I normally sit down for deep one-on-ones with education leaders, but this episode takes a different approach. At NESSIC's inaugural leadership conference, I captured something special - the birth of China's newest school network.

Moving through the conference rooms with my microphone, I spoke with 20 school leaders about what drives them to build community beyond their campus walls. From heads of isolated regional schools to leaders of China's biggest international bilingual schools, these conversations reveal a sector ready to shift from competition to collaboration.

If you're curious about how post-COVID China's international education community is evolving, this episode is for you.

https://nessic.org/

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association.

Learn more at internationalcurriculum.com.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

Grainne O'Reilly chats with Shane about the challenges and rewards of leading a startup school. She talks about the importance of embracing the unknowns and being open to asking for help. Grainne highlights the magic of a startup and the sense of ownership and excitement that every team member should feel. She also discusses the pattern of a post-Christmas dip in energy and offers advice on how leaders can support their teams during this time.

Grainne encourages leaders to take care of themselves and find activities or hobbies that bring them joy. She also emphasises the importance of finding trusted mentors and confidants to lean on for support.

"The best leaders are always open to other people's ideas and asking for help."

"Harnessing the magic and giving everyone permission to take ownership is key to success."

"Under promise and over deliver every single time."

Find Grainne on LinkedIn

Grainne's latest book, Starting Your International School

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association.

Learn more at internationalcurriculum.com.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

In this episode, Shane Leaning discusses the complexities of addressing challenges in educational settings. He talks through the importance of defining challenges clearly, reframing problems as opportunities, and balancing emotional responses with factual data. Shane shares insights on how to prioritise challenges effectively and encourages leaders to focus on the root causes of issues rather than getting overwhelmed by multiple initiatives. This episode highlights the need for courage in decision-making and the significance of collaboration among staff.

• When trying to solve everything at once, we make our biggest mistake.
• Defining challenges is crucial for effective change.
• Reframing problems can lead to new opportunities.
• Balancing emotions and facts is essential in schools.
• Choosing the right challenge can create a ripple effect.
• Understanding the root cause is key to solving issues.
• Real change requires courage and specificity.
• Collaboration among staff can transform school culture.
• Data analysis can reveal deeper issues in schools.
• Taking time to define challenges can lead to better solutions.

The Work Collaborative Model for Organisational Change

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association.

Learn more at internationalcurriculum.com.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

In this conversation, Paul Ainsworth discusses his book 'No Silver Bullets 2.0: The Heart and Soul of School Improvement'. We explore the concept of silver bullets in education and the need for a more nuanced approach to school improvement. Paul shares his framework for school improvement, which includes evaluating with honesty, planning with empathy, executing with confidence, and reviewing with humility. We discuss the importance of building relationships, developing confidence in teachers, and finding consistency within schools. Paul reminded me of the need for sustainable change and the power of small steps done consistently.

Paul's website

Paul's latest book, 'No Silver Bullets 2.0: Heart and Soul of School Improvement'

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association.

Learn more at internationalcurriculum.com.

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

This week, I explore the "Connection" phase of organisational change.

Episode Highlights

• The Change Series: Discover why connection is essential before diving into change.
• Understanding Challenges: Learn how building connections helps validate perceived challenges and explore them deeply.
• Building Trust and Readiness: Authentic connections foster psychological safety and organisational readiness—key ingredients for successful change.
• Avoiding Pitfalls: Early connection helps prevent biases and encourages open dialogue, setting a solid foundation.
• Practical Steps: Engage with your community—teachers, parents, and students—before implementing change.

Remember, connection and discovery are intertwined. If you feel connection is lacking, pause and focus on building that foundation first. This ensures sustainable and impactful change.

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association. Click here to Register for The International Curriculum Conference 2024

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

Chris Scorer and Shane Leaning explore how schools can create a data landscape that aligns with their diverse objectives, especially in international schools. We discuss the reluctance of data leads to embrace full transparency due to regulatory concerns, the educational journey parents and teachers must undertake to understand data, and practical strategies for integrating data into daily teaching.

One striking point of our conversation was the tension between teacher intuition and data-driven decision-making. Chris eloquently argued that data should serve as a supportive tool for teachers rather than a rigid directive. He shared practical strategies for overcoming teacher resistance to data, emphasizing the importance of creating safe spaces for teachers to engage with and explore data without the fear of making mistakes.

Fryer, R.G., Jr (2017), The Production of Human Capital in Developed Countries: Evidence From 196 Randomized Field Experiments

Munby, S, (2019), Imperfect Leadership

https://teachmiddleeastmag.com/democratise-your-data/

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association. Click here to Register for The International Curriculum Conference 2024

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on 𝕏, and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

In part 3 of his series on organisational change, Shane discusses the importance of the discovery phase in organisational change in schools. He emphasises the need to break the cycle of repeatedly addressing the same problems by exploring multiple perspectives and challenging assumptions. The conversation highlights the significance of building trust and connection within teams to facilitate open dialogue and innovative solutions. Leaning also stresses the value of diverse thinking in improving outcomes and the necessity of thorough discovery to avoid poor decision-making.

Takeaways

·     The first answer is rarely the best one.

·     Discovery is about exploring options, not making decisions.

·     Building trust enables free expression of thoughts.

·     Asking 'What else?' helps uncover deeper challenges.

·     Urgency can push change forward.

·     Unfreezing our thinking is essential for change.

·     Groupthink can lead to poor quality decisions.

·     Diverse teams bring improved accuracy and innovation.

·     Challenging assumptions is crucial in the discovery phase.

·     Connection is foundational before moving into discovery.

Click here to see the double diamond model.

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association. Click here to Register for The International Curriculum Conference 2024

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on X (@leaningshane), and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

About the host

Shane Leaning is an independent organisational coach based in Shanghai, collaborating with international schools and agencies globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative, a community dedicated to inside-out change in education, and hosts the chart-topping podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, Shane was the Regional Head of Teacher Development for Nord Anglia Education’s China bilingual schools, overseeing professional development across 11 schools. He holds an Executive Master’s in International Education from King’s College London and is a certified organisational development coach.

Passionate about creating agency in schools and empowering leaders, Shane is co-authoring 'Change Starts Here,' due for release in Spring 2025. He is a CollectiveEd Fellow, an Associate of the Teacher Development Trust in the UK, and a TEDx speaker. Living internationally since 2012, with extensive experience in China and Asia, Shane is a recognised voice in international education leadership.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

GUEST EPISODE

This is an interview from the EduPulse podcast. Here's the original podcast description:

In this episode we are joined by Shane Leaning who is a podcast host, educator and soon-to-be author. Shane (@leaningshane) lives and works in Shanghai, China and we recorded this episode at 4am GMT!

Join in the conversation on Twitter (we don't officially recognise the rebranding!) where you'll find us on:⁠⁠

@EduPulseCo⁠⁠⁠⁠

@MrAdamKohlbeck⁠⁠⁠⁠

@MrChrisPassey⁠⁠

⁠⁠

EduPulse⁠⁠ is a brand new think-tank, podcast, journal and nuance-advocating platform.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

Ian Timbrell and Shane Leaning talk about range of topics related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools, including the challenges faced by school leaders, the importance of representation in literature, and strategies for handling difficult conversations. The discussion highlights the need for inclusive practices and the impact of local representation on students' identities and experiences.

Takeaways

• The challenges faced by school leaders in addressing LGBTQ+ topics and the importance of understanding the historical and cultural context of these challenges.
• The significance of representation in literature and the impact of inclusive materials on students' identities and experiences.
• Strategies for handling difficult conversations related to LGBTQ+ inclusion, including the use of scripts and the importance of standing by the school's values and policies.
• The impact of local representation on students' understanding of diversity and the need for inclusive role models and events in school curricula.

Links

More Thank Flags and Rainbows: morethanflagsandrainbows.com

Ian on X/Twitter: @ITimbrell

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association. Click here to Register for The International Curriculum Conference 2024

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on X (@leaningshane), and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

About the host

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports international schools globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative and hosts the chat-topping school leadership podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, he worked as Regional Head of Teaching Development for Nord Anglia Education. Passionate about empowering educators, he is currently co-authoring 'Change Starts Here.' As a CollectivEd Fellow, Teacher Development Trust Associate, and TEDx speaker, Shane has extensive experience in the UK and Asia and is a recognised voice in international education leadership. Learn more at shaneleaning.com.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.

In part 2 of the Series on Organisational change, Shane discusses the complexities of organisational change in educational settings, focusing on the sponsor's perceived challenge. I talk about the importance of understanding the motivations behind change, the risks involved, and the necessity of community involvement to ensure sustainable change. The conversation highlights the need for sponsors to reflect on their challenges and engage with their communities to create a shared vision for change.

Takeaways

·     The perceived challenge may not be the actual challenge.

·     Understanding motivations behind change is crucial.

·     Expectations and awareness shape the change process.

·     Best and worst case scenarios help frame challenges.

·     Organizational identity must be preserved during change.

·     Community involvement is essential for sustainable change.

·     Top-down approaches to change are often ineffective.

·     Engagement at critical moments influences change trajectory.

·     Reflection on past challenges can inform future actions.

·     Balancing change with core values is vital.

This episode is supported by the International Curriculum Association. Click here to Register for The International Curriculum Conference 2024

Thank you for tuning in, and as always, if you found this episode useful, please share your experience. You can find me online on X (@leaningshane), and LinkedIn. My website is shaneleaning.com and email address is [email protected].

About the host

Shane Leaning is an independent organisational coach based in Shanghai, collaborating with international schools and agencies globally. He co-founded Work Collaborative, a community dedicated to inside-out change in education, and hosts the chart-topping podcast, Global Ed Leaders. Previously, Shane was the Regional Head of Teacher Development for Nord Anglia Education’s China bilingual schools, overseeing professional development across 11 schools. He holds an Executive Master’s in International Education from King’s College London and is a certified organisational development coach.

Passionate about creating agency in schools and empowering leaders, Shane is co-authoring 'Change Starts Here,' due for release in Spring 2025. He is a CollectiveEd Fellow, an Associate of the Teacher Development Trust in the UK, and a TEDx speaker. Living internationally since 2012, with extensive experience in China and Asia, Shane is a recognised voice in international education leadership.

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane 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.