From Language to Leadership: What Teaching Taught Me About Managing Teams
Some of the most important management lessons I’ve learnt didn’t come from a boardroom—they came from a classroom.
Leadership Lessons from the Classroom
In one of my first teaching experiences, I taught a group of banking executives. In the second or third lesson, one student – who was clearly struggling – exclaimed: “English grammar is impossible, it’s nothing like Italian!” I felt his frustration and as a new teacher, wasn’t sure how to respond. First, I empathised acknowledging that English grammar structure really was different. Then I reassured him that many students had the same reaction and I assured him that the course material was specifically designed to explain things as clearly as possible. Finally, I offered a piece of advice: stop trying to translate from Italian and instead approach English grammar as something completely new.
He continued to attend lessons and steadily improved. But the real reward came at the end of the course when he wrote in his feedback that in all his years taking English lessons, he had never truly understood grammar – until now.
People Management in Educational Settings
That moment reminded me how important it is not just to explain things clearly, but to understand where someone is coming from.
It might seem obvious, but teachers essentially lead a team. Teachers guide students through a course, devise learning strategies based on strengths and needs, impart knowledge, provide feedback to aid improvement and guide them through difficulties. In short, teachers manage people – just in a different setting.
How Teaching Shaped My Approach to Leading Teams, Projects, and Systems
As a manager, those same principles apply—whether you’re introducing a new system, reshaping team structure, or giving feedback that challenges someone’s usual way of working. Clear communication, motivation, constructive feedback, structure, precise objectives, and—above all—empathy are essential to leading any team successfully. These are the foundations of good management—and they’re exactly the skills I honed in the classroom.
Grammar Lessons to People Lessons: Unlikely Leadership 101
Some of the most transferable leadership skills are developed in places you might not expect. For me, it was the language classroom. I spent years delivering daily lessons where I managed people, motivated progress, and created space for growth—skills I first began developing in moments like that early encounter with the frustrated student, unsure how to move forward.
Those small breakthroughs—his and mine—were more than just teaching wins, they were the foundation of how I conduct myself as a business manager today.