From Fog to Focus
Designed for: Mid-level and Senior Leaders seeking clarity and focus, and better strategic thinking
Delivered by: Ewan McIntosh & Kate Wadsworth
Without a singular focus your chances of success are halved.
Let's change that.
School leaders invest so much energy devising plans, gaining approval and attempting to engage staff with programs of change.
Most of them fall flat.
In the world of international schools, few senior leaders have enough time to create significant change in their schools. The average Director stays in the job for three years.
Up to half of senior leaders will be deemed to have failed within the first two years on the job (Dewer at al, 2017).
We might argue about what people view as ‘failure’. But in the cut and thrust of a busy school perception is reality.
The chances of failure are high.
So what makes some people more likely to make it through the first two years of leading?
A large part of it has to do with their ability to focus on a target. They then have to inspire everyone, or nearly everyone, to see the same target as them and do the work to hit it.
Moving from fog to focus is arguably the singular most important success criterion for some of the most successful people, organizations and schools.
In a five-day Focus Sprint with Ewan McIntosh and the team at NoTosh, senior leaders will understand what it takes to decide on a strategic focus that fits their school.
Cost
US $450 p/person
Groups of five or more will receive a further 10% discount.
Time commitment
The course runs in one short sprint of a week, one hour a day, for a total of five hours. There is a celebration event later to reflect and provide further support. There are bonus materials, and deep dive video content to follow up in your own time. Live sessions are also recorded for catchup.
May 19-23, 2025
0700-0800 (Bogotá) | 0800-0900 (New York)
1300 (London) | 1600 (Dubai) | 2000 (Singapore)
One hour every day (recording available)
Monday: You cannot focus on everything in your strategy
Most strategy tries to do too much. What are the components of a good strategy, and can you spot the one thing you should make the main focus?
Tuesday: Getting other people focussed
Use a pre-mortem to understand how others will react to your focus, and use creative conflict to make the focus sharper.
Wednesday: Communicate focus, relentlessly
Most leaders underestimate the number of times they have to communicate an idea. When you've only got one idea, how do you communicate relentlessly and maintain interest?
Thursday: The Story You Tell
The focus you choose will become part of your identity. Understand how it connects to the rest of your school, community and brand identity.
Friday: Measuring focus
Most goals in schools are about what people put in. Let's rewrite our focus to show what everyone gets out of it.