PiXL Pearls

Did you know, every woodland has a 'hub tree' that is connected to all the other trees through a hidden underground network of fungi?

In this episode, Rachel Johnson tells the incredible story of tre…

In this episode of PiXL Pearls, Rachel Johnson tells us the real Lord of the Flies story, where six boys were shipwrecked for 15 months. 

Instead of assumed carnage, they established three things in …

The most intelligent animals exhibit the most playful behaviour. The difference, however, is that adults too often condition themselves out of it as they grow up. Why have we stopped having playful b…

Moments of difficulty and trauma, that we've all been through with this pandemic, can be a way of starting our own personal growth: evaluating what's important, reflecting on the past, and thinking a…

If you got to choose to be a ‘super chicken’ leader or an ‘average chicken’ leader you’d choose the former, right? And yet, this isn't what drives the most high-achieving teams. 

In this episode, Rac…

In order to be your best self, you need the power of the right people behind you and beside you.

This episode draws upon the example of one of the most successful Olympians of our time, Michael Phelp…

In education, we are in the business of connection. Ultimately, when students, staff and stakeholders feel a sense of community towards your school and its ‘emotional script’, they are likely to enga…

‘Editing’ is making a decision about what serves you and what you are better off without. This episode draws upon examples from important editors of art, literature, and film in order to help demonst…

How do you make time to be able to think? Do you allow yourself to stand alone with your thoughts?

In this episode of PiXL Pearls, Rachel Johnson puts forward that perhaps many of us are not investin…

In this first episode, The Voice, Rachel talks about the importance of the voices we listen to, and of discovering our own voice and why it may just be important to use it. Reflecting on the year tha…

PiXL Pearls is back for season 2. January 17th.

PiXL Pearls are short reflections on life and leadership, in schools. They are here to inspire, encourage, motivate, and challenge.

The PiXL network sp…

We have our defining moments, all of us, but as teachers, we may well also be providing these for others, often unwittingly.

Sir John Rowling reflects on how often the impact of these defining moment…

When you take over a job from someone else, at whatever level, there is always the expectation that you have to fill their shoes and various ways to approach it.

In this episode of PiXL Pearls, Sir J…

In this episode of PiXL Pearls, Sir John Rowling contemplates the disingenuous use of words such as ‘passionate’ and ‘excited’.

There's no doubt there is value in these words if you truly feel them a…

Can people trust what you say? Or are they inclined to say in their private conversations and inner thoughts, ‘I take everything they say with a pinch of salt’? This episode of PiXL Pearls is about l…

This week’s episode takes inspiration from the reflections of newsreader Trevor McDonald in his autobiography ‘An Improbable Life’. McDonald muses over how there is, almost always, a price to be paid…

In these times, looking after our teams is so important and shouldn’t be underestimated. In this episode, Sir John Rowling draws inspiration from Nelson Mandela, a man who led people and made them fe…

In this episode of PiXL Pearls, Sir John Rowling explores the idea that noble aspirations are not enough on their own to guarantee you’ll succeed. In schools, as with all settings, you need the abili…

In this week’s #PiXLPearls podcast, Sir John Rowling reflects on IBM’s management of HIPOs: those staff members who showed high potential. He says that as leaders, it’s our responsibility to prepare …

In this week’s episode, Sir John Rowling centers on six ‘pieces of wisdom’ from Simon Sinek, author of several thought-provoking leadership books. One of his core philosophies is about the ‘why’: the…