Are you starting a new leadership role next year? Perhaps you are considering whether to target an opening within your school (internal application) or to take on opportunities in a new location (external application).
While both are valid choices, each has different challenges and opportunities. With careful consideration and guidance from experienced peers, you can make the best choices and preparations for yourself and your progression.
In this article, Tom Beaney and I will share our experiences of becoming leaders through external and internal pathways and offer tips and insights to help you navigate your own leadership journey.
Sections:
- Growing within your school – The internal pathway
- New school new rules – The external pathway
- Applying for the role
- Reputation as a tool and a burden
- The first 100 days
- Relationships: Renovations and new builds
- So, what is the biggest difference?
- Call to action
Growing within your school
“I still recall being called in for initial discussions about a senior leadership role at my school. I had made my desire clear during my annual review in my first year at the school and I was excited, a year later, to take the next steps. It felt affirming to be invited to such an opportunity, knowing I was being entrusted to do more and be recognised for my work – I hope to have more experiences of this in the future.”
My name is Daryl Sinclair, and I am currently (at time of publication until August 2024) the Head of Secondary at an international school in Northern Germany. This role is my first senior leadership role, and I applied for the role internally. My journey to the Head of Secondary role followed a trajectory familiar to many teachers. As I share my experience, I will explain why this suited my context, helping you to use these insights to make confident choices and preparations for your leadership journey.
In a tale as old as formal education, I began as a classroom teacher at the school. I was highly motivated and had chosen the school based on the strong alignment with my vision of education. I was excited by the school and immediately had many plans and initiatives I was keen to implement.
With a view to my future, I didn’t want my energy to go to waste and I proactively spoke to leadership about my aspirations. I discussed the prospect of promotion and what skills I needed to develop and demonstrate to be in consideration for future opportunities.
Consciously adapting my work based on the advice I was given, this path felt most natural to me as someone aiming for their first leadership position. I was able to continue being a passionate and intentional teacher while ensuring that I was making investments into my future growth. Within the familiar space of my school, I could grow and experiment while receiving feedback on my progression. While developing my skills, I could also discover what type of leader I wanted to be and what role would best suit me within the school. This provided a great environment for my growth, yet the complexities that we will explore in the following topics had only just begun.
New school, new rules
“The first application was the most daunting, even more than the interview. Realising that I was applying to become a senior leader, with no prior experience, at a school that didn’t know me, and a staff who would have no reason to trust me, was no small endeavour. Yet, it was also brilliantly exciting. New opportunities, new settings, and a whole new set of skills awaited me, and I was excited where it could take me.”
My name is Tom Beaney and I have worked several leadership roles and found myself last year taking on a position as Director of Studies at a school in London. In both my current and previous schools, I joined as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
This path was necessary for me to take, as many aspiring leaders will find, sometimes there simply are not the growth opportunities or vacancies within the school you are currently working. Though not completely by choice, I enjoy fresh starts where I can apply my strengths and values and learn from the best practices and innovations of the new school.
My previous move into a new school involved a promotion into senior leadership, and my most recent one was a lateral move from senior leadership in the state-maintained sector into the independent sector. Both moves have come with their own challenges and significant learning curves. That being said, it is these challenges that made the roles so rewarding for me, and I hope that my experiences may help guide your journey.
Applying for the role
Applying is the first step for your leadership role. Whether the internal or external path, explicitly positioning your intention via formal application or communication with your potential employer is key. Leadership roles often involve lengthy applications, whether via internal and external pathways your suitability needs to be assessed. Exploring the experiences below will help you decide which pathway might provide the greatest opportunity for success.
Building on your success
“As a person who is stronger in my consistency than my first impression, the internal hiring path enabled me to create strong foundations.”
Where opportunities are available, the internal pathway provides the ability to work closely, for an extended period, with the people who will grant the promotion to a leadership position. This is similar to a lower-stakes and longer-term interview. You are able to familiarise yourself with the workings of the school and develop a deep rapport with students and staff. You can also richly demonstrate your suitability through your successes, and your approaches to rectifying mistakes. Combined with ongoing dialogue with the existing leadership team, you can ensure you are approaching your work in an appropriate way for success.
A slow and rich relationship-building was a far more comfortable space for me. As a person who is stronger in my consistency than my first impression, the internal hiring path enabled me to create strong foundations. I find strength in relationship-building in the long term and know that I not only need time to fully express myself, but I also need extended time to be confident that I want to move into the new position.
By choosing the internal hiring path, I could also make sure that the school where I work, which I selected for its fit with my teaching vision, is a place where I want to pursue change, or if maybe I need to look for a better match.
When applying internally, you may find yourself in competition with your peers. This can include formal internal applications for an advertised role, or informally through their expressions of interest for promotion and greater responsibility. As such, it is important to discuss with your team or seniors what the context of your appointment was to allow a mindful introduction into your new position. There may be others who, unbeknownst to you, may feel strongly about your selection and you should be aware of this where it may influence your experience in the role.
It must be acknowledged that, at times, the internal pathway may be problematic if there are concerns of bias or discrimination in the selection processes. Yet, a school with such characteristics is unlikely to be one where you would hope to stay in the long term; thus, in these situations, the external route may be best.
With these considerations in place, the internal pathway can be a longer-term but more stable process with lower risk. The resulting job is entered with an established reputation and colleagues will likely have some awareness of the work you did to be chosen for the role. There are many benefits to this that we will explore further in the discussion of reputation below.
Proving your ability
“It is critical during the external applications that you identify people who you can discuss your journey with to help order your thoughts and navigate the stresses.”
The external pathway means entering a school as a school leader. The application is a much more short-term and explicit proving of your capacity. Extensive interview processes can be rigorous but are usually opaque to the wider school community excluding some short meetings. Thus, our main considerations are thoroughly preparing to ensure alignment with the school and making strong impressions.
Leadership role applications are exciting and intimidating. They can be hard to engage with while maintaining the professionalism of not discussing it at your present job. With multiple rounds, competency tests, and the research and care needed to prepare, the application is a meaningful workload emotionally and professionally. I recall chatting with Daryl as I navigated an application, trying to discern if the school was right for me. It is critical during the external applications that you identify people who you can discuss your journey with to help order your thoughts and navigate the stresses.
The context of your application is also incredibly important to understand and should be sought out in initial communications where possible. For example, interviewing for a role where your predecessor has been promoted, compared to a role where there is a crisis to address or dynamic change to implement, will require very different preparation. You may need to present yourself as someone who can help to restore and improve, or someone who can maintain and grow. Be sure to identify what your target school needs and present the relevant skills.
The external pathway is dynamic and can be very intense. It requires strong commitment, resolve, and clear strategizing for success. Though higher risk and more intense effort, if the new school aligns appropriately with your intentions for realising your experience of leadership, the reward is worth it.
Reflection and guiding questions
Whether internal or external, leadership application processes within all education sectors (state, international, and private) are becoming increasingly competitive. School leaders are critical members of staff and choosing them correctly is integral to a stable school which is able to effectively implement transformative developments.
By understanding the strengths and challenges of internal and external pathways, you can position yourself for success.
The internal pathway can be a perfect fit for such teachers whose educational vision aligns with their school and opportunities are present. It’s stability and long-term engagement with feedback and professional development can be beneficial for careers beyond the success of attaining the target role.
However, some teachers need to find a better alignment with their educational vision and thus explore new options via the external pathway. The invigorating and exploratory external pathway can provide renewal. Simultaneously, it can provide exit strategies where there are ceilings on your potential progress at your current school due to school politics, institutional stalwarts, or discriminatory approaches.
Consider the following questions when preparing for your new role:
- Does my school’s existing mission and educational vision align with my own? If not, do I feel that I have an approach to changing it that will be successful and beneficial for the school community?
- What opportunities are available to me outside of my own school? Do the missions and educational visions of these alternative schools excite me and provide greater opportunities for growth than my current school?
We recommend always looking at the options available to you in different schools and ultimately considering why you want to be a leader – to support greater realisation of your school’s vision of education, or to more general explore realising your vision of education.
Reputation as a tool and a burden
Your reputation, or absence thereof, will be the way that staff will know you and think of you in the first instance. Whether through the tightly knitted web of ‘I know someone who used to work with them at school X’, or through years of performance alongside them at the school, your reputation can prevent or cause frustrations when onboarding as a new leader. Being aware of the role of reputation can be critical for a successful start in a leadership role. Let’s explore what this means for planning your leadership journey.
Surpassing and changing your reputation
“My reputation was both a safety net, and a cage, breaking out of it had to be intentional and considered.”
One of the key differences between becoming a leader in your school and joining a new school as a leader is the branding or reputation that you bring with you. Within my experience of progressing in the same school, my established professional identity and track record was a great advantage.
An existing reputation creates trust, it provides you with a honeymoon period where staff will likely have more patience for any ‘slip-ups’ as you onboard in your new role. The words of encouragement and kind patience that I received from my colleagues as I entered my role was the oil that eased the groove of my first three months. I recall receiving the first rounds of feedback about the leadership team from the staff liaison, nervously asking if there were any explicit complaints or concerns about my work so far. The expression from the liaison that people were receiving the new leadership team positively and had only minor feedback and recommendations was brilliant.
Yet, preconceptions of how I would (or ‘should’) lead did provide challenges. I was not new, so mentally, there was no reset for staff and expectations for change were based heavily on preconceptions. While making for a smoother transition when expected and desired changes were introduced, new strategies to disrupt existing norms received additional scrutiny. My reputation was both a safety net and a cage; breaking out of it had to be intentional and considered.
Thankfully, we accounted for this as a leadership team and presented a united front with all decisions irrespective of whose initiative it was. This greatly eased these challenges and is a must for all leadership teams. A united reputation as a leadership team shields the individual reputations of the members within and enables them to reap the benefits over the limitations.
Creating a reputation from scratch
“Knowing that each decision as a new leader represents the building blocks of your reputation, there is a weight that is tangible at the start yet cannot hold you back lest you will be an ineffective leader.”
I was once told, somewhat tongue in cheek, that the biggest difference of being a senior leader compared to a middle leader is that ‘everything is your fault’. While this feels somewhat cynical, there is some truth in it and when joining a new school as a leader and attempting to establish a reputation, it is a burden you must brace yourself for.
When you move to a new school, you have a blank slate and an opportunity to create a new professional identity and a new reputation. You must build rapport and trust with your new colleagues and pupils, and you have to understand the culture and the ethos of your new school. But right away, you have joined a team that can have a school-wide impact, in a positive or negative way, within a school where you do not yet ‘belong’!
For all the grumbling inherent in education, teachers are very protective of their schools from outsiders. If you come in and start making too many changes too quickly, this could be viewed as you saying that they have it wrong. This is an incredibly fast way to alienate people and give the impression that you don’t value what has come before you. For example, you may have to deal with some scepticism or curiosity from your staff, who see you as an outsider rather than a leader, or you may have to adjust your approach to fit in with the existing systems and policies.
Far more so than at other levels, you also need to be willing to support decisions or initiatives that you may not wholly be aligned with or fully understand the cultural context of yet. Knowing that each decision as a new leader represents the building blocks of your reputation, there is a weight that is tangible at the start yet cannot hold you back lest you will be an ineffective leader.
External hires for leadership positions (not education-specific) have significantly higher exit rates within the first two years (Wharton, 2012).
For example, within the SLT meetings, you can disagree as much as you want (and I’ve seen/done a fair bit of that myself), but when you step out of the meeting, everyone needs to be a united front. When cracks and schisms appear within a leadership team, nothing good comes from it, and as the new hire, it can be your reputation that will be associated with any such changes. Thus, the united front needs to be exactly that – in front. Your reputation is secondary to the leadership team’s reputation.
Reflection and guiding questions
The most important reputation when starting a new leadership position is the reputation of the leadership team, not the reputation of you as an individual. A leadership teams’ reputation will give confidence that good hiring decisions have been made. It gives confidence that any shortcomings of the individuals within the team will be addressed, and it can both protect and propel the reputation of the individuals who are new to the team.
Embedding within the leadership team as an intentional team-building effort, without sacrificing intent for change, is central whether staying or joining a new school.
Consider the following questions when preparing for your new role:
- Do I understand how we, as a leadership team, intend to present ourselves collectively?
- What support and options do I have when engaging with the initial reactions to my appointment and queries regarding my first decisions?
We recommend activities found in leadership books such as ‘Principled’ by Gill Kelly and Matt Hall, which encourage teams to identify their roles within the team and support the creation of a united front.
The first 100 days
The first 100 days is commonly considered the time to establish yourself and action the discussion above regarding reputation. This is a sensitive time and entering it consciously can lead to great success or at least prevent great stress. Though strongly informed by the reputation of the leadership team and your personal reputation, your approach will influence the integration or alienation you experience within your new role. The experiences below will identify some common challenges that can help inform your approach in your first 100 days.
Establishing the new you
“The first 100 days were by no means my best 100, but I reflect upon them with thanks and hope all educators experiencing their first 100 days in a new leadership position are able to find as much growth within them.”
Preparing myself intentionally for promotion at my current school was an all-encompassing effort. I had little consideration of what the reception from my peers would be until I was signing papers for the new role.
During my preparation, I became increasingly involved with school initiatives such as the student council and working groups, which helped to form the identity and culture of the school. So, as I started my first year as Head of Secondary with a special remit for developing the school culture, despite mentoring from my CEO and head of school, I naively forgot that many of the initiatives I had previously participated in, were from the position of a peer, not a leader. Suddenly, delivering instructions as a member of the leadership team added weight and impact to my words that I did not carefully enough consider.
I wanted to establish myself and improve the school overnight through feedback and new procedures. This naïve approach did not consider the needs of the individuals that were needed. Our school’s diverse professionals come from many cultural backgrounds, with a variety of expectations and norms for communication related to age, gender, professional seniority, and more. In my eagerness for change, I caused discomfort for colleagues through clumsily delivered lesson observation feedback and critique. I had my first experiences of the range of responses to the same delivery and recognised that all feedback needed personalised delivery.
It was not the best start despite the great support I received from both my peers and my colleagues. Yet, much was learnt in the first 30 days that was implemented in the remainder of the first 100.
Firstly, apologies were delivered, and I engaged in rich conversations with my colleagues, learning about their concerns and how best to deliver feedback, instructions, expectations, and guidance. I took time to communicate richly and intentionally while never losing my intent.
Upon reflection, I feel that this was one of the most important parts of engaging with leadership. I sincerely attempted to restoratively address harm that I caused leading to deep learning and rapport building that I do not regret and I believe will continue to make me a more effective leader.
The first 100 days were by no means my best 100, but I reflect upon them with thanks and hope all educators experiencing their first 100 days in a new leadership position are able to find as much growth within them.
Learning the value of your new staff
“Successful change came when I learnt to view the teachers as colleagues who had invested decades of their lives into that school and required an environment and structure within which they could successfully live the school’s mission.“
As an external candidate, you have the challenging experience of having your Day 1 performance being compared to your predecessor’s Day 1000 performance. The context of your appointment is also incredibly important to understand. How many internal candidates were there? Were they close to getting the role? Are they well-liked around the common room? In addition to that, what was your predecessor like? The answers to these questions may greatly impact how you should approach your first 100 days and what interactions you should be prepared for.
People may cut you some slack for a while, but comparison is an unavoidable and natural occurrence. If you are taking the role of a well-liked internal candidate or replacing a previously strong senior leader, discontent within the staff body may flavour your first 100 days.
One hopes that your new colleagues will trust that the application process was rigorous, but they won’t have seen for themselves those carefully considered answers to various panels or your expertly crafted lesson. In short, they will know very little other than the fact you got the job. Thus, your first 100 days are key.
Coming into my first SLT role 6 years ago was daunting. I had only just turned 30 and was coming from a fast-paced, high-challenge and intense inner-city school. There I had been a Head of Department with an additional whole-school responsibility for Year 13 Raising Achievement. I was brought in as SLT with a specific remit to improve the Science Department as well as timetabling/data/reporting and all the other nerdy jobs you give to science teachers.
Being brought into a school with a specific remit to improve a department presented some significant challenges, particularly when the combined teaching experience of the Heads of Science, Chemistry, and Physics was getting close to a century! How could I, an earnest, inexperienced and aspirational senior leader, improve the quality of teaching in this department?
I can honestly say that I did not get my initial engagements with the team right. I alienated people, I was dismissive of what they could offer, and I focused heavily on what I saw as their failings. This set both me and the improvement of the department back. Everything became a battle, there was minimal collaboration and for a while it was a case of dragging people along kicking and screaming.
I would do many things differently now, taking greater time to understand and value what is currently taking place as a springboard. Did the department need to change? Absolutely. Did I have the skills to help do that? I thought so. However, I was unable to make those changes using my skills until I stopped seeing the people I was with as the issue. Successful change came when I learnt to view the teachers as colleagues who had invested decades of their lives into that school and required an environment and structure within which they could successfully live the school’s mission. In short, I needed to learn some humility and patience.
Reflection and guiding questions
The first 100 days will contain errors. Some through ignorance, others through eagerness, and hopefully none through negligence. Yet, the first impression is not the last impression and rising to the opportunity to learn and amend can be the greatest start.
A clear demonstration of sensitivity to your peers and the humility to redress poor approaches can be the spark needed to inspire trust.
Some good questions to ask yourself when starting a new role are these:
- Do I fully understand the nuances of what is taking place here to inform the changes and strategies I want to implement?
- Will the changes I initiate lead to growth or resentment (or both) – what is the purpose, what do I expect the outcome to be, and what resources have I provided to make it happen successfully?
Sit with these questions before you do anything. Unless it’s absolutely critical (for example, a non-negotiable change based on an issue highlighted in inspection, safeguarding issues, etc.) all initiatives can wait. Though we wish to come in as the almighty, all-knowing saviour and prove our prowess, the ultimate priority of a school is the safety of its students and the wider community. If the students are safe and are learning, all other initiatives will benefit from being done with time and due care.
Relationships; renovations and new builds
The social setting within a workplace is a key consideration for a successful leader. With the internal path, your established relationships and networks are forced to take new forms of expression within a professional context. With the external path, new relationships and networks need to be established with appropriate tone and approach. It is complex and nuanced, with different cultures existing within all schools. Below we will explore the underlying professionalism needed for the maintenance of equitable outcomes for all staff.
From peer to line-manager
“As expected, my colleagues were broadly empathetic and supportive, with kind words and well wishes. But this would not shield me from the sudden change from joining in the discussions in the staffroom, to becoming the reason for an abrupt quietness when I came into the staffroom.”
The strength of my professional relationships with my colleagues was important as I transitioned into a senior leadership role. I already enjoyed working at my school and I continue to believe in the brilliant work and vision of both the school’s leaders and its amazing teachers. Thus, as the new school year approached, I found refuge in the reputation I already had amongst staff and students. I knew that irrespective of any challenges, the foundation of our relationships was positive, and I had confidence in the overall safety and support within the community to allow me to learn and grow.
As a new senior leader in my school, I had to learn how to create new rules and relationships with both modesty and firmness. Making decisions about how I would perform my new identity within the school community was one of the first and most difficult lessons.
As expected, my colleagues were broadly empathetic and supportive, with kind words and well wishes. I also spent some time thinking about how I wanted to present myself, but this preparation and support did not make the sudden shift from participating in the conversations in the staffroom to being the cause of a sudden silence when I entered the staffroom any less jarring.
My colleagues and I had to re-learn the appropriate conversations that could be had. I was potentially not a ‘safe’ conversation partner any more for criticisms of leadership or the school. At the same time, much of the new knowledge I had and the responsibilities I engaged with were not appropriate to share beyond other school leaders. Subsequently, combined with the rigours of the role itself, I found myself engaging less in staff socials and casual conversation which at times felt measured or performative.
This was not always a smooth transition, though, and some shifts were more challenging than others. As I went through my initial experiences of conducting observations and professional meetings with my colleagues, there were many changes and lessons along the way. It was a perfect storm of both learning how we wanted to perform our new relationship and how we responded to each other’s performance. Sometimes, this was through less than kind feedback followed by growth-orientated reconciliation, and sometimes, it was through intentional restoration from me upon recognising where I had not engaged mindfully or equitably.
The transitions were unavoidable, yet the challenging journey was the impetus for a wonderful exploration of who I am and who I want to be. Though my established engagement with staff socials, etc, felt like it took a hit, this made sense within the context of my role and workload. I was not in a position where I was establishing who I am; instead, I was figuring out how much my new role overwrites who I already am within the school community. I was negotiating what the core of who I am as an educator is, tempered by sensitivity to the needs and responses of the community around me.
It is important that all new leaders view this time as a critical growth opportunity and approach it with patience, openness and kindness to yourself. I know that, upon reflection, consciously experiencing and navigating these changes as they happened was an approach which made the experience much easier as someone who finds social etiquette challenging at times.
From stranger to manager
“It is also vitally important to highlight the human side of all this – you need to let new colleagues see you as a person.”
The fresh start of a new school means forming new relationships and networks in a new setting. Though a source of learning and growth, this process can also be a source of uncertainty and anxiety. For example, you may have to deal with some issues such as:
- Who are the go-to people for various issues?
- What are the languages of power at the school?
- Which specific activities are seen as most valuable or important to the school community?
The task of introducing yourself to your new colleagues without knowing these things makes the challenge twice as difficult. I remember being invited along to the SLT planning day, where we took a day away from the school to look at the plans for the upcoming year. This was the first chance I got to really see the team in action and get a sense of the school. The interview process, whilst candid, definitely had a professional polish to it. This strategy day was a look behind the curtain. It was a warts-and-all discussion, which was initially quite surprising.
In addition to this, I was kindly given a few extra days by my outgoing school to spend at my new place. I cannot stress enough how useful these were. I had the chance to meet new colleagues, spend a good amount of time with them and begin to build those relationships. The wider combination of the leadership planning day, discussions with new colleagues and just being in the new community started to help me build a sense of the types of working relationships I would have with particular colleagues.
It is also vitally important to highlight the human side of all this – you need to let new colleagues see you as a person. Get involved in wider school activities: sports, drama productions, trips, anything you can. Show people that you are part of the team and more than willing to get stuck in!
I was at my last school for 5 years, and I can speak to the fact that being simply a new manager is short-lived if you invest appropriately in intentionally developing relationships at your new school. Start with the clearly defined professional role first, in alignment with the focus on the leadership team reputation over individual reputation. Set a strong foundation and grow from there. Having now moved again and coming to the end of my first year at my new school, I can categorically tell you that these changes get easier.
Reflection and guiding questions
Tom and I both have found that becoming a leader is informed not only by how you wish to perform but also by how you react to those around you. Though your professional role is clearly defined, your engagements with your staff and colleagues must be developed with your colleagues and not simply enforced upon them.
A useful exercise for both scenarios is to reflect on what type of relationships you are comfortable with and what type of leader you wish to be. These reflections will act as a starting point and guide you through the experiences you have.
Here are some questions to guide your reflection:
- What are your biggest concerns regarding how people may respond to you in the new position? On a scale of 1-10, identify how likely these reactions are to take place and write down a colleague in the leadership team you could speak to about this concern.
- What opportunities do you have to share how you would like relationships to progress with the staff body? Such as start of year introductions and inset days, or the first rounds of 1-on-1 check-ins that you may perform with your staff. Try to consider what 2 key things you would like to share.
Planning and discussing will help to mitigate excessive anxiety while communicating with your new staff body will help to set their expectations. Together, you can plan for a smoother transition and protect yourself from feeling lost when interactions play out differently to your initial expectations.
So what is the biggest difference – what is best for growth and which is easiest?
So, what is the answer? Should you aim for the top at your current school, or dive into a new opportunity elsewhere?
Think about spending the next five years at your current school. You receive the position that you want in the next academic year and can begin implementing change. The staff are receptive and expect you to carry on the existing traditions of the school without too many radical shifts.
What are the first thoughts that pop into your mind?
A good way to measure your mindset is to see whether you immediately think of the difficulties, annoyances, and things that you would instantly change or of the possibilities, challenges you want to tackle, and things you would like to enhance.
Ultimately, staying is likely the best choice if you are happy at your current school and there are opportunities for the growth you wish to experience. The growth experienced in the familiar may be more nuanced and stable, allowing for a smooth transition and lower impact on your school.
This can be ideal for the first foray into leadership and can lead to stronger outcomes for school’s confident in their vision and the direction in which they wish to take their culture. However, you may become an expert in a very specific context. Though not a problem, it is important to ensure that career teachers gain breadth of experience including new contexts, opportunities, and perspectives.
On the other hand, if you feel any misalignment with your current school which is not inspiring the desire to lead positive change, moving may be the best choice. The growth experienced in a new setting can be more dynamic, yet also provide the opportunity for arguably greater growth through the learning of a new setting.
When you move to a new school, you have to start from scratch, which can be liberating. This may also enhance your growth and development, as you learn new skills and knowledge within a new setting, helping you understand where your talents are best applied.
The key difference between internal and external pathways is the types of challenges you will face and the pathways of growth you will travel. You have the ability to be successful whichever option you choose, whether by choice or the limitations of the opportunities available.
Perhaps a final consideration is the wage. Typically, when professionals are hired externally rather than internally, they experience a greater increase in pay. Though not specific to education, many teachers can speak anecdotally to this reality within the international and private school circuit. Compensation is a key consideration when looking at professional progression, and establishing your expectations where you are not limited by rigid pay scales is critical.
There is no definitive answer to what is best for growth and which is easiest. Your answer depends on your personal and professional goals, preferences, and circumstances. Both scenarios require courage and resilience, as well as passion and enthusiasm for your role and your school. However, we believe that though both scenarios offer valuable learning opportunities and benefits, with careful consideration, you can position yourself for the greatest success.
Call to action
We hope that this article has given you some insight into the challenges and opportunities of becoming a leader in your school or joining a new school as a leader. We also hope that it has inspired you to reflect on your own leadership journey and how you can make the most of it.
In all scenarios, a mentor within or outside of your school is crucial and learning from the experiences of others can be both guiding and affirming. Sharing your experiences with peers and other aspiring leaders whether through personal connection, LinkedIn posts, or writing is also crucial. Connecting with leaders online and my close friendship with Tom has long been a great source of support as we have both navigated our teaching careers.
For those looking for a coach or mentor, please reach out. We look forward to hearing from you and wish you all the best in your leadership journey.
