Shane Leaning
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shaneleaning.com
Shane Leaning
@shaneleaning.com
I help leaders build confident, high-impact schools - Best-selling author & chart-topping podcaster

Join my leadership intensive:
educationleaders.co/intensive

My book:
https://amzn.eu/d/e4z6Y2T

My podcast:
https://podfollow.com/educationleaders
Pinned
Most school change dies because we rush to solutions.

Yesterday at Festival of Education: introduced the double diamond model. Expand thinking, align on goal, expand solutions, then act.

The "what else?" question changes everything.
2 days at NESSIC Leadership conference. Talked crisis leadership, signed books, had honest conversations about the gap between looking calm and feeling overwhelmed.

Bilingual schools in China are changing faster than anywhere I’ve seen.
November 26, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Every change starts with someone's perception of a problem. Problem is, we often treat perceptions like facts and leap straight to solutions before we've even agreed what we're fixing.
November 25, 2025 at 7:39 AM
One clear insight from Jo: coaching builds your “curiosity muscles” — leaders who coach get richer evidence than a single lesson observation. We talk about practical tools you can use tomorrow. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
#CoachingCulture
November 24, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Jo said: “Coaching is an ongoing, careful professional reflection.” That line reframed how I think about retention, leadership pipelines and small changes that actually stick. We unpack what that looks like in school. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
#TeacherDevelopment
November 23, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Behind the mic: Jo’s work on postgraduate programmes and ILM coaching informed the whole convo — we talked about designing school-specific coaching, protecting time for conversations, and practical next steps. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
November 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I hoard conference stuff because once I own it, it feels valuable even when it's not.

Schools do this with initiatives.

Old programme clearly broken? "We've put time into it."
New idea? "Current way's fine."
You can't see what you own clearly anymore.

Recognise this? What are you defending?
November 21, 2025 at 9:38 AM
What if PD fails because we stop at the workshop? Jo shares real examples of schools that rebuilt practice by adding short coaching cycles and simple reflection prompts. We unpack where follow-through actually lives. buff.ly/O6zSYXd
November 20, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Worrying times
November 19, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Talking with Jo Robinson on how ongoing coaching can make leadership learning stick. New ep: buff.ly/O6zSYXd
#SchoolLeadership
Coaching For School Leaders — ShaneLeaning.com
When someone says “have you got a moment?” your instinct might be to say yes — and then lose 20 minutes, your focus and whatever calm you had left. This solo episode shows you a practical, repeatable…
buff.ly
November 18, 2025 at 7:38 AM
You can't persuade someone with authority alone. Especially not teachers.

Cialdini's persuasion principles remind us: people respond to reciprocity, not rank.

Have you genuinely helped someone before asking them to change? That's where influence actually lives.
November 17, 2025 at 9:38 AM
I recorded this episode from an airport, which felt right — constant noise, constant requests. It’s about managing interruptions without guilt (and without losing your head).

buff.ly/MJJfefO
November 16, 2025 at 9:38 AM
A head of year told me she hated saying “no.” I unpacked how “not right now, can we book 30?” changed her whole week — and why boundaries make you more available, not less.

buff.ly/MJJfefO

#SchoolCulture
November 15, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Next Monday: Dr James Mannion joins our forum to talk about slice teams - a better alternative to top-down change that actually gets buy-in.

Different voices at the table. Real decisions together.

Interested? Comment and I'll send you details.
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 AM
If you ever end a corridor chat wondering what you just agreed to, this one’s for you.
We explore how to set clear “containers” so every quick talk leads somewhere useful.

buff.ly/MJJfefO

#LeadershipDevelopment
November 13, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Interruptions aren’t the problem — how we respond is. I talked about the small doorway habit that turns chaos into clarity and protects your thinking time.

buff.ly/MJJfefO

#EducationalLeadership
November 12, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Shane Leaning
• Do PD providers have an ethical responsibility re: sustainability?
• Is it too easy for PD providers to do one-off engagements?
• How do we help schools navigate their relationship with professional learning providers?

@shaneleaning.com & I discussed this & more in our recent podcast chat linked👇
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Someone says, “Got a moment?” and suddenly your day’s gone. In this episode, I share the simple 5-second pause that stopped me reacting to every knock and let me lead with intention.

buff.ly/MJJfefO

#SchoolLeadership
November 11, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Amy Edmondson found that the best hospital teams made MORE mistakes than average teams.

Except they didn't. They just felt safe enough to report them.

If your staff aren't flagging problems, it's not because everything's fine. It's because they don't feel safe speaking up.

#EduSky
November 11, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Just finished Growth Talk by John Campbell and Chris Munro on my flight back to Shanghai.

If you're a leader who wants better everyday conversations (not formal coaching, just actual useful chats), this is it.

Even has a checklist I'm printing for my desk.
November 10, 2025 at 9:38 AM
In a hotel in Bangkok. Hotel room TV. UK news channels: no BBC, no SKY, just this 😳

I watched for five minutes and got too angry at the nonsense
November 9, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Most school change dies because we rush to solutions.

Yesterday at Festival of Education: introduced the double diamond model. Expand thinking, align on goal, expand solutions, then act.

The "what else?" question changes everything.
November 9, 2025 at 1:33 AM
We map four classroom leadership roles: motivator, project manager, facilitator, and advocate. Which role would your quieter students try first? buff.ly/1UTmcTi
November 8, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Behind the mic: Maureen’s classroom moment stuck with me all week. A tiny story that gives you a ready-made activity. Hear it here: buff.ly/1UTmcTi
November 7, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Try this: after a discussion, students set a one-minute micro-goal and reflect for 60 seconds. It builds reflection tolerance without drama. Full episode: buff.ly/1UTmcTi

#EducationalLeadership
November 6, 2025 at 8:39 AM