When Doubt Pulls Up a Chair

Story so far…
The staff room has revealed its tensions. Some teachers are intrigued by Rick, others suspicious, a few openly resistant. The leadership team has decided to host a whole staff session, and Rick will have twenty minutes to offer something meaningful without overwhelming an already tired community. Now, alone in the school library, Rick prepares for what comes next and confronts something many educators know well. Doubt.

This Episode

The library was almost silent in the late afternoon light. The smell of paper, dust and ageing book glue sat in the air like a memory. Rick had taken up his usual seat at a small table near the back. Not hidden, but quietly out of the way.

His notebook lay open. Across the top he had written a single question.

“How do we create space for change without forcing it?”

He underlined the word “we” twice.

The staff meeting was only a day away. The next step in this unfolding process would take place in front of more than fifty tired adults, and the thought landed heavily.

He rubbed his face with both hands and let out a slow breath.

What am I doing here?

The thought arrived sharply, unexpected but familiar. Most coaches do not admit it, but doubt is a frequent companion. Especially when working in a place where the stakes are human, not theoretical.

Rick closed his eyes for a moment. The teachers were stretched thin. The leadership team was cautious. Camilla had been openly sceptical. The staff room conversation had revealed exhaustion that ran beneath even the laughter.

Was he adding to their load or helping lighten it?
Was this work welcome or just tolerated?
Had anyone truly invited the kind of thinking he hoped to spark?

He opened his notebook again and began jotting ideas.

No jargon.
Make it practical.
Make it connected to daily teaching.
Model curiosity.
Do not preach.
They are not wrong to resist.

That last line stayed on the page, heavier than the others.

The room grew dimmer as clouds moved across the skylight. Rick leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.

“What do I want to say?” he whispered.

He imagined the faces he had met.
Sara with her guarded pragmatism.
Johan with his weary humour.
Martin with his quiet sincerity.
Fatima with her earnest uncertainty.
Nadja with her theatrical courage.
Lena, thoughtful and controlled.
Erik, steady but weary.

He imagined them sitting in the Aula tomorrow, waiting.

“You are allowed to not want this,” he murmured, practicing under his breath. “My role is not to convince you. It is simply to offer something you might recognise when you are ready.”

He considered demonstrating a coaching conversation. He considered speaking about communication. He considered saying very little at all.

He turned the page and wrote another line.

“Teaching is already coaching. Coaching is listening with the intention of not interrupting the learner’s path.”

He tapped his pen twice, then set it down.

He was afraid. Not of the staff, not of the challenge, but of disappointing the possibility that had begun to form in this school.

He closed the notebook, placed it in his bag and stood slowly. The library creaked softly as the building settled into evening.

Before leaving, he rested his hand briefly on the doorframe.

“Let us see what wants to happen,” he whispered.

Then he stepped into the corridor, leaving the quiet behind.

Behind the Scenes: Rick’s Reflections

Coaches rarely speak about doubt. Yet doubt is essential. It prevents arrogance. It protects humility. It reminds me that I am not the solution. I am simply a catalyst.

I never aim to impress a staff. That would shift the focus in the wrong direction. My job is to hold up a mirror. If people see themselves clearly, they usually know what to do next.

When I looked at my notes in the library, I realised something important. The staff are tired because they care. Exhaustion often points toward commitment, not weakness.

The question I kept returning to was simple.
How do I create space without becoming the centre of it?

If I can answer that tomorrow, the meeting will be worthwhile.

For Your Practice: Leadership Takeaways

1. Doubt is not a flaw in leadership. It is a sign of awareness. Leaders who question themselves tend to make more grounded decisions.

2. Preparation is not about polishing a message. It is about clarifying intention. What do we want people to think about, not what do we want them to feel.

3. Staff do not need inspiration. They need recognition. When their daily reality is acknowledged, they become more open to reflection.

What do you think will happen next?

Your thoughts and reflections are valuable, please share them in the comments.