My guest today is David Harkin, CEO and Founder of 8billionideas, which has impacted over 500,000 students in 26 countries. David is a two-time TEDx speaker, author of 'The Ripple Effect', and was ranked 8th globally by ISC Research for his contributions to the education sector in 2022. Before entering education, David was an IBM executive and was the youngest globally to receive their CEO award.

In our conversation, we explore:

In this special episode, Shane Leaning discusses his new best-selling book "Change Starts Here: What if Everything Your School Needed Was Right in Front of You?", co-authored with Efram Learner. Shane shares why they wrote the book, its core philosophy, and how it can help school leaders drive meaningful change by looking inward to their communities rather than constantly seeking external solutions.

Pre-order "Change Starts Here" on Amazon

Key Points

A Call Across the Pond- Guest Appearance

Shane Leaning appears as a guest on another podcast.

Time zones don't matter when the conversation is this good! This bonus episode features Shane Leaning as a guest on "A Call Across the Pond: Transforming Relationships at School, at Home & Beyond" with Tara Gretton and Vicky Essebag.

Episode Highlights:

In this episode, I speak with Christina Hidek, an expert in parent engagement, about the vital role of parent communities in schools. We explore the numerous benefits of empowered parent groups and how schools can build strong, collaborative relationships with parents.

Episode Highlights

When you announce a new initiative, do you ever get "that sigh" from your experienced teachers? You know the one - followed by "Isn't this just that thing we did back in 2005?" Today we're looking at the inevitable cycle of change in education and how to lead through it with integrity and purpose.

In this bite-sized leadership episode, Shane explores why education seems to move in cycles, with approaches and methodologies appearing to come back around under new names:

In this episode, I speak with Neil Renton, headteacher, and Julie Wellacott, HR professional, who are pioneering flexible working approaches in UK schools through their work as Flexible Working Ambassadors.

Episode Highlights:

Have you ever found yourself drowning in tasks that others could do, but somehow you're still doing them yourself? Today, Shane Leaning shares a framework that completely transformed how he delegates - and might give you back hours of your week.

In this episode, Shane explores the nine levels of delegation developed by the late Tim Brighouse, a renowned British educationalist. This framework provides a clear spectrum from essentially no delegation to complete handover of responsibility.

Key Insights:

In this special bonus episode, Shane Leaning and co-host Chris Scorer introduce the new Education Leaders community platform and discuss what makes a great educational community. The conversation explores the challenges of navigating online spaces for both educators and students, finding balance in a digitally saturated world, and creating meaningful connections among education professionals globally.

Episode Highlights:

Shane welcomes globally renowned educator Ross McGill, known worldwide as Teacher Toolkit. Ross shares his groundbreaking approach to feedback and assessment, challenging traditional marking practices and offering practical alternatives that can transform how schools approach feedback while reducing teacher workload.

Ross introduces a comprehensive framework of nine different feedback approaches (feedback, feed up, feed forward × written, verbal, nonverbal) that enriches assessment practices beyond simply marking books. He shows that what matters most is whether students trust the feedback they receive and know how to act on it, not just what form the feedback takes.

Grades give us comfort and numbers feel concrete. But what if our obsession with quantifying learning is actually getting in the way of understanding it? Today, we're rethinking assessment.

Shane Leaning speaks with Amarbeer Singh Gill and Jennifer Curran from Ambition Institute about assessment in education. The conversation challenges our reliance on grades and numbers, exploring the limitations of traditional assessment methods and offering insights into more meaningful approaches to understanding student learning.

Key Topics Discussed

In this final episode of our organisational change series, Shane explores the often overlooked aspect of change management - sustainability. Drawing from the Work Collaborative model for organisational change and his upcoming book "Change Starts Here," he explains why creating sustainable change is about more than just maintaining a specific initiative - it's about building a culture where change becomes part of your school's DNA.

Key Points:

Ryan Parke (The Men's Coach) shares his personal experience with the suicide of a friend and explores the complexities of male mental health. He discusses the common belief that men don't talk about their feelings, which he challenges. Ryan and I particularly delve into the role of testosterone in men's health, debunking myths about its effects and emphasising the importance of lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, exercise, and sobriety in maintaining healthy testosterone levels. He provides practical advice for improving men's health and wellbeing, ultimately advocating for a more nuanced understanding of male mental health issues.

"Plans are worthless, but planning is everything" - Eisenhower's wisdom applies perfectly to school change. In this episode of the organizational change series, Shane explores the crucial delivery phase where planning meets reality.

Key Points:

Resources Mentioned:

This conversation explores the role of teacher educators, their unique challenges, and the dynamics of career transitions within the education sector. Dr. Ciara O' Donnell discusses the identity transformation that occurs during secondment, the impact of educational policies on teacher retention, and the skills required to effectively educate teachers. Our discussion highlights the importance of professional learning and the privilege of working with fellow educators to drive meaningful change in the education system.

Takeaways

Shane Leaning explores the delicate balance of learning enough to implement change without falling into analysis paralysis. He emphasises the importance of identifying knowledge gaps, questioning assumptions, and leveraging both internal and external expertise.

The conversation also highlights the significance of assessing confidence in delivering change and knowing when to take action. Shane provides practical strategies for incremental learning and planning a change journey effectively.

Takeaways

In this episode, we dive deep into school culture with Joel Abel, author of Teacher First Management. Joel shares practical insights on how to build and maintain intentional school culture, introducing his culture feedback loop model that connects results, actions, and beliefs. We explore why simply mandating actions isn't enough and how to create experiences that genuinely shift teacher beliefs and behaviors.

Key Topics Covered:

In this episode, Shane Leaning explores five powerful strategies for educational leaders to break out of their professional bubbles and gain fresh perspectives. Recording from London during a week of professional connections, Shane shares insights on how to enrich your practice by looking beyond school walls.

Key Points:

Episode Partners<...

When some families see tutoring as non-negotiable and others as a last resort, how should international schools approach this complex topic? Sarah Capewell (founder of Aster Academy) and Arthur Moore (Professional Tutor of the Year 2024) unpack the challenges and opportunities around tutoring in international education.

Key Discussion Points:

Think you've got that next big project all sorted in your head? Hold that thought because today we're going to explore why sometimes those best answers often come when we dare to dream just a little bit bigger.

In this episode of the organisational change series, Shane explores the 'develop' stage of the change process, where schools need to think big before narrowing down solutions. Through real examples and practical frameworks, learn why temporarily suspending practical constraints might lead to better solutions for your school.

Key Topics

In this episode, organisational coach Shane Leaning sits down with AI in education expert Dan Fitzpatrick to explore practical ways school leaders can leverage AI tools to enhance their productivity and effectiveness. As we start the new year, this discussion offers timely insights for leaders looking to streamline their workload.

Key Topics:

- Recent updates in AI tools and platforms

- Practical tools for reducing leadership workload

- Using AI to enhance learning and professional development

Featured Tool: Google NotebookLM

- Upload and analyse multiple...

In this special Christmas Eve episode, host Shane Leaning reflects on a remarkable year of Global Ed Leaders, highlighting some of the most impactful conversations and milestones from 2024.

Key Episode Highlights:

Notable Conversations from 2024:

In this episode of the organisational change series, Shane Leaning explores why alignment is crucial for successful change implementation in schools. Through practical examples and actionable strategies, he demonstrates how misalignment can derail even the most well-researched initiatives.

Key Insights

Episode Partners

The University of Warwick's...

In this conversation, Claire Peet discusses the challenges women leaders face in international education. We explore how common leadership terms like 'imposter syndrome' and 'perfectionism' have become problematic labels that can be used against women leaders. Claire shares powerful insights about the double bind women face - being criticised both for adopting and rejecting traditional leadership traits.

We discuss the different ways men and women process feedback, illustrated through her compelling 'A-game' story about how a simple comment can trigger very different responses based on gender. Claire reminds us of the importance of creating conditions where women...

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...

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...

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.

Takeaways

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.

Links<...

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

Episode Highlights

Remember, connection and discovery are intert...

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...

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...

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.

Thank you for tuning in, an...

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

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 shap...

Haili Hughes and Shane Leaning discuss the ongoing crisis in the teaching profession, focusing on the challenges of teacher retention, the impact of toxic leadership, and the need for a supportive culture within schools. They explore the internal and external factors contributing to the crisis, including public perception, accountability, and the importance of psychological safety for teachers. The discussion emphasises the need for educational leaders to create environments that nurture growth and well-being for educators, ultimately benefiting students as well.

Takeaways

·     Teacher retention is a crisis in many countries, including the UK, and is inf...

Shane introduces a mini-series focused on leading effective community-led change in schools. He presents an open-source change model inspired by Work Collaborative, emphasising the importance of community involvement, trust, and iterative processes. The model is structured around the double diamond framework, which facilitates exploration and problem-solving in organisational change. Shane outlines the eight stages of the model, highlighting the need for alignment among stakeholders and the significance of sustaining change over time.

Takeaways

Sharath Jeevan OBE explores the concept of inflection moments for leaders in education, addressing the challenges and opportunities they present.

Sharath emphasizes the importance of navigating inflection moments with a long-term perspective and authenticity, encouraging leaders to embrace wicked problems and engage their teams in the journey. The conversation also delves into the significance of community engagement, the role of technology, and the need for leaders to reflect on their inflection moments.

Takeaways

- Inflection moments in education require a long-term perspective and a willingness to embrace wic...

Teacher capability procedures—words that send shivers down the spine of even the most seasoned school leaders. In this episode, I share practical guidance to make this daunting task more manageable.

We  explore the recently released non-statutory guidance from the UK’s Department for Education for managing underperformance, with insights that can be applied universally.

Whether you're dealing with minor underperformance or more serious cases, this episode provides you with tools and frameworks to handle these challenges with fairness, support, and a structured approach.

This episode is supported by the...

Shane and Aimee explore well-being in schools. Aimee shares her passion for well-being and how it started during her early years in school leadership. They discuss the importance of both feeling good and functioning well in order to achieve well-being.

They also explore the distinction between wellness and well-being, with wellness focusing on physical health and well-being encompassing mental and emotional states. Aimee emphasizes the need for a collective understanding of well-being in schools and the importance of individual and collective responsibility.

The conversation highlights the need for school leaders to es...

GUEST EPISODE

Shane Leaning is interviewed by Chris Jordan on The Leading, Language and Literature Podcast. We discuss:

1. What made Shane transition from the classroom to consultant in the first place

2. Shane's process for making contact with potential school partners

3. Shane’s go-to texts to inspire and inform him on the job

4. The current state of the private education sector in China

5. And finally the original intention for Shane's podcast and how that has evolved over time

Thank you for tuning in, and if yo...

Is your school's literacy strategy doing more harm than good? In today's episode, educational consultant Chris Scorer joins me at a local British pub to delve deeply into how our traditional approach to literacy might be causing stress and anxiety for students. Chris draws from both professional expertise and personal experience to challenge the orthodoxy of literacy education. This episode is a must-listen for international school leaders who are keen to explore more inclusive ways to support student well-being while also fostering literacy.

Chris Scorer, an educational consultant and regular speaker on the international education circuit...