Ethical School Leadership | A Conversation with Dr Yael Cass

Compliance feels safer than ethics. You can tick the boxes, point to the policies, and stay in your head without engaging the emotional discomfort. But what if that's exactly the problem? In this episode, Dr Yael Cass introduces the concept of "compliance plus," a thoughtful, human-centred approach that brings intention and reflection into the systems schools rely on. Yael explains why international schools often have confusing organisational structures that look like "a bowl of spaghetti," why we still call operational professionals "support staff," and how the lack of clear systems triggers what she calls organisational sensemaking, where people start thinking about threats to themselves rather than collective goals.

You'll learn why job descriptions in most schools haven't been reviewed in years even though roles have completely evolved, how professional development decisions are often made based on visibility or personal rapport with leadership rather than clear criteria, and why giving HR real strategic authority could reduce the overwhelming administrative load on principals and heads of school. Yael shares practical steps: look for gaps between what's written and what's actually happening, audit one area like recruitment for alignment with your values, and send an anonymous survey asking whether your appraisal system actually supports people or just ticks boxes. This conversation challenges how you think about structure, fairness, and what it means to build a workplace where the people who serve your students can actually flourish.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Dr Yael Cass and NexGen Talent Group

Dr Yael Cass on LinkedIn

Episode Partners

International Centre for Coaching in Education (Use discount code SHANE5 for 5% off)

International Curriculum Association

Join Shane's Intensive Leadership Programme at educationleaders.co/intensive

Shane Leaning, an organisational coach based in Shanghai, supports school leaders globally. Passionate about empowment, he is the author of the best-selling 'Change Starts Here.' Shane is a leading educational voice in the UK, Asia and around the world.

You can find Shane on LinkedIn and Bluesky. or shaneleaning.com

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