EdEx 2024 Launch

Mar 21

EdEx launches this June! We are thrilled to offer School Leader Lab’s newest program, Executive Leader Cohort (EdEx). EdEx is a 10-month cohort designed to develop high-performing and diverse school leaders with the key skills and competencies needed to lead strong teams in managing director, director, head and chief level roles. Accomplished principals who have the potential to transition into executive level leadership in the next 1-3 years are also invited to apply.

EdEx will include:

An overnight retreat
National and local expert presenters
Executive level coaching and mentorship
360 feedback and personalized development plans
Case studies, role plays and problem solving collaboratives
Swag, dinners, and a lifelong community

“EdEx helped me redefine my vision and centered me in my values.”

- EdEx pilot participant

Why EdEx?

In his book, The Leadership Pipeline, author Ram Charan writes, “The worst use of an organization's money is leaders doing the wrong work. Leaders who are paid more than their direct reports, but they do the same work as their direct reports.”

I see it all the time. The principal who, rather than coach the assistant principal to manage her team more effectively, steps in to take teachers off her caseload or handles her difficult conversations. The head of schools who, instead of creating a comprehensive growth plan for the principal, steps in to fill perceived gaps, usually based on their own experience as a principal. It happens in classrooms too - the teacher who telegraphs the answers instead of giving students space to grapple and learn on their own.

We don’t do our direct report’s jobs for them maliciously. We take on the jobs of others usually because we want to help. We feel the urgency of “getting it right” and we know kids don’t have time to wait while adults figure it out. We also take on the jobs of others because we haven’t fully embraced or don’t truly understand our new role, and are leaning on what we know how to do already.

The problem is, we have the job we have because it is essential to the organization and the leadership pipeline. The principal has to coach the AP to grow stronger so she can grow teachers. Chances are if she is struggling with this one teacher, she will struggle with another one soon enough. The head of school has to coach and develop the principal so we disrupt the pernicious cycle of black and brown kids being more likely to have inexperienced principals who leave more frequently. Teachers have to let kids grapple.

Some might say that we just don’t have the talent in education right now to let people do their jobs. I’ve seen a lot of schools and I can tell you the talent is here in DC. Just yesterday I was in a school with a principal who was very clear about her work and the work of others. Teachers were filling every nook and cranny of the school, using every minute they could to pour into students. Even before the pandemic, we’ve always had this challenge of doing the work of others. Also, the challenge is not limited to the education sector. When I had a college internship at L’Oreal, I sat in on a meeting with my boss where she gave her manager feedback about not letting her do her own work. If we aren’t paying attention to doing the work of others, we are almost certainly doing the work of others.

The most important people in establishing systemic change are executive leaders. That’s why we created EdEx. We want to help executive level leaders get the job done while creating the conditions for others to do theirs. Check out the chart below. How aligned is your everyday to your job to be done?

The purpose of EdEx is to support current and future systems level leaders, excluding executive directors. EdEx is not intended to develop executive directors or their immediate successors. If you are a new or incoming executive director, check out our partner Greenhouse E3.

As our city faces a tough financial road ahead, while continuing to recover from and surpass gains lost during the pandemic, it will take a class of well developed, talented leaders who are doing their own work at every level. In a landscape where leadership efficacy is paramount, EdEx stands as a beacon, guiding executives towards ensuring that every role, at every level, fulfills its purpose and fosters a cascade of effectiveness and longevity throughout the organization.

We are committed to making EdEx available to as many leaders as possible, and we’re aware of the financial demands many organizations are facing right now. Due to the generous support of Education Forward DC, we are able to offer EdEx at a reduced cost during this inaugural cohort. Please see above for pricing information.

Ready? Click here to apply to EdEx by 3/22 for early bird pricing. Applications are due on 4/22.