Leading change: Detaching from the noise

Leading change or improvements in schools is rarely a quiet process. There’s noise—lots of it. Not just the literal hum of a busy staffroom or playground, but the metaphorical kind: competing priorities, constant demands, loud opinions, and the internal chatter of our own doubts. When you're leading change initiatives, this noise can easily overwhelm the vision and a team’s momentum.

So, how do we lead through the noise without getting lost in it?

First, we need to understand the types of noise we face. Four types of noise are physical, psychological, physiological  and semantic.

1. Physical noise—the external distractions that clutter our spaces and our calendars. 

2. Psychological noise—stress, pressure, and those mental loops of “what ifs” that can cloud our judgement. 

3. Physiological noise—fatigue, lack of sleep, skipped meals—yes, the very human stuff that impacts our leadership more than we’d like to admit. 

4. Semantic noise—communication that confuses rather than clarifies, often loaded with jargon or assumptions.

   
   

In change initiatives, noise can manifest as everyone talking, but few really listening. The loudest voices can dominate, but not all voices are heard. Priorities blur. Emails pile up. Meetings multiply. Energy disperses.

Detaching from the ‘noise’- Practical Ideas

Below is a list of strategies and quick wins you might use as an audit tool  at your next leadership meeting to help you be more aware of the ‘noise’ and possible ways of managing it.  What else might you add?

The  purpose of reducing the noise is to stay focused on the prioritised goal.

How can you make not losing sight of the goal easier in addition to reducing the noise?

1. Repeat the core goal everywhere: on agendas, noticeboards, slide decks.  Do  a quick walk around your school or site.  How many times do you find connections to the goal?

   
   

2. Use the goal as a decision filter: Does this action move us closer? Is this action more noise?

   
   

3. Build systems for feedback: Ensure you’re not just reacting to the loudest concern, but responding to what aligns with the goal.

Change is tough enough without our ears ringing, jargon flying, hearts racing and brains at maximum storage. Clearer minds make sharper decisions—turning motion into genuine progress.

So, take a moment this week: pause, breathe, scan your environment.

Where is the noise?

What matters most right now?

Then lead from there.