The Leader's Lens

There’s a different way to approach leadership assessment. One that creates clarity for the Head, alignment with the board, and coherence across the leadership team. Done well, leadership assessment doesn’t just evaluate leadership—it strengthens it. It builds alignment between Head and Board. It brings clarity and focus to the leadership team. And it creates a shared path forward. Done differently, it becomes one of the most valuable leadership tools a school has.

A reflection on the human side of school leadership in December — why discomfort is natural, why purpose matters more than popularity, and how leaders can navigate tough moments with clarity, courage, and care.

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

School Leaders – This month’s Leader Network Roundtables focused on a critical theme: fostering meaningful dialogue in a polarized world.