Hosted by Alison Kriel | https://alisonkriel.com
In the first half of this podcast, Viv shares her remarkable journey from growing up as a child of the Windrush generation in London’s inner-city schools to becoming one of the youngest Headteachers to turn around a failing primary school. Despite the school’s success, Viv speaks candidly about the personal toll of leadership: the isolation, self-doubt, and relentless pressure so many school leaders experience behind the scenes. We discuss how these challenges inspired her to create Integrity Coaching, dedicated to supporting leaders so they can flourish without losing themselves in the process.
In the second half, Viv opens up about the story behind her latest book, Learning to Walk in the Dark. She reflects on navigating the profound uncertainty and fear that came with facing critical illness, and how this experience deepened her understanding of vulnerability, faith, and resilience.
Throughout, Viv offers invaluable insights into thee motional landscape of leadership — and how, even in our darkest moments, we can find hope, meaning, and connection.
Whether you’re a school leader, educator, or simply someone who has faced life’s toughest challenges, this conversation is an invitation to explore what it really means to lead, to heal, and to keep going when the way ahead feels uncertain.