by Leanne Grundy
From working in system level roles in the Middle East and China I’ve often observed that schools set up in collaboration with established international brands tend to presuppose a “plug and play” model – assuming that what works in one context will transfer seamlessly to another, without proper regard for the host culture’s complex variables, beliefs, and values. The same often applies to the hiring of experienced school leaders: while highly effective in their original settings, they frequently struggle to replicate that impact in a “host” culture using the same playbook.
This isn’t simply a product of conscious arrogance – the assumption that the transplanted model is inherently superior. More often, it stems from a mis-selling of expectations at the point of recruitment: if a board is not explicit about its expectations then “autonomy” becomes a recruitment pitch rather than a reality. Effectiveness is not always portable; rather, it depends on a leader’s ability to become a cultural shapeshifter – decoding context and recalibrating accordingly.
The Dual Principal Model – Possibilities and Pitfalls
Take the dual principal model, which is commonly used within the Chinese international school system but also exists, less explicitly, in other cultural contexts.
In this model, academic leadership is typically assumed to be the domain of the foreign principal, while the operational complexities of navigating the cultural context fall to the local principal. The latter brings crucial understanding of local norms, the operating environment, market dynamics, and stakeholder expectations.In China, this has been shaped in significant part by changes to regulatory controls on privately run schools, namely theRegulations on the Implementation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of Privately-run Schools (2021 revision). These changes have fundamentally altered the modus operandi of schools whose identity is no longer grounded primarily in that of the foreign partner school.
Where the dual principal model’s respective responsibilities are made explicit and clearly understood at the point of recruitment, including limitations of authority, it has, in my experience, proven to be highly effective; the complementary skillsets that both parties bring create balance and breadth.
Yet these reforms have altered the operating logic of many bilingual and international schools, emphasising a new expectation for more explicit integration of national curriculum and national identity. In many schools, this integration has blurred the lines of responsibility between academic and operational leadership, undermining the very clarity upon which the model’s success depends.Competing Logics – Oil and Water??This dilemma is usefully illuminated by institutional logic theory, which posits that organisations operate according to a distinct logic, underpinned by an implicit structure of rules, practices, values, and beliefs. These are rooted in symbolic systems that guide behaviour, shape core priorities, and ultimately inform decision-making.Within this theoretical framework, I find myself asking: how does the amalgamation of often competing logics affect school efficiency, and ultimately, school success?
At best, these competing logics lead to the hybridisation of practices and educational paradigms – often celebrated as “combining the best of both worlds,” the clarion call of internationalised schools.
At worst, they produce an unstable emulsion of two conflicting belief systems about the very nature of education itself, where undefined decision-making authority and protocols, and unspoken stakeholder expectations lead to increased frustrations that have repercussions beyond the board room.
So, How Does a New School Leader Navigate These Frictions?To reconcile these competing logics, new leaders must first identify them.
Ask the right questions before you sign.
Are decision-making structures, escalation pathways, and role expectations clearly defined and embedded? Understanding your potential sphere of influence before you start can prevent frustration later. Once in role, explicitly discuss and agree on decision-making boundaries and responsibilities with your co-leaders. This allows you to focus your energy where you can genuinely influence change and reduce frustrations – and as the environment inevitably shifts, make sure this is a conversation you revisit regularly.
Understand that the cultural induction extends beyond your first week.Resist a “new broom sweeps clean” mentality. When broad changes are implemented without contextual adjustment or without the buy-in and understanding of all stakeholders, failure is often an inevitable outcome. Find out what works first and why, and adjust as needed. Have the humility to use your local counterpart as a mentor to navigate the local context.
Meet with all stakeholder groups individually. Walk the halls.What are their perceptions of school culture, mission and value – what do they actually want? Often, these are not the same thing. Additionally, (thanks to my colleague Emily who added this sage piece of advice), find out where and how your co-workers share their ideas and thoughts most candidly – it is not always the cultural norm to be vocal in meetings – sometimes time, space and an understanding that silence does not always equate to complicit acceptance are needed. An open door and a quiet space are essential.
Identify those who embody the “unwritten rules.”
Identify established members of staff who implicitly embody the school’s “unwritten rules”, in essence, those who embody the cultural expectations of the institution. Involve them in shared decision-making where feasible, especially in initiatives that require whole-school buy-in to embed systemic change. From the schools I have worked with, a distributed leadership model through focused working committees that give staff agency have been the most successful in implementing sustainable change. Assign stewardship based on strengths and understanding.
Leadership Is Not Plug and Play
Effective leadership in this context is not “plug and play” – it is co-created. The most successful schools I have seen are those where imported practices are not merely replicated, but thoughtfully adapted through genuine collaboration, refinement and negotiation grounded in shared and explicit mission and ethos. When leadership fails, it is rarely because either system is inherently flawed or misaligned; rather, it is the product of an absence of deliberate, collaborative conversations about how these paradigms might be reconciled.Before you step into your next leadership role, what unspoken assumptions about autonomy, authority, and culture might you be carrying with you – and how will you confront and test them before ‘making you mark’?
Leanne Grundy, Director of Education, Dipont Schools Programme
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