What we’ve learned presiding over school business leadership professional standards for nearly a decade

Written by Stephen Morales | Feb 26, 2025 10:54:49 AM

ISBL first published its professional standards in 2015. Since then, we have seen five prime ministers and nine secretaries of state.

The summer of 2024 marked the start of a period of transition. After 14 years of Conservative rule and a government presiding over a decade of radical reforms, it should not be a surprise that the new Labour government wants to spend some time reflecting on which reforms have worked, where change has had a positive impact, and also where the evidence suggests that some of the reforms have not necessarily had the positive impact that was promised.

In our mixed-economy system, inspiring and motivating the school business professional (SBP) community in 2025 will require a deep understanding of the evolving needs, expectations, and challenges facing the sector and its workforce in an increasingly complex, dynamic, and uncertain environment. As technology advances, work environments change, and societal shifts continue, leaders will need to adapt their approach to incentivising their teams, engaging with staff and developing a people strategy that fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

At ISBL, we are looking at the challenge of improving school business leadership capability slightly differently. There are many moving parts and contextual factors that will determine the pace and scale of practice improvements. It also requires all leadership actors (and their representative bodies) to coalesce around an approach to improving operational capability. This includes trustees, governors, CEOs, heads, and other executive leaders.

We believe that for any organisation to be successful (education or otherwise), it must have certain ingredients that will ensure operational effectiveness – these include good people, strong leadership, a great culture, a people strategy, clear processes, effective systems, appropriate tech, a good understanding of data and its use, a way to monitor productivity, effective quality systems, and an embedded commitment to continuous improvement.

Organisations need to understand the mix of people and roles that will help secure those ingredients. They also need access to programmes and pathways that will help develop their people.

ISBL’s core purpose is to articulate the ingredients (Operational Excellence), describe the functions (professional standards) and oversee pathways (national qualifications board and career framework).

If we are to move the capability agenda forward in 2025, in addition to inspiring and energising the SBP workforce, ISBL working with key stakeholder groups aims to promote and encourage the following:

1. Purpose-driven leadership

Education professionals today are looking for more than just a salary. They want to work for organisations that align with their personal values and contribute to a bigger cause. By connecting a school’s or trust's vision, values, and goals to a meaningful purpose, we can perhaps better inspire our workforce to perform their roles with increased passion and dedication.

We need to help leaders:

Articulate a clear, inspiring vision: Make sure that employees understand the broader mission of their organisations and how their individual roles contribute to that mission. We need to help all staff see the bigger picture.
Create a sense of shared purpose: Foster an inclusive, purpose-driven culture that involves employees in the decision-making process and makes them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

2. Prioritise employee wellbeing to retain great people

The education workforce in 2025 will continue to prioritise their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. As work-life balance becomes more important, schools and trusts must create environments that promote holistic health.

Schools and trusts should aim to provide:

Mental health support: Offer resources, support programmes, and counselling services to address employee stress, burnout, and mental health issues.
Flexible work options: Recognise the importance of work flexibility, whether through remote work, hybrid models, or flexible hours. This will help empower colleagues to balance their work and personal lives.
Promote physical wellbeing: Encourage physical activity by offering access to health and fitness facilities, time and space to exercise, and ergonomically friendly workplace set-ups that support employee health and productivity.

3. Cultivate a culture of continuous learning

The rapid pace of technological developments and innovation means that employees will need to continually evolve their skills. Encouraging a growth mindset and offering opportunities for development is essential for staff who want to remain current and engaged. This is at the heart of the ISBL proposition, and SBPs should never be overlooked.

School and trust employers should prioritise the ongoing professional development of their teams. They should:

Offer ongoing training by investing in knowledge and skills acquisition, mentoring, external programmes, and advice on career progression.
Foster curiosity by encouraging innovation, experimentation, and the sharing of new ideas and also cultivating a culture where employees feel safe to fail and learn from their experiences. Leaders should make space for the ideas and thinking emerging from diverse groups (read “Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking” by Matthew Syed).
Personalise development by recognising the unique learning styles and career aspirations of all employees and offering individualised career pathways and skill development opportunities that align with both organisational goals and personal growth – not just for teachers but for all staff across a school or trust.

4. Operational Excellence (OpEx)

Leaders should embrace well-embedded industry approaches to operational effectiveness. Our recent research and subsequent OpEx framework suggest that most schools and trusts could see between 20–30% capacity gains if they embed the techniques.

5. Leverage technology and automation

As we enter 2025, technological advances such as AI, automation, and machine learning will become even more prominent. By embracing these tools (alongside our OpEx Framework), leaders will be able to enjoy important capacity gains, providing the headroom to focus on improvement, innovation, and other higher-order strategic thinking. As ISBL’s CEO, I have a seat on the AI in Education COO Panel.

Schools and trusts should prepare to:

Upskill teams ready for a new digital era by ensuring employees are equipped with the digital tools and skills necessary to thrive in a tech-driven environment. We will be adding a new digital section to our professional standards.
Streamline repetitive tasks: Alongside OpEx techniques, the use of automation will help reduce the administrative burdens on teams, allowing them to focus on more strategic and high-impact work.

6. Foster inclusion and diversity

Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is not just the right thing to do; it’s also the best way to increase team productivity. When employees feel respected, valued, and included, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to do their best work. Our statement of action sets out our work and commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

Leaders need to work hard to promote inclusivity. Schools and trusts should:

Demonstrate EDI leadership by training leaders to be aware of unconscious bias and to create spaces where all employees, regardless of background, feel welcome and able to contribute (see the Institute for Educational & Social Equity’s Professional Development Certificates and Workshops).
Celebrate diversity by celebrating the unique perspectives that come from diverse teams and by developing initiatives that support under-represented groups in the workplace.
Build equitable opportunities by ensuring that all employees have access to the same opportunities for progression, training, and professional recognition.

7. Encourage collaboration and connectivity

In this new digital era, team dynamics are shifting. Many organisations now operate in hybrid environments, sometimes fully remote. But colleagues still need to feel connected. Fostering a culture of collaboration and connectivity is key to employee engagement and ongoing employee wellbeing.

Employers therefore need to:

Promote cross-functional collaboration by breaking down silos within schools or trusts (particularly central teams) by encouraging collaboration across departments or settings.
Facilitate peer-to-peer learning by encouraging employees to mentor one another and share their knowledge and expertise across teams and levels.

8. Empower autonomy and innovation

As work becomes more flexible, staff are likely to seek more autonomy in how they approach tasks. Empowering employees to take ownership of their roles and contribute to the school’s or trust's strategic aims is likely to further motivate them and provide a sense of empowerment.

Employers should:

Give employees ownership by allowing them to take the lead on projects, make decisions, and influence the direction of their work. This creates a sense of responsibility and pride in their contributions.
Create space for innovation by encouraging employees to experiment with new ideas and solutions. A culture of innovation and considered and proportionate risk-taking leads to greater engagement and can drive significant improvement.
Trust their team by showing employees that they are trusted to deliver high-quality results, even if they are working remotely or on flexible work patterns.

9. Lead with empathy and emotional intelligence

The workforce in 2025 expects and probably demands leaders who are emotionally intelligent, authentic, and empathetic. Leaders who understand the needs of their teams and offer support, guidance, and a human connection will inspire greater loyalty, engagement, and ultimately productivity.

Leaders should do this by:

Actively listening: Show employees that their voices matter by actively listening to their feedback, concerns, and ideas.
Recognising achievements: Make a point of recognising both small and large successes, whether through formal recognition programs or informal praise. Many SBPs tell us that they don’t have a performance management conversation with their employer.
Offering support with big challenges: Whether employees are dealing with personal struggles or work-related challenges, providing the necessary support (whether emotional or professional) builds trust and goodwill.

10. Champion sustainability and corporate social responsibility

Employees, particularly the younger generations, are increasingly concerned about the environmental and social impact of their work.

Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability will inspire your workforce and align their personal values with the organisation’s mission. ISBL recently added a sustainability section to our professional standards.

Schools and trusts should:

Adopt sustainable practices: Implement eco-friendly policies in the workplace. Examples include reducing waste, facilitating remote working, and the use of renewable energy.
Demonstrate transparent corporate social responsibility: Be open and transparent about your school’s or trust's efforts to improve sustainability, ethical leadership, and social responsibility. ISBL is a standing member of the Ethical Leadership Alliance.

11. Build a culture of recognition and 360 feedback

Feedback is crucial for personal and professional growth, but recognition of achievements is equally important. Fostering an environment where colleagues feel valued and appreciated can significantly boost morale and motivation. This should extend to trustees.

Employers should:

Frequently and meaningfully provide feedback: Create regular opportunities for feedback through one-to-one meetings, performance reviews, 360 processes, or informal check-ins. Ensure the feedback is constructive and focuses on improvement and development.
Celebrate milestones and achievements by recognising and celebrating individual and team accomplishments.
Encourage peer-to-peer recognition by empowering employees to recognise and appreciate their colleagues’ contributions, fostering a culture of mutual respect and support.

12. Stay flexible and adaptable

As we progress through 2025, change will continue to be a constant. Schools and trusts that thrive will be those that demonstrate agility and adaptability, ready to pivot at any time in response to new challenges and opportunities.

The best leaders will:

Encourage a growth mindset by cultivating a culture where employees embrace change, are encouraged to learn new skills, take on new challenges, and stay agile in the face of shifting demands and increased complexity.
Adopt an agile leadership style by empowering their teams to be flexible, responsive, and adaptive, enabling them to navigate challenges and seize opportunity.

Conclusion

An empowered and well-supported SBP workforce can have an enormous positive impact on our system. Helping colleagues embrace the power of technology will make that impact even more significant.

We need to promote a better culture of learning and continuous improvement and provide colleagues with the agency to pursue an improvement pathway that meets their needs.

We need to encourage more collaboration whilst also prioritising diversity and empathy. This will only happen if we create the conditions for an environment where we seek to align values, one that fosters innovation and pays proper attention to the needs of our teams.

Stephen Morales
Chief Executive, Institute of School Business Leadership