Leadership Is a Team Sport—And the Best Teams Practice
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
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.
At TheLeaderNetwork, we’ve partnered with over 100 schools globally—supporting heads, boards, and senior teams as they define priorities, lead transitions, and navigate complexity. One thing is clear: the schools that thrive don’t just manage their leadership teams—they build them.
In our April Roundtables, we explored what it really takes to create and nurture an effective leadership team. Not the surface-level stuff, but the deeper work: trust, shared clarity, and courageous conversation. The kind of work that shifts culture and strengthens alignment from the inside out.
Here are three questions that stood out—ones every school leadership team should be asking regularly:
Do we share a clear sense of why this team exists—and does everyone see their purpose in it? When purpose is shared and personal, alignment turns into momentum.
How do we show up when things get hard—and are those responses true to our values? Teams that lead well in the hard moments are the ones others want to follow.
What’s holding us back from doing our best work—and what conversations aren’t we having yet? The best teams surface what’s stuck, name what’s hard, and move forward together.
Ready to strengthen your leadership team? Let’s build something that lasts.
Whether it’s a facilitated retreat, a team coaching series, or a strategic workshop, we’d love to help. Visit our website to start team building, and learn more about all of our valuable services!
Questions? Comments? Contact us. We're looking forward to helping you build your dream team.
With best wishes and high hopes—
Jim Best
Comments