For over 30 years international school leaders, teachers, and counselors have come together for PTC professional learning experiences. Each day of every program begins with a “pearl of wisdom,” a “nugget of knowledge,” or a “gem of inspiration” from one of the participants. We are delighted to offer our readers around the world these powerful stories, insights, and strategies, all dedicated to our shared mission of ever more and better learning for our children.
In this Pearl, Anthony reflects on losing a colleague and the leadership lesson that emerged from showing vulnerability during grief. Rather than projecting composure, he openly shared, “His passing has broken me,” demonstrating that leaders give others permission to bring their full humanity to difficult moments. Anthony argues that teams take their cues from what leaders are willing to model, especially on the hardest days. That vulnerability ultimately became a catalyst for action. His central lesson is that strong leadership is not about always holding it together, but about modeling the courage to be human and then building something meaningful from that experience.
Professional positions cited were the ones held at the time of recording. The positions and schools of those quoted may have since changed.
Anthony Perry is the middle school Director at the International School of Denver.
