Modern leaders are supposed to be adaptable, responsive, engaged, outward-facing and innovative. They restlessly scan the environment to discover best practice and drive through necessary change, shortly before breaking themselves and their staff on the turbulent altar of constant reinvention.

I’d like to argue for a calmer, more reflective, inward-facing style of leadership, not so much disconnected as insulated from the outside world. Motivated by values more than external pressure.

This is not easy. It is fashionable to be responsive and dynamic. There is barely a management book published that doesn’t exhort it. And, of course, isolation and stasis are deadly; we have to learn from others and cease what doesn’t work. What I am saying is this: schools are precious places and we need to set a high bar before we let something in to disturb them.

Slow and steady

Calm, sustained focus could contribute more to high standards than frenetic, short-lived cycles of reform. And this is where the demands of politics and the needs of education go their separate ways. Politics demands immediate, tangible gratification. It wants to be seen to be doing something, preferably markedly different to what was done before. This is toxic to real school improvement, which is gradual, subtle, steady and largely unglamorous. It may be no coincidence that those countries which perform mostly highly on education are those with relatively stable, consensus-driven policies.

Modern British politics has introduced a hyperactivity into education that offers the image of progress but conceals a more sterile cycle of lurching from one unfinished project to another. I do not argue for the removal of democratic control from education, but other countries seem to manage a more functional relationship.

Such a climate is frustrating, but there are steps that school leaders can take to shelter their schools from the brunt of the storm.

The first is to practice the art of strategic procrastination when it comes to new policies and initiatives. Don’t be too hasty to leap on the bandwagon; let someone else be the guinea pig. If a project offers real value it will endure. On the other hand, many bad ideas flare up and fade away quickly. If you are trying to navigate your school by second-guessing what the government wants you to do, you will be driving round in circles. This uncertainty may be frustrating, but it is also liberating. If you cannot be guided by policy, all you have to fall back on are your own values, which are likely to be far more enduring. Steer by them and you forge a steady course.

Every now and again, the government does something right that fits with your values. So leap on that particular initiative and make it your own. Some changes are statutory, and I would always encourage you to obey the law. Other changes can receive lip service or simply be waited out.

In many ways, politicians are searching for a silver bullet: some simple and dramatic reform which will transform standards. It does not exist. There are no secrets to school improvement; it is just hard work. Many school leaders, unfortunately, are on the same search. So the second step is to dial up the scepticism and raise the bar for entry for new ideas. You will definitely want new ideas from time to time, but they need to be demonstrably and significantly better than what you are doing now, not just possibly a little bit better. As Stephen Tierney has suggested, if it isn’t at least a nine out of ten for impact, it shouldn’t happen. It is far more effective to do a few things consistently well over a sustained period of time, gradually improving them, than to constantly chop and change in response to fashion. Of course, make sure those few things are the right things. If you are doing less, you should have more time to study the evidence.

Keeping the balance

The third crucial step for leaders is to maintain their own sense of perspective. The role of a leader can be all-consuming; the boundaries between the personal and professional are at risk of eroding over time under constant pressure and occasional flattery. Yet these boundaries are as essential for your school as they are for you. The erosion of professional boundaries can begin with heroic self-sacrifices but quickly continue into loss of judgement and, for a tiny minority, shady ethics.

The tragedy is that those who stumble are often doing great things for students. Leading a school is a wonderful job, but it is still a job. You are not only entitled to a life outside work, but you need one - as do your staff. This will help sustain performance over a longer time period, shrink problems to their appropriate size and nurture a sense of calm and restraint.

The fourth step to a more sustainable leadership style is to stop trying to be like other leaders. We all have our role models who can inspire us, but we also bring our own personality and character to the role. Outside certain extremes, there is no right or wrong leadership personality: introverted or extroverted, bold or cautious, energetic or relaxed can all work or fail. The trick is to know your strengths and weaknesses, which situations play to them and when you will need additional support or structure. Trying to be something you’re not is draining and introduces small inconsistencies that leave people uncertain about what is coming next. Great leadership is often powered by individualism, idiosyncrasy, even eccentricity.

These are reflections from working alongside thousands of school leaders over the last seven years and observing some of the common characteristics that help them thrive. I am convinced that many of the best leaders in our country are to be found in our schools, often succeeding in spite, rather than because of, the system in which they work. Much of what I have described is a defence mechanism against a turbulent external environment - which says a lot about the increasing divergence between policy and professionalism.

Inspiring leaders put children and young people first. This does not mean they surrender their authority or responsibility. It means they make their choices in the light of pupil interest before anything else. This is their compass. It means they draw their strength - their renewal - from the growth and learning of their students. It restores them after the distractions and disappointments of education policy and helps them remember the values they entered the profession with.

I guess I am promoting strong and stable leadership - the real kind, not a soundbite. There is plenty of it in our schools and it should be celebrated.

Russell Hobby is outgoing general secretary of the NAHT heads’ union and chief executive-designate of Teach First. He tweets @russellhobby