Distributed Leadership

Before moving to a new school, Clare (not her real name) was like many teachers: dedicated yet isolated. Her principal managed a staff of 30, so support rarely extended beyond a brief “well done.” Opportunities for professional development were limited.

Everything shifted when Clare joined a school piloting distributed leadership. She now divides her time between teaching and leading a team of seven, meeting regularly to set goals and offer in-class support. While challenges remain, Clare now feels supported and able to help both her students and colleagues succeed.

Clare’s experience is echoed in a study by Bain & Company and the Bridgespan Group, which surveyed over 4,200 educators. The research found that, while school systems invest in leadership development, they often lack clear plans for deploying new leaders effectively. As a result, support is fragmented, principals are overwhelmed, and teacher development stagnates.

This challenge is not unique to Clare’s school. In fact, the struggle to build leadership capacity is felt across Australian schools – both public and independent – as they strive for continuous improvement in teaching.

Why Schools Need Teams, Not Just Principals

Great schools are built on great leadership. Ninety-six percent of surveyed educators agreed that leadership is key to success. Yet in most schools, leadership is overly centralised. Principals are often responsible for the growth of dozens of teachers – an unsustainable workload when compared to other professions.

To address this challenge, schools are introducing more leadership roles, such as instructional coaches and teacher/learning leaders. These positions are designed to retain strong teachers and build internal capacity. However, teacher-leaders are often assigned responsibilities, such as running meetings or relaying information, without true authority. Only 22% report feeling accountable for their peers’ performance.

Five Ways to Make Distributed Leadership Work

Despite these obstacles, many schools are progressing. The most effective leadership models share five characteristics:

1. Have a clear model. Be clear about leadership roles, how they work, and the systems that support them.
2. Build capacity. Increase leadership staff and provide training—through assistant principals or teacher-leaders.
3. Keep the focus on learning. Place leaders near the classroom, providing real-time coaching and feedback.
4. Create strong teams. Encourage collaboration and shared responsibility for student outcomes.
5. Give leaders time and authority. Let leaders lead – don’t just give them a title. Principals must delegate and trust teams.

Distributed leadership isn’t a quick fix. However, schools that start with a clear goal and a willingness to adapt can establish strong leadership structures that foster better teaching and learning. Now is the time to reimagine how leadership works in your school – take the first step toward distributing leadership and empowering educators to drive lasting change.