By Jim Best At the heart of every independent school are relationships — between teachers and students, heads and boards, schools and their communities. Those human connections give our work meaning. They also make change feel risky, especially when that change comes wrapped in something as fast-moving and unfamiliar as AI. Microsoft’s Rajesh Jha describes the challenge as “figuring out how to make the elephant dance” — helping complex, tradition-rich organizations become mor

Setting goals at the beginning of the year clarifies priorities and gives everyone a sense of direction. But here’s the harder part: How do we make sure our goals don’t just live on paper, but shape real growth? That’s where evaluation—done thoughtfully—comes in.

What do you hope your team says about your leadership at year's end? This is the kind of question that reminds us what leadership is really about. If you’re looking to start the year with purpose, presence, and principle, we’d love to walk beside you. The Leader Network offers coaching, roundtables, retreats, and growth assessments that help school leaders grow—and grow strong teams in the process.

Four ways to use July with purpose—and step into the year ahead with clarity, confidence, and intention:

Summer’s almost here. For school leaders, it’s a season of sandals and strategy, slower mornings and long-range planning. It’s also one of the few natural moments we get to pause—to step back and ask: What’s next?

How can one critical comment outweigh five pieces of praise? And what can we do about it? Here are 3 things TLN shares with leaders.

The most effective leadership teams are built on trust, shared purpose, and the courage to have the right conversations—together. Too often, we picture leadership as a solo act—visionary, driven, maybe even heroic. But when we work closely with independent schools around the world, a different truth emerges: sustainable leadership is always a team sport.

What if three simple questions could significantly strengthen your partnership with your Board Chair?

In the school year. when even the strongest leaders feel their energy dipping, TLN provides three tips to energize leaders.