How business and schools collaborate for stronger leadership

I first worked with Deloitte in 2017 during the design stage of the Leading Together Programme as an Achievement Partner. It is great to see how business perspectives can be adapted and relevant to leading schools, and to enable leaders to access business theory and practice that could be integrated into their everyday strategic leadership.

Exploring leadership

The Leading Together Partnership with Deloitte developed into delivering brilliant Business Chemistry sessions to all our programme member schools.

Here, school teams discovered ways of identifying the key characteristics of each team member: Guardian, Pioneer, Driver or Integrator, and how best to play to that person's strengths. The sessions were truly eye-opening for leaders, who used the knowledge and practice to create effective teams.

We offered four sessions in total over two years (in London and Manchester) to leaders moving into C-suite positions, and leadership teams who want to become high-performing and effective. Adapting these sessions to support leadership teams in some of the most challenged schools in England was rewarding and great fun for the session leads.

I was lucky to work with Deloitte over a four-year period in providing Deloitte-led Impact labs to the Heads Forward Network of Ambassador Headteachers and our Direct Delivery of NPQH programmes. These were based on Deloitte’s Transition Lab for clients moving into C-suite roles, helping them to understand the time, talent and relationships they need to set and achieve their visions.

Working with Deloitte on the delivery of Impact Labs to Headteachers, enabled me to contribute directly to Heads gaining an insight into their own leadership qualities and planning their next set of strategic steps.

I learned so much about the Headteachers I was coaching that my coaching became more effective.

I am naturally an outward-looking leader, but I personally learnt so much which I’ve been able to share as a coach and facilitator.

Making an impact

After the Leading Together Conference, Grace College in Gateshead were inspired and empowered by the Business Chemistry workshop to better understand the positions that some of the team members were taking. The team then used strategies to ensure clarity was gained from different perspectives and to understand how the whole team could function even more effectively.

The power of collaboration

Our partnership with Deloitte is incredibly organic through a truly collaborative process – sharing ideas and working closely together.

It is a community of professional practice in which everyone learns and adapts their practice for the benefit of others. I would recommend that everyone take the opportunity to be part of a similar partnership.

Helping every child fulfil their potential

For 20 years, Deloitte and Teach First have helped young people believe in what’s possible. Read more stories involving colleagues, pupils and volunteers whose lives have been changed through the power of opportunity.

Read more about the partnership