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t s a L The s y a D 90 How do International School Leaders ‘Leave Well’?
By Richard Eaton
I
n spite of the old adage ‘star t with come before the year’s first major recess. the end in mind’, planning to leave These are realities of leadership in one’s role can be far from the international school settings. thoughts of educational leaders at the In school year 2020/21, after seven beginning of the new school year. This privileged years as the Director of an is understandable, established German par ticularly given the international school, I began reflecting current challenge of I was one of those adapting to everwho decided to on several pertinent fluctuating COVID-19 step away from my questions: How does one post. When coming regulations. Yet at take initiative to leave the same time we to the role in 2014, intuitively know as well? How can departing I immersed myself international school in a useful book by heads support transitions Michael Watkins leaders that in the that benefit the entire first months of the (2003) called The new term we may First 90 Days: Critical community? already be asked Success Strategies for by our boards or New Leaders at All supervisors about Levels. Surprisingly, our intentions for the next school year, however, in spite of high turnover in or obliged for personal reasons to take international school headship (Hawley, a decision about our future; some will 1994, 1995; Bunnell, 2016), there is a have less control over matters. Hard dear th of literature on strategies for news regarding contract renewal may leaders aspiring to ‘leave well’ and, while 6 | International School | Autumn 2021
Littleford (2014), a leading consultant in the field of international schooling, has practically addressed the theme of the headship transition, his perspective is board-centric, whereby the outgoing head is depicted as someone who needs to be managed. Resultantly, with my leadership coach at Making Stuff Better (MSB), a British-based coaching consor tium for educators, I began reflecting on several pertinent questions: How does one take initiative to leave well? How can depar ting heads suppor t transitions that benefit the entire community? What should be my priorities in the last 90-days? The answers came slowly at first, but an oppor tunity to share my ideas with colleagues through MSB’s Mastermind course – an online group coaching and support service for leaders – led to a list of ‘Strategies for Depar ting Leaders’ hoping to maximize their last 90-days on the job. I will explain each in turn.
