Today has been one of those days when I go from meeting to meeting and wonder what real difference any of it actually makes. The great thing however is that you meet wonderfully talented people at these meetings... people who are doing things, creating things, changing things and challenging the assumptions we all make about what is possible.

People like my colleagues Mark Hopkins, Wendy Winterburn and Dorothy Smith. People like Ros McMullen and Hartley Moyes from the David Young Community Academy. People like my colleagues Pat Toner and the Human Resources team. People like Gail Palmer-Smeaton and Diane Reynard, two of our headteachers. These people are brilliant, talented, gorgeous and wonderful colleagues who passion, commitment, determination and persistence shines out amongst the control freaks and those people who can never smile or say anything positive

I know I am incredibly lucky that I work in an organisation where people, partnerships and relationships are central to everything we do. And it's true, you know, that you get back what you give away... smile and the world smiles with you... laugh and the world laughs with you... compliment people and the compliments come flooding back... trust people and they repay you by the bucketload. Sadly some people haven't a clue about this and they simply let their own limitations and frustrations get in the way.

We must all remember that good communication lies at the heart of our success and it's true that being positive helps colleagues to be their brilliant and outstanding best. These are some of the things I have learnt about leading successfully... we must...

• always try to see the bigger picture;
• always be as positive as possible;
• always say thank you;
• always share ideas and problems;
• always tell the truth;
• always listen carefully to what is being said;
• always smile whatever happens;
• always go the extra mile.

Chris