smj blog

Before you decide to work with a creative team, particularly on a major project, try your best to meet with prospective candidates in person. More so than a call or video chat, this lets both parties see the other in action. You get to read each other’s body language. You get to have small talk, which can be the foundation for a (work) friendship. And one of you gets to see where the other works, which obviously can tell you a lot about a person and their organisation. Just as crucially, a face-to-face meeting can set the tone for all that’s to come. Here’s a simple plan to get things going in the right direction.

I am by nature a curious person — one of those kids in the class who constantly annoyed their teachers with the question “Why?” Why does this mathematical formula apply to triangles? Why did Napoleon invade Russia? Why do I have to rule a line down the left side of the page rather than the right?

We live in an age where all schools tend to look the same. In fact, if you are a prospective parent, choosing a school in a location that offers a range of options is no easy task.

Digital advertising has turned millions of people and organisations into not just the target of ads, but the advertisers as well.
But it doesn’t easily answer the obvious question: Did that ad work?

According to research conducted by Glassdoor — the professional services’ answer to TripAdvisor — 74% of active job seekers are likely to apply for a job if the employer actively manages its employer brand. As many schools and businesses continue to feel the ripples of The Great Resignation era, ensuring that your school is at the top of the proverbial pecking order for the best teaching talent should certainly be a priority. But the question is, a priority for whom?

The purpose of strategy is to position an organisation relative to its competitors, something many independent schools are too afraid to do.

The purpose of strategy is to position an organisation relative to its competitors, something many independent schools are too afraid to do.

Creative people are at a little bit of a disadvantage, weirdly, because we love what we do. We feel lucky to get paid for it and we would probably do it for free.
But there are the realities of life, and while we are privileged to earn a living this way, earn money we must. Sure, we like to make money, but for the most part, we really want to kick ass creatively and yes, making money makes it all better. If we were really focused on making money, we’d probably be doing something else.

We all want to make things simpler and more efficient. And there’s no doubt that going online these days is simpler than dealing with hard copies — both for schools and parents.
Allowing parents to complete an application online is sensible and carries no significant legal risks because you aren’t entering a binding legal relationship at that point.
But can parents accept the offer of a place online?

In some parts of the world, Strategic Plans have an unfortunate tendency of outlasting the school leaders. Meaning, many new Heads are given the tricky task of taking over where the last person left off and implementing a plan that can all too easily feel second-hand and a bit tired around the edges. And then, of course, there is the small issue of a global pandemic that relegated even the best laid Plans to the metaphorical back burner. To the point that, midway through 2023, they have either gone up in smoke or, at best, are difficult to locate.