The Independent School Podcast with Juliet Corbett
The Independent School Podcast shares real-world leadership conversations with Principals, Heads and CEOs from across independent and international schools, exploring what it means to lead well in an increasingly complex world.
Hosted by executive coach and trusted advisor Juliet Corbett, the podcast offers clear, practical insight into staying strategic amidst daily pressures, making high-stakes decisions with confidence and shaping high-performing school cultures. Juliet brings her cross-sector experience and more than two decades of work in education to conversations designed to spark your best thinking.
If you want calm, reflective insight that helps you slow the pace, sharpen your focus and navigate complexity with clarity and courage, this podcast is for you.
The Independent School Podcast with Juliet Corbett
159: The 'Done For You' Delegation Trap
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In today's episode, we're diving into the topic of delegation once again. But this time, we'll be exploring a trap that many leaders, including myself, have fallen into - the 'Done For You' Delegation Trap. I discuss the idea of three service levels, a concept well established in the wider service sector, how this relates to delegation and how it can help you identify and avoid this common trap.
Key lessons from this episode:
1. In the wider service sector there is a well-established concept of three service levels: 'do it yourself', 'done with you' and 'done for you'.
2. These three ideas also map onto delegation. But if you go down the route of 'done for you' then you end up caught in a trap that's hard to pull you and your team out of.
3. To avoid this trap, always consider how you are coaching those you lead to take on more responsibility over time, eventually enabling them to work at the 'do it yourself' level.
4. This not only enables the leader to focus on their own strategic priorities, but also enables the team to deliver results faster and allows team members to grow in their roles.
Episode links
Episode 155: Are You Delegating Enough?
Report: Rethinking Strategy in Independent Schools
The Strategic Independent School Leader Ebook
Preparing for an economic downturn: A checklist for private schools
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