by Dr Tania Blatti
Leadership in international schools is not just about policies and procedures – it is about people. It is about creating a culture where learning thrives, where individuals feel valued, and where schools embody ethical, inclusive, and transformational leadership.
Having worked across Australia, the UAE, South Korea, and China, I have experienced firsthand that leadership is not about authority – it is about fostering collective responsibility and empowering others. True leadership emerges not through hierarchical control but through shared purpose, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to learning.
The LYIS Leadership Framework 24/25 provides a clear roadmap for international school leaders, built upon nine core leadership impact descriptors that shape sustainable, effective leadership:
– Leadership Enacts Purpose and Values
– Leadership Builds a Culture and Ethos Around Learning
– Leadership Demonstrates Ambition and Expectations for All
– Leadership Is People Leadership and Empowers Others
– Leadership Fosters Excellence in Curriculum, Learning, and Teaching
– Leadership Facilitates the Positive Impact of Research, Innovation, and AI
– Leadership Manages the Right Change at the Right Time in the Right Way
– Leadership Delivers Sustainable Governance, Accountability, and Stakeholders, Improving Outcomes and the School’s Reputation
– Leadership Delivers Organisational Effectiveness
Each of these descriptors is not just a guiding principle but an operational reality in international schools. Drawing from my PhD research on collective teacher efficacy and organizational learning, as well as insights from leadership thinkers such as Simon Sinek, Amy Edmondson, Adam Grant, John Hattie, Patrick Lencioni, and Kotter, I explore how these principles come to life in leadership practice.
1. Leadership Enacts Purpose and Values
“Stand for something or you will fall for anything.” – Gordon A. Eadie
After two decades of leading change in nearly every school I’ve worked in, I have learned that being deeply rooted in values is absolutely essential. Leading from a place of true, wholehearted purpose is not just beneficial—it is non-negotiable. Mission without meaning is just empty rhetoric.
Working in curriculum, teaching, and learning has meant navigating both the joys and perils of change leadership. From launching concept-based curriculum shifts to redesigning whole-school teaching and learning models, I have seen firsthand that when leadership lacks clarity of purpose, resistance is inevitable. But when leadership is mission-driven and deeply values-aligned, change becomes a movement rather than a mandate.
The most transformational leadership moments in my career have been when I built teams so strong and deeply rooted in mission that their collective force was undeniable—and students benefited immensely.
I have always believed that my role as a leader is not to impose decisions but to educate the community, providing them with the tools, context, and information needed to decide for themselves whether initiatives align with their values and how they can contribute.
Leadership Reflection Question: Are my leadership decisions rooted in clear values, and am I communicating those values consistently to my community?
2. Leadership Builds a Culture and Ethos Around Learning
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety provides one of the most powerful insights into team success: The highest-performing teams aren’t those that make the fewest mistakes, but those that feel safe enough to openly discuss them.
In South Korea and China, I saw how structured collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs) gave teachers a voice in shaping school-wide pedagogy. In contrast, some international schools still rely on hierarchical structures where leadership is concentrated at the top. Trust and collaboration should be embedded, not incidental.
The most effective schools I’ve worked with had leaders who understood that collaboration is not about consensus—it is about collective wisdom. The goal is not to make every decision through a committee but to ensure that the people closest to the learning process—teachers – have the professional autonomy and trust to shape pedagogical approaches.
Leadership Reflection Question: Do my staff and students feel safe to take risks, challenge ideas, and contribute meaningfully to our school’s vision?
3. Leadership Demonstrates Ambition and Expectations for All
Jim Collins, in Good to Great, emphasizes that the most successful organizations combine ambitious vision with deliberate, incremental progress.
In one of my international school experiences, I saw how rapid school expansion led to a disconnect between leadership vision and day-to-day teaching realities. The schools that thrived were those that prioritized investing in professional development while scaling up.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I ensuring that my school’s growth is strategic and that every individual in the organization has the support to thrive?
4. Leadership Is People Leadership and Empowers Others
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” – Simon Sinek
My PhD research on collective teacher efficacy reinforced that schools thrive when teachers feel empowered to lead learning. At one school, I worked closely with a middle leader who doubted her leadership capabilities. By using a scaffolded coaching approach and modelling decision-making strategies, she became a key leader in our curriculum redesign—eventually leading professional learning for other staff.
This experience solidified my belief that the best leaders build leadership in others.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I creating opportunities for teachers to grow as leaders?
5. Leadership Fosters Excellence in Curriculum, Learning, and Teaching
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say: The children are now working as if I did not exist.” – Maria Montessori
During a curriculum review at a large international school, I led a whole-school initiative on conceptual learning. Many teachers were used to rigid content structures and initially resisted moving away from a heavily prescribed curriculum. Instead of pushing the change, I facilitated demonstration lessons, structured reflection sessions, and collaborative planning meetings to co-construct understanding.
Over time, as teachers experienced student engagement deepen and critical thinking flourish, they took ownership of the shift. This experience reinforced my belief that curriculum reform must be a journey of professional learning, not a dictated policy.
John Hattie’s Visible Learning confirms that collective teacher efficacy has the highest impact on student achievement, and I saw firsthand how empowering teachers to refine curriculum and pedagogy improves outcomes for students.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I fostering an environment where teachers feel supported to innovate and refine their practice?
6. Leadership Facilitates the Positive Impact of Research, Innovation, and AI
“We cannot teach our students the same way we taught them yesterday if we want to prepare them for tomorrow.” – John Dewey
When I introduced teachers to “Chatty G” for rubrics, assessments, and planning, there was initial skepticism. Some viewed AI as a shortcut that could dilute professional judgment. However, by positioning it as a ‘thought partner’ rather than an answer-giver, teachers quickly saw its potential.
I modelled how Chatty G could generate draft rubrics that teachers could manipulate, refine, and tailor to their students’ needs. What began as uncertainty evolved into enthusiastic experimentation – teachers used it to brainstorm assessment criteria, differentiate tasks, and streamline their workflow without compromising their expertise.
Adam Grant, in Think Again, highlights that rethinking our assumptions about technology in education is key to staying relevant. By reframing AI as an enhancement rather than a replacement, we fostered a culture of intelligent, ethical, and purposeful tech integration.
Leadership Reflection Question: Is my school using research and innovation to empower educators and learners?
7. Leadership Manages the Right Change at the Right Time in the Right Way
“The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order.” – Alfred North Whitehead
I don’t know why, but in every school I have worked in, I have been a driver for change. It’s not something I set out to do, but it happens – every time. Perhaps it’s because I see the possibilities so vividly. Not to sound cliché, but I have a dream.
I really do.
I dream about what authentic learning should look and feel like—the buzz of excitement, the ignition of passion, the rebirth of curiosity. Learners are fueled and armed with new knowledge, full of agency, brimming with confidence, and ready to share their discoveries with the world.
There is nothing so pure as watching a child in the flow of learning. I have seen it in classrooms where engagement is electric, where teachers are deeply connected to each child’s journey, where time moves too quickly because learning is so alive. In these spaces, the struggle of learning is real, but it is also life-giving. It is in these moments – where challenge meets joy—that I know we are doing something right.
I have experienced this firsthand as a parent. Every milestone in my children’s learning has been an adventure of discovery. I will never forget the absolute delight on their faces with each new realization – learning to eat, taking first steps, feeling raindrops, watching clouds, blowing bubbles, seeing their own reflection in the mirror for the first time. There is nothing more powerful than the purity of learning, and nothing fills my heart with more gratitude and purpose than seeing it unfold.
And this is why I drive change.
This is why I push for assessment reform, for curriculum shifts, for structures that support inquiry and authentic learning. Because I know what is possible, and I know the difference it makes. I have seen it in my own children, in the students I have led, in the teachers who have reconnected with their own love of learning.
When leading a school-wide shift in teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment and reporting, I saw the importance of managing change as a process, not an event. I used Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model to guide the transformation, ensuring teachers were involved in the redesign of assessment frameworks rather than having them imposed from the top.
By celebrating quick wins and providing continuous support, resistance shifted to engagement, and the change was sustained beyond my tenure.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I leading change in a way that builds trust and ownership, ensuring that every stakeholder is part of the journey?
8. Leadership Delivers Sustainable Governance, Accountability, and Stakeholders, Improving Outcomes and the School’s Reputation
“To add value to others, one must first value others.” – John C. Maxwell
Strong governance is not about control – it is about shared responsibility, ethical decision-making, and sustainability. At one school, I worked with the Board to introduce 360-degree leadership evaluations, ensuring that leaders were as accountable as the staff they led. This shift built trust, transparency, and a stronger alignment between leadership actions and the school’s core mission. Recognizing that governance must reflect the diversity of the community, we also conducted a skills audit to assess strengths and gaps, allowing us to recruit governors strategically rather than filling positions reactively.
I have also seen the impact of governance that prioritizes long-term sustainability over short-term fixes. Ensuring that decision-making is ethically grounded, leadership transitions are planned, and safeguarding and sustainability are embedded in governance structures allows a school to thrive well beyond any one leader’s tenure. When governance functions effectively, leaders are free to focus on what matters most – learning and the wellbeing of students and staff.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I ensuring that school governance is ethical, representative, and aligned with the long-term sustainability of the school?
9. Leadership Delivers Organisational Effectiveness
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou
A highly effective school constantly evolves, engaging staff, students, and stakeholders in ongoing self-review and improvement. I have worked with leadership teams to foster a culture of trust and accountability, where teachers ask the right questions, identify challenges early, and use coaching strategies to find solutions. By reducing administrative distractions and prioritizing learning-focused discussions, we ensured that professional development remained at the heart of school improvement.
Leadership Reflection Question: Am I ensuring that my school is built on a foundation of continuous improvement, strategic resource management, and long-term sustainability?
Leadership in international schools is not about hierarchy, policies, or ticking boxes—it is about the people we serve, the communities we build, and the learning we inspire. It is about creating schools where curiosity thrives, where educators feel empowered, and where students step into the world with the confidence to contribute and the courage to ask big questions.
In every school I have worked in, I have witnessed the profound impact of leaders who choose to lead with purpose, who build cultures of trust and shared responsibility, and who prioritize authentic learning over compliance. Schools flourish when leadership is not about control but about enabling others to be their best—teachers, students, and the wider school community.
True leadership leaves a lasting imprint, not in policies or structures, but in the minds ignited, the barriers broken, and the potential realized. What we do today shapes the future of education.
What legacy am I creating, and how will it continue to shape the lives of learners and educators long after I am gone?
References
Collins, J. (2001). Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t. HarperCollins.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. Macmillan.
Edmondson, A. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Wiley.
Grant, A. (2021). Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. Viking.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. Routledge.
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Leading Your International School. (2025). LYIS Leadership Impact Framework. Leading Your International School. Available online at https://online.fliphtml5.com/epomn/cgdd/
Lencioni, P. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. Jossey-Bass.
Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You. Thomas Nelson.
Montessori, M. (1949). The Absorbent Mind. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Sinek, S. (2009). Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Portfolio.
Whitehead, A. N. (1929). The Aims of Education and Other Essays. Macmillan.
Dr. Tania Blatti, Head of Upper Primary, Wellington College International Shanghai
Next week’s Principal’s Blog is written by Siobhan Brady, International School Evaluator, SEN Consultant and Board Member, LYIS
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