Essential Question: What strategies and insights will help me enhance my impact and effectiveness as a middle leader?
Over-Arching Goals & Overview
To empower middle leaders to reflect on past experiences, address current challenges, and craft a clear, actionable vision for their leadership that aligns with school-wide objectives and drives measurable impact.
This retreat is designed for experienced middle leaders to reflect on their journey and envision impactful leadership for the upcoming year.
Day one will focus on closure, processing the past year, and identifying key learnings while addressing lingering challenges. Participants will explore zones of control and strategize to maximize their influence within their departments and schools.
Day two will pivot towards visioning and planning, providing tools and creating space for leaders to articulate a clear vision and practical goals for the year ahead.
Middle leaders will leave this retreat with renewed clarity, practical strategies, and a personalized action plan, equipping them to lead effectively, foster positive change, and enhance team cohesion in alignment with school goals.
This retreat represents a strategic investment in leadership that can lead to improved team performance, retention, and overall school success.
Target Attendee & Price
This retreat is designed for experienced middle leaders in international schools who are committed to elevating their leadership capacity, gaining actionable insights, and fostering positive change within their teams and schools.
By sending your middle leaders to this retreat, your school invests in leaders who can proactively address school-specific challenges, enhance team productivity, and contribute to a positive, unified school culture that supports both student and teacher success.
This retreat represents an investment in effective middle leadership, team cohesion, and ultimately, school success. Schools that send their middle leaders will benefit from improved departmental performance and a strengthened leadership pipeline.
Early Bird Discount: An early bird discount of $75 per participant is available for individual registrations until March 31, 2025.
ACAMIS Members - $425 USD per person (early bird). After March 31, 2025, the rate will increase to $500 USD per person.
Non-members -$525 USD per person (early bird). After March 31, 2025, the rate will increase to $600 USD per person.
Workshop Outcomes
During this retreat, participants will:
- Reflect on and consolidate their past leadership experiences to extract key learnings and identify areas for personal and professional growth.
- Develop practical strategies for managing influence within their zones of control by distinguishing areas where they can lead effectively and respond resiliently to challenges.
- Identify and refine their leadership vision and values to set a clear direction and purpose for the year ahead, aligning with broader school goals.
- Create a personalized, actionable leadership plan using inquiry-driven focus questions that will guide their goals and day-to-day actions, ensuring alignment between their vision, team outcomes, and school priorities.
Workshop Preparation
To maximize the value of this retreat, participants are encouraged to come prepared to discuss their specific challenges and goals. They will receive a pre-retreat survey to gather expectations, assess familiarity with the content, and identify relevant case studies for customized activities. Participants should also bring specific school-wide goals or challenges to ensure the retreat content is directly applicable to their context.
Program Agenda
The retreat is divided into four (4) sessions, with two sessions covered each day.
Module 1 - Extracting the Learning: Your Year in Review
Overview:
This session sets the foundation for meaningful growth by reflecting on the past year’s journey. Participants will engage in structured self-reflection to acknowledge achievements, confront challenges, and distil lessons learned. Through guided protocols, they will gain insights into successes and setbacks, enabling them to identify patterns and understand the impact of their actions. This process lays the groundwork for intentional change and paves the way for a more impactful year ahead.
Essential Question: What were my greatest achievements this year, and what factors contributed to them?
Learning Objectives:
- Identify key achievements and challenges from the year.
- Analyse experiences using tools designed to extract reflective insight.
Tools:
- Reflective journaling and thinking partnerships protocols
- Appreciative Inquiry Framework
- Shifting the Burden (Systems Thinking Tool)
Module 2 - Zones of Control, Comfort, and Challenge
Overview:
Amidst the complexities of school environments, leaders often face limitations in what they can directly control. This module introduces frameworks to help leaders clearly distinguish between what they can control, influence, and accept. For example, decisions within their department versus broader school-wide policies or government requirements. By focusing their energies strategically, participants gain clarity on where to act and where to adapt, allowing for more focused and effective leadership. Attendees will leave with tools they can bring back to their teams, helping them focus on impactful actions within their control.
Essential Question: How can I maximize my influence by focusing on what I can control and letting go of what I cannot?
Learning Objectives:
- Understand and apply zones of control and influence to their work
- Develop strategies to focus energy and skill in areas they can control
Tools:
- Zones of Control Framework
- Guided Reflection Protocols
Module 3 - Visioning for Impact
Overview:
Leadership requires a compelling vision to inspire and unify teams. In this session, participants will explore and articulate their core values, shaping a vision that reflects their aspirations as leaders. Aligning personal values with leadership goals helps in creating a vision that resonates with and motivates teams. Through structured exercises, participants will align personal values with professional purpose, crafting a clear vision that resonates with their team and drives impactful outcomes. By the end of this module, participants will have a guiding vision to steer actions and inspire those they lead.
Essential Question: What core values will anchor my leadership vision and inspire my team?
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the necessary components that contribute to a clear vision for leadership
- Explore personal values and their alignment with a leadership vision
Tools:
- Values Cards
- Visioning Framework
Module 4 - Action Planning Through Inquiry
Overview:
Turning vision into reality requires actionable steps and a plan grounded in purposeful inquiry. This final module empowers participants to bridge the gap between vision and day-to-day leadership through focus questions that translate into measurable goals and actions. By creating a personalized action plan, participants gain a roadmap for implementing their vision with precision and accountability. This ensures they leave the retreat with clear next steps that are both actionable and measurable.
Essential Question: How can I translate my vision into actionable steps that drive measurable outcomes?
Learning Objectives:
- Develop actionable focus inquiry questions to guide leadership practices in alignment with their vision
- Create a personalized action plan based on these inquiries, mapping connections from vision to goals to actions
Tools:
- Focus Inquiry Framework
- Action Planning Template
For any information concerning this event, please email claire@pdacademia.com.
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Refund Policies
If notice of cancellation re the registered participant/sponsor is received:
- 30+ days pre-event: 80% of fee is refundable
- 15-29 days pre-event: 40% of fee is refundable
- Less than 15 days pre-event: no refund
Online PD Programs - No refund will be granted re participants commencing an online PD program and withdrawing part way through. Course material fees (re DiSC surveys, book fees, etc) are not refundable once access is granted.
Refund Due To PD Event CancellationIn the event of cancellation of a conference, workshop or online PD program, we will fully refund the registration or sponsorship fee(s) paid. However, we will be unable to refund any travel, visa or accommodation expenses incurred or course material fees where access has been granted.