root of much of this but there is also more subtlety in terms of how different activities, experiences and spaces can have an impact too. Although there may be common themes in groups all individuals respond differently at any given moment and being a leader is about having a dynamic and flexible approach that really does respond to the needs of individuals. The challenge often seems to be balancing the needs of individuals alongside the needs of the whole group.

The other factor we often forget is how much we as adults influence the group. After all we are a key part of the group and how we interact and support the group is key. It is easy to be too busy following all our plans and churning out activities rather than seeing what is going on with the group. Sometimes letting go of our plan and allowing the group to follow and develop their ideas can be the best thing we can offer as a leader.