Relational Accountability

Evelyn Carter

Welcome back to Leading for Impact in Anangu Lands Schools. I’m Evelyn Carter, here with the ever-insightful Liam Warragul and our new co-host, Dan Harrison. Today, we're digging deep into the idea of leadership that listens—something that’s really at the heart of all the school improvement stories we’ve shared so far. How do we make decisions that honour not just policies, but actual people? That’s what we’ll be yarning about today.

Liam Warragul

Yeah, g’day everyone—and huge welcome to Dan. You know, Evelyn, what really hits home for me is this idea of relational accountability. Like, who are we actually responsible to? Is it the department? Or is it, you know, the bloke standing next to you at the footy? Or the kids out on the oval? In these remote schools, trust is the real currency. Without it, doesn’t matter how many policies you follow, nothing’s gonna last.

Dan Harrison

Cheers, Liam, and thanks for the warm welcome, Evelyn. And you’re right—trust seriously makes or breaks everything out here. I see it daily in the classroom. If students or families feel you’re not listening... it just shuts things down. Relational accountability means my responsibility isn’t just upwards to the department—it’s sideways and outwards, to students, families, Anangu colleagues, all the way through.

Evelyn Carter

Exactly. It’s all about those two-way commitments we touched on in episode two—the principal bringing transparency and instructional alignment, and the Anangu coordinator bringing that critical cultural authority and perspective. Both roles are essential. Otherwise, you end up with decisions that either tick a compliance box or, worse, chip away at community trust.

Liam Warragul

And co-leadership, it’s not just a job title, it’s a promise. Quick weekly yarns with your co-leader, being side-by-side at those tough meetings, or just explaining—not just announcing!—why a decision got made. It’s those small things that build or break relationships over time.

Dan Harrison

I was going to say, closing that loop is everything. Like, when was the last time you stopped to check—who are we actually listening to right now? And whose voices might be missing in this process? I’ve stuffed that up before, honestly, just assuming everyone knew what was going on. Turns out, if you skip those trust-building steps, you end up chasing your tail later.

Evelyn Carter

So maybe let’s yarn a bit about, well, yarning! It’s more than just chatting over a cuppa. It’s this intentional, informal way to connect and actually hear what’s going on, outside the confines of, you know, official meetings or documentation. I know you both have stories about the power of yarning in leadership.

Liam Warragul

Absolutely, Evelyn. Yarning happens everywhere—out in the yard, at the store, during community events. The trick is to treat those moments as part of your leadership, not just "off the record" stuff. I’ve had more important insights come from a five-minute yarn while on yard duty than in some of our formal planning sessions, I reckon.

Dan Harrison

Totally with you there, Liam. I make it a routine each week to pick three touchpoints—yard duty, after school on Friday arvo, even just a birthday morning tea—and make those purposeful yarning moments. Sometimes, kids or staff will say something in that space they’d never say in a meeting. I might be wrong, but I really think it’s where you build trust, bit by bit, yarn by yarn.

Evelyn Carter

And I guess, for leaders, just being genuinely present in those spaces—people notice! You can’t fake it. Making time for yarning makes you more approachable, and you start to hear things that would otherwise pass you by completely. That’s how you learn what really matters to people, not just what’s “meant” to matter according to plans or strategies.

Liam Warragul

Exactly. You gotta be visible, ears open, not just rushing from task to task. Even when the department’s breathing down your neck for reports, that yarn in the yard might be the key to actually making progress. I always say, meetings give you plans, but yarning gives you purpose.

Dan Harrison

So, if we’re really listening—how do we show we’ve heard people? In my class, if a student tells me what’s bugging them and I just nod but never change anything or even explain why, I reckon I’ve lost them for the rest of the week. Same goes for staff and community. You gotta close that circle.

Evelyn Carter

I think that’s spot on, Dan. The "You said, we did, here’s what’s next" habit stops people wondering if their voice even matters. Even—and this bit’s important—even if you can’t do what was suggested, you go back and explain why. No one likes decisions disappearing into some black box. That’s the quickest way to erode trust.

Liam Warragul

And sometimes, you gotta admit you’ve dropped the ball too. There’s something powerful in saying, “Hey, I know we said we’d look into this, but things have changed. Here’s where we’re at now.” People respect honesty. It strengthens those relationships—like we talked about in our episode on shared power. If folks feel fobbed off or kept out, you’re out of luck next time you want their input.

Dan Harrison

Absolutely. And for me, little visible things help—like putting up a notice in the staff room that says, "You raised this in the last meeting—here’s where we’re at." Or looping back in a follow-up chat, even just, "I checked that out after our yarn, and..." It keeps people feeling like they matter, and honestly, it just makes for a happier school.

Evelyn Carter

Before we wrap up, let’s talk about something that trips up a lot of leaders—balancing the numbers with the stories. It’s easy to get lost in attendance data or test scores and forget that there’s always more going on beneath the surface.

Liam Warragul

Yeah, the numbers are, you know, just one side of the story. I always say to new leaders, “Whose voices aren’t showing up in this pie chart?” If we’re not bringing those lived experiences into our decisions, we can make some pretty poor calls—even if the data looks impressive.

Dan Harrison

And it goes both ways—sometimes you hear a really vivid story and assume it represents everyone, but then the numbers tell a different tale. It’s that constant cross-check—numbers and narratives together—that gives you something you can actually trust for planning. I’ve learned to always ask, “Okay, whose experience is missing here?” as a way to avoid those blind spots.

Evelyn Carter

It’s the same challenge we talked about with PLCs—a few voices can dominate, but the real insight comes when you deliberately seek out what’s not being said or who’s not in the room. That’s where yarning, feedback, and the data all have to come together for improvement that lasts and actually means something.

Dan Harrison

Maybe before we go, can we each share one practical thing leaders can do this week around relational accountability? For me, it’s just making at least one commitment visible—big or small. If you said you’d check something out, let someone know what happened, even if it’s “I couldn’t sort it this week, but I’m still on it.” It makes a huge difference in trust.

Liam Warragul

Love that, Dan. Mine’s pretty simple—pick a new yarning touchpoint this week. Go stand somewhere different, catch up with someone you usually miss. Those informal chats add up fast. You never know what you’ll learn—or who’ll finally feel heard.

Evelyn Carter

And I’ll add, take a moment to ask yourself—and your co-leader—“Who are we most accountable to this week, and who might we be missing?” Even a short reflection like that can steer your leadership back to the heart of the community. Good yarning, good listening, good decisions—those things always go together out here.

Dan Harrison

Well, thanks, both of you—really enjoyed the chat. Looking forward to digging deeper into more practical bits in future episodes.

Liam Warragul

Can’t wait, Dan. Always good to yarn and learn with you both. And to everyone listening—stay curious, keep showing up, and remember, trust is built in the little moments.

Evelyn Carter

Thanks for joining us on Leading for Impact in Anangu Lands Schools. Keep those conversations going, and we’ll catch you next time. Bye for now!