1. Introduction
Fullan (2008; 2011) argues that successful change is fundamentally a human and social process. The six secrets constitute what he calls “hidden rules”—non-negotiable drivers that enable organisations to flourish amid complexity. They are not isolated strategies but mutually reinforcing elements grounded in systems thinking. In education, these principles help school leaders build capacity, reduce resistance, and transform learning cultures.
2. The Six Secrets of Change
Secret 1: Love Your Employees
Fullan’s first secret refutes the common managerial focus on student outcomes alone. He argues that supporting and developing the adults in the system—teachers, staff, and principals—is essential for sustained improvement (Fullan, 2008).
“Loving employees” means:
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creating a climate of trust,
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investing in professional capacity,
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promoting dignity, wellness, and belonging, and
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ensuring psychological safety.
Drawing on organisational research, Fullan notes that employee engagement correlates strongly with student learning and institutional performance (Hargreaves & Shirley, 2009; Leithwood et al., 2006). When staff feel valued, they are more likely to innovate, collaborate, and persist through change.
Secret 2: Connect Peers with Purpose
This secret emphasises purposeful collaboration, not mere collegiality. Fullan (2008) argues that improvement accelerates when professionals learn from one another in alignment with shared goals.
Key components include:
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professional learning communities (PLCs),
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cross-school and cross-classroom networks,
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collaborative inquiry, and
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peer accountability.
The underlying principle is “collective capacity”, which Fullan (2011) describes as the ability of a group to solve complex problems together. Research supports that when teachers engage in continuous peer collaboration, instructional quality and student achievement increase (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012; Timperley, 2011).
Secret 3: Capacity Building Prevails
Fullan differentiates capacity building—the development of skills, knowledge, motivation, and shared commitment—from accountability-driven strategies. He contends that external pressure without internal capacity produces superficial compliance rather than genuine improvement (Fullan, 2007; 2011).
Capacity building involves:
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ongoing professional development,
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leadership development,
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effective mentoring,
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shared decision-making,
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data-informed instructional practice.
Fullan (2011) highlights that systems improve when they focus on developing competence rather than enforcing compliance. Capacity building is therefore a positive driver, operating through intrinsic motivation and collective efficacy.
Secret 4: Learning is the Work
This secret reframes learning as a daily, embedded process rather than an event. Fullan argues that in high-performing systems, professional learning occurs within the work, not outside it.
This includes:
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job-embedded coaching,
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inquiry-based learning cycles,
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action research,
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collaborative data analysis,
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rapid feedback from practice.
Timperley (2011) and Darling-Hammond et al. (2017) similarly argue that continuous learning within classrooms enables deep instructional improvement. Fullan (2008) stresses that leaders must create environments in which learning is habitual, supported, and expected—a central feature of “learning organisations.”
Secret 5: Transparency Rules
Fullan states that transparency—especially when focused on learning—drives improvement by making performance visible and open to constructive dialogue. However, he distinguishes developmental transparency from punitive surveillance.
Components include:
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shared data on student outcomes,
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open classroom practices,
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collaborative examination of evidence,
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shared norms of inquiry rather than blame.
Fullan (2011) argues that transparency “rules” only when it builds trust, not fear. When teachers understand that transparency is for improvement—not evaluation—they are more likely to embrace experimentation and accountability to peers (Earl & Fullan, 2003).
Secret 6: Systems Learn
The final secret emphasises the need for alignment, coherence, and feedback loops across the entire organisation. Change must be systemic, not isolated. Schools and districts must develop the capacity to learn from results, correct course, and evolve continuously.
Systems learn when they:
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monitor and reflect on progress at multiple levels,
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share successful practices across sites,
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maintain coherence around a small number of priorities,
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cultivate leadership at all levels.
Fullan (2011) connects this secret to his later work on coherence and “right drivers.” He insists that sustainable change arises from synergistic interactions of people, processes, and structures, not from mandates or isolated innovations.
3. Interrelationship of the Six Secrets
The six secrets function as a unified, mutually reinforcing system. For example:
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“Love your employees” builds trust, which strengthens “peer connections with purpose.”
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Capacity building enables transparency to be developmental rather than punitive.
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“Systems learn” depends on embedded learning and shared purpose.
Fullan’s framework therefore highlights the interdependence of culture, capacity, and coherence, offering leaders a holistic pathway to sustainable change.
4. Critical Reflection
Fullan’s six secrets have been praised for balancing moral purpose, human motivation, and systemic thinking. Critics, however, argue that the model may underestimate political and structural constraints in some educational systems (Ball, 2012). Nonetheless, empirical evidence shows that schools applying these principles experience improved collaboration, teacher efficacy, and student outcomes (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012; Leithwood et al., 2020).
5. Conclusion
The Six Secrets of Change remains a significant contribution to leadership theory, particularly in education. Its emphasis on relationships, purposeful collaboration, capacity building, learning cultures, transparency, and systemic coherence provides a robust blueprint for sustainable school improvement. Fullan’s work continues to shape leadership practices globally, influencing policies on professional learning, school networks, and collaborative reform.
References
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Ball, S. J. (2012). Global Education Inc.: New Policy Networks and the Neo-liberal Imaginary. Routledge.
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Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute.
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Earl, L., & Fullan, M. (2003). Using Data in Leadership for Learning. Cambridge Journal of Education, 33(3), 383–394.
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Fullan, M. (2007). The New Meaning of Educational Change (4th ed.). Teachers College Press.
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Fullan, M. (2008). The Six Secrets of Change: What the Best Leaders Do to Help Their Organizations Survive and Thrive. Jossey-Bass.
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Fullan, M. (2011). Change Leader: Learning to Do What Matters Most. Jossey-Bass.
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Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School. Teachers College Press.
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Hargreaves, A., & Shirley, D. (2009). The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change. Corwin.
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Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven Strong Claims About Successful School Leadership Revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22.
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Leithwood, K., Louis, K. S., Anderson, S., & Wahlstrom, K. (2006). How Leadership Influences Student Learning. Wallace Foundation.
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Timperley, H. (2011). Realizing the Power of Professional Learning. McGraw-Hill.
