Education Leaders | Strategic School Leadership

• Ethical School Leadership | A Conversation with Dr Yael Cass

  Compliance feels safer than ethics. You can tick the boxes, point to the policies, and stay in your head without engaging the emotional discomfort. But what if that's exactly the problem? In this episode, Dr Yael Cass introduces the concept of "compliance plus," a thoughtful, human-centred approach that brings intention and reflection into the systems schools rely on. Yael explains why international schools often have confusing organisational structures that look like "a bowl of spaghetti," why we still call operational professionals "support staff," and how the lack of clear systems triggers what she calls organisational sensemaking, where people start thinking about threats to themselves rather than collective goals. You'll learn why job descriptions in most schools haven't been reviewed in years even though roles have completely evolved, how professional development decisions are often made based on visibility or personal rapport with leadership rather than clear criteria, and why giving HR real strategic authority could reduce the overwhelming administrative load on principals and heads of school. Yael shares practical steps: look for gaps between what's written and what's actually happening, audit one area like recruitment for alignment with your values, and send an anonymous survey asking whether your appraisal system actually supports people or just ticks boxes. This conversation challenges how you think about structure, fairness, and what it means to build a workplace where the people who serve your students can actually flourish. Resources & Links Mentioned:Dr Yael Cass and NexGen Talent GroupDr Yael Cass on LinkedInEpisode PartnersInternational Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)International Curriculum AssociationJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• How to Think Long-Term When Everything's on Fire

  Your budget's been slashed, three teachers have resigned, parents are complaining about the new timetable, and someone's asking about your five-year strategic plan. Sound familiar? This episode tackles the leadership trap that stops brilliant school leaders from making real progress: abandoning long-term thinking the moment a crisis hits. Shane explores why waiting for things to calm down before thinking strategically means you'll be waiting forever, and why firefighting mode becomes a dangerous default that creates more problems than it solves. You'll learn the three anchors that keep strategic leaders grounded during chaos: identifying your non-negotiables (three to five things that don't change no matter what), asking one weekly question that maintains forward momentum, and conducting a monthly review that prevents short-term decisions from creating long-term disasters. Shane shares research showing that 75% of change initiatives fail not because ideas were poor, but because organisations revert to short-term thinking under pressure. If you're exhausted from constant crisis management but frustrated that nothing's actually changing in your school, this episode will show you how to lead strategically even when everything feels urgent. Resources & Links Mentioned:FCLT Global and Harvard Law School Corporate Governance Forum researchMcKinsey 2017 study on long-term thinkingBoston Consulting Group research on organisational change Episode PartnersInternational Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)International Curriculum AssociationJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• LIVE | November Reflections

  This month's Education Leaders LIVE brings together the big themes from November's episodes. Chris and Shane dig into what trust actually looks like in schools, why the shift from scrutiny to development matters so much, and whether leaders at trust level can genuinely connect with classroom teachers. The conversation around Sam Gibbs' episode sparks a proper debate about loss aversion and what happens when teachers stop putting themselves out there because they're tired of being judged. There's also honest reflection on Jo Robinson's coaching insights and what it means to be proactive rather than reactive as a leader.The discussion gets particularly real when they tackle the "have you got a moment" problem. Is it selfish to protect your focus time? How do you balance being available with actually getting strategic work done? Chris and Shane explore the tension between open-door policies and the reality that leaders need thinking space too. Plus, they revisit Maureen and James' work on student leadership and why we shouldn't treat leadership as something kids either have or don't.Episodes discussed:Teaching Leadership Through Curriculum with James Simons and Maureen ChapmanHave You Got A Moment?Coaching For School Leaders with Jo RobinsonHow to Trust Your Teachers with Sam GibbsJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• How to Trust Your Teachers | A Conversation with Sam Gibbs

  When Sam Gibbs asked, "Are we any further forward in honestly trusting the teaching profession?", she hit on something uncomfortable. In too many schools, we've slipped into what Sam calls toxic accountability. Sam, Director of Education at Greater Manchester Education Trust and co-author of The Trouble With English, argues that school leaders need to start from one simple assumption: teachers are professionals who want to do right by children. This conversation gets into why we've become unhealthily dependent on external products, how to use evidence without ignoring what teachers know works in their classrooms, and why that matters for actually changing practice. You'll hear why buying a programme before identifying your real problem creates dependency, how Sam's trust builds internal expertise through "mindful practice", and what it means to create a culture where teachers actually think, reflect, collaborate, learn, and develop. Shane and Sam discuss how narrow definitions of excellence hinder schools, why a chat over the kettle can be more effective than another external training session, and how to work with consultants without relying on them indefinitely. If you're trying to build professional development that doesn't just disappear after the initial excitement, this conversation provides a starting point. Resources & Links Mentioned:Sam Gibbs on LinkedInTrust Wide CPD Leaders NetworkThe Trouble With English and How to Address It (Routledge, 2022) Episode PartnersInternational Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)International Curriculum AssociationJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Coaching For School Leaders | A Conversation with Joanne Robinson

  When Jo Robinson joins Shane, they focus on a simple, urgent problem: too much of what passes for professional development in schools is one-off, inspirational, and then forgotten. Jo — Chief Programmes Officer at the International Centre for Coaching in Education — gives school leaders practical steps to move from occasional workshops to coaching-led development that actually improves teaching and retention. You’ll learn concrete moves you can make straight away: how to replace single observation feedback with short coaching conversations, how to set small monitored goals that staff will actually keep, and how to gather a fuller picture of practice by triangulating evidence rather than relying on one visit. Shane and Jo discuss examples from international schools, the role of accredited coaching programmes for leaders, and simple templates you can adopt this term to protect staff time while growing expertise. Press play if you want a practical plan for making leadership development stick. Resources & Links Mentioned: International Centre for Coaching in Education (ICCE)Joanne Robinson on LinkedInEEF Guidance: Effective Professional Development (practical evidence for PD design) Episode PartnersInternational Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)International Curriculum AssociationJoin Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensiveShane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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