I was wrong about school change (and here's what I learned)

Happy Friday Leaders!

This week, I shared some thoughts with the Teacher Development Trust about how we navigate change in schools. After a few years of leading system-wide initiatives, I've learned something rather humbling: the most powerful changes often start from within our schools, not from external solutions.

It's interesting how we can get caught up searching for the perfect change model or the next big thing. I know I did. When I worked across a network of schools, I was convinced that fidelity to well-researched processes was the key to success.

The reality? The schools that implemented lasting change were those who started with their own 'why', not mine.

This led my colleague Efraim and me to develop the Double Diamond approach - a way of thinking about change that puts your school's context at the heart of the process. It's about expanding our thinking to truly understand challenges, then contracting to focus on specific, achievable solutions.

Once you've had a read of the article, here are some questions for reflection:

• How does your school currently approach change?

• What role does your school's unique context play in decision-making?

• Where might you be outsourcing decisions that could be made internally?

• How might you build more organisational confidence in your context?

If you're ready to explore these questions deeper, today is the final day to save £75 on our Foundation Certificate in Resonant School Change. Starting January 2025, this 3-month programme will help you develop the skills and confidence to lead change from within.

Regular price: £225

Early-bird price: £150 (ends today). Secure your spot at bit.ly/resonantchange

Here's to creating change that truly resonates with your community.

Have a great weekend,

Shane

P.S. Here’s a couple of my recent conversations to take you in to the weekend: