The Independent School Podcast with Juliet Corbett – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett returns to the microphone for a new series focused on real-world leadership in independent and international schools.

Juliet shares how her thinking has evolved over recent years through her work as a trusted advisor to experienced leaders, and her episodes of the Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast. She also introduces the ideas she has been developing for a book she's writing about leading sustainably through complexity and uncertainty.

Juliet explores three themes that will shape this new season:

• Staying strategic amidst the daily bustle of leadership: Creating space to think clearly when operational demands never stop
• Making high-stakes decisions in uncertainty and complexity: Understanding the difference between complicated and complex challenges
• Creating and empowering high-performing teams: Building cultures of trust, clarity and shared ownership so leaders are not carrying everything alone

Juliet also offers a preview of the first interviews already recorded, including conversations with Louise Simpson (CEO, The British School in the Netherlands), Charles Bailey (Headmaster, Worksop College and Ranby House, UK) and Joanna Povall (Principal, Wales International School, Abu Dhabi).

This episode sets the scene for a thoughtful, reflective series designed to help leaders slow down, sharpen their focus and navigate complexity with clarity and courage.

Links

Sign up for Juliet's emails: www.consultjuliet.co.uk/signup

1. Staying strategic amidst the daily bustle of leadership:

• Making time to think (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 1)
• What if slowing down helps you speed up? (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 20) 

2. Making high-stakes decisions: problem-solving in uncertainty and complexity:

• Leading through complexity: Tools for thinking and acting clearly (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 43)
• The hidden reason your strategy isn’t working (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 42)

3. Creating and empowering high-performing teams:

• Are you delegating enough? (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 2)
• Leadership means changing hats – Is your team ready? (Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast, Ep 41)

Explore the Quiet Leadership Revolution podcast: www.quietleadershiprevolution.com

Explore all previous episodes of The Independent School Podcast: www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

Leaders in independent schools are having to make some hard decisions at the moment, especially those in the UK facing the possible addition of VAT to school fees.

Some of these decisions could be classified as ‘wicked’ - defined as a problem where multiple stakeholders want different, sometimes contradictory, outcomes.

In the last episode Juliet explored how NASA approaches this type of problem, drawing out lessons for school leaders.

In this episode Juliet explores further the three questions we finished with last time:

1. What ‘wicked’ problems are you trying to solve, and what contradictory outcomes do the stakeholder want that makes them wicked?
2. What system do you have in place to brainstorm new ways of doing things, anticipate knock-on consequences and rapidly revise the plans?
3. Are you and your team ready to embrace change that might feel hard?

Episode links

Listen to the last episode: 173: Solving wicked problems the NASA way

'Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant' by  Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim

Contact Juliet: hello@consultjuliet.co.uk

Sign up at http://www.consultjuliet.co.uk/signup to receive an email each Thursday morning about the week’s new podcast episode.

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

When overwhelm strikes me it feels like lots of bees buzzing around my head, each reminding me to do something, and a building sense of worry that I’m not going to get it all done.

While many of us don't talk about it openly, it's normal to feel occasionally overwhelmed. But if you're having this feeling frequently then that's not a fun way to live.

The key for me lies in doing one thing at a time. Research has shown that multitasking is not as effective as we often believe. So one way you could overcome overwhelm is to focus on tackling tasks sequentially, giving each one your undivided attention. Listen in for some more ideas to help you explore what works for you.

Key lessons from this episode:

1) Each person's experience of overwhelm and their solution to it will be unique.

2) Not everyone may use the term "overwhelm", but it is a common feeling among leaders.

3) I invite you to try out the three steps that work for me: 1: Get out of my head; 2: Prioritise; 3: Do one thing at a time.

Episode links

Episode 130: Take control of your Time

Episode 129: Your Inbox is not your Job

Caffeine for the Soul Podcast with Michael Neill: '101 Things to Do' 

Discover what it would be like to have Juliet as your coach: www.consultjuliet.co.uk/executive-coaching

Contact Juliet: hello@consultjuliet.co.uk

Sign up at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/signup to receive an email each Thursday morning about the week’s new podcast episode.

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

Join me in this episode for a round-up of the Bursaries and Partnerships Conference on 8th March 2022, hosted by HMC, AGBIS and IDPE.

I walk you through some of the themes that emerged from the conference and leave you with my main takeaway: We all have to start this journey somewhere. Don't give up - keep learning, keep sharing and together we'll make an impact.

References and Resources
019 Craft your bursary strategy
020 Bursaries and strategy in practice with Bart Wielenga, Head, Blundell's School
060 Social mobility with David Goodhew, Head, Latymer Upper School

Catch up on previous podcast episodes at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

For support with the Ukraine Crisis and the wider impact it can have on your school, take a look at my new resource: Preparing for economic downturn: A checklist for private schools

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

We're all watching Putin's invasion of Ukraine with horror and compassion for those directly impacted.

In my role as a school strategist, I support leaders to both secure their school’s future and help build a more equal and just world.  Because of these values, I will be sharing a mini-series of special podcast episodes to help you navigate the wider impact this crisis will have on your school and provide relevant resources to support you as you lead your school community to help those affected.

In this episode I'm joined by Emma Insley,  an international consultant and trainer who helps charities and social enterprises to achieve a sustained impact. We discuss how your school can help the people of Ukraine.

References and resources
Download this free resource to help you navigate the impact of the Ukraine crisis: Preparing for economic downturn: A checklist for private schools

Emma's article: Giving Responsibly - Insley Consulting

Explore other episodes related to the Ukraine crisis

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

We're all watching Putin's invasion of Ukraine with horror and compassion for those directly impacted.

In my role as a school strategist, I support leaders to both secure their school’s future and help build a more equal and just world.  Because of these values, I will be sharing a mini-series of special podcast episodes to help you navigate the wider impact this crisis will have on your school and provide relevant resources to support you as you lead your school community to help those affected.

In this episode, drawing on my experience and economics degree, I quickly run through the main economic issues we are facing as we experience the largest-ever use of sanctions and enter into unknown economic territory.

References and resources
Download this free resource to help you navigate the impact of the Ukraine crisis: Preparing for economic downturn: A checklist for private schools

Radio 4 and BBC Sounds:
The Bottom Line with Evan Davis
Business Matters
Business Daily

The Economist:
The Economist Podcasts

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

As we had the Bursaries and Partnerships Conference run by HMC, AGBIS and IDPE in London earlier this week, I thought it would be apt to re-share one of my most popular episodes around the topic.

In this episode, I talk to Emily Clarke, Director of Development at Highgate School, about fundraising for community partnerships.

Expanding on previous episodes about the building blocks of bursary strategy and my exploration of the real situation schools face getting bursaries established in my conversation with Bart Wielenga, the Head of Blundell's School, I move on to considering community partnerships.

This is an area that is potentially rich for fundraising opportunities, and the work Emily Clarke has been doing is an excellent illustration of this.

I also ask Emily about the fundraising journey Highgate has been on during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they have adjusted their fundraising to serve the increased need for support in their local community.

References and resources

Highgate School

Chrysalis and Chrysalis East

London Academy of Excellence Tottenham 

Episode 019: Craft your bursary strategy

Episode 020: Bursaries and strategy in practice with Bart Wielenga, Head, Blundell's School

Catch up on previous podcast episodes at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

Download your copy of the free eBook ‘The Strategic Independent School Leader’ at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/ebook

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

No one can tell you what your strategy should be, but there are critical components all strategies must have to be robust.

In this episode, I walk you through the four critical components that make a good strategy.

I also signpost you to lots of other episodes if you want to explore each area further.

References and Resources
029: What's your vision?
055: Vision: Why it matters which mountain you climb
031: What's working in your favour?
033: What's holding you back?
048: Scanning your environment
052: Mastering the SWOT analysis
063: Mastering Key Performance Indicators

Catch up on previous podcast episodes at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

Download your copy of the free eBook ‘The Strategic Independent School Leader’ at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/ebook

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

In this episode, I discuss USPs (Unique Selling Points) which are features of your school that makes it stand out from the crowd. In such a competitive marketplace, identifying your school's USP is highly beneficial.

I start by detailing the key components of a good USP and the pain points that many schools encounter when trying to define theirs.

I then discuss the value of USPs and why they are worth pursuing and defining.

Finally, I conclude by sharing how you can find your school's USP and how you can utilise your school community to identify the emotion-driven aspects of your school that really make you stand out.

References and Resources

Catch up on previous podcast episodes at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

Download your copy of the free eBook ‘The Strategic Independent School Leader’ at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/ebook

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!

In this episode, I strip away the jargon surrounding strategy and discuss what it actually is at its core. I share five statements that I believe summarise a good strategy and share key questions that all effective strategies will answer.

Discussions around strategy can often be confusing or overwhelming, the questions below should help you cut through the jargon and make your discussions more strategic. 

There are five essential elements that I believe should be considered when developing a successful strategy.
1. It should take a long-term view, beyond the day to day tasks.
2. It should make tough choices about allocating scarce resources.
3. The main challenges you face need to be addressed.
4. It needs to be thoroughly developed and have a clear outcome.
5. It should be implemented in everyday school life.

These five essential elements and the key questions below should help to demystify and bring focus to your strategic plan. You can use these prompts to guide conversations surrounding strategy to ensure that all of the questions are able to be answered.

References and Resources

        Key questions

1.  How do these decisions position us for the longer term?
2.  Is this the right place for us to focus our scarce time and money, and also are there better alternatives that we could be using this time and money for?
3. What is the problem we are trying to solve? What is the problem where this idea is the right solution?
4. Have we spent an appropriate amount of time considering the evidence on this issue? How can we communicate this decision or strategy clearly to people?  
5. How can we encourage people to take the right decisions themselves?

Catch up on previous podcast episodes at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/podcast

Download your copy of the free eBook ‘The Strategic Independent School Leader’ at www.consultjuliet.co.uk/ebook

Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!