Swinging between lines of fear and blame

As a leader, getting team dynamics right has always been a difficult job. If you add in the mechanics of fear and blame, you have an increasingly difficult, almost impossible barrier to break through. In these environments making the child the problem can be easy for our staff members but what about asking staff and leaders to consider their contribution to incidents. Our children and young people are the central focus of everything we do. How can our children and young people thrive and experience love in environments where fear and blame are predominant? This paper explores the author's journey within their leadership role, explores how unconscious drivers like fear and blame can lead to toxic cultures, and reflects on some helpful tools which can help to develop better awareness both at an individual and an organisational level.