AAIE’S LEADERSHIP MASTERMINDS

Masterminds

 

Registration for AAIE Leadership Masterminds’ New Cohorts 

 

Leadership can be lonely. Let’s change that!

While we’ve moved beyond pandemic struggles, our AAIE community has learned that leaders do better when we break out of isolation and learn in conversation and community. And the challenges keep coming.

Since early 2020, AAIE-sponsored Mastermind groups have offered numerous international school leaders a safe, trusted, provocative space for honest discussions around personal and professional topics of their choosing. In monthly virtual meetings, we’ve shared problems, designed solutions, and offered support to one another in ways that energize and grow capacity to lead into the future. 

AAIE Masterminds builds on protocols used in similar leadership groups used in many other professional settings. Each month, one participant takes the “hotseat” to introduce a question or dilemma for feedback from the group. We also reserve time in each hourly session for open discussion of pressing questions, advice, and shared wins. Participants drive all of these conversations. 
 

AAIE Leadership Masterminds 6.0!

Registration is now open for our sixth cohort of Leadership Masterminds led by Homa Tavangar and Will Richardson of the BIG Questions Institute, which convenes in September 2023.

Don’t miss this acclaimed experience for fostering learning in an intimate atmosphere of trust, honesty and shared leadership. Find out why so many international school leaders rely on Masterminds for their personal and professional growth.

As part of a cohort you can expect to:

  • Break the isolation you might experience in your role by committing to regular monthly meetings and ongoing backchannel conversations with other international school leaders.
  • Set goals, brainstorm and test ideas, and get feedback and support in a safe, trusting environment. 
  • Build accountability to keep moving forward on your innovation and change plans, while gaining tools to confront obstacles. 
  • Engage in an active learning and self-improvement process through conversations around articles, books, podcasts and other media from various fields.

 


 

WHAT

Two Mastermind groups capped at 15 participants, that meet monthly for eight (8) months.

WHo

Registration is open to AAIE Member school heads, assistant heads AND division leaders. 

WHen

Groups meet once per month, on the first Tuesday of the month, beginning on

September 5, 2023 until April 2, 2024

Choose one of these two times:

7 pm MANILA (7 am US ET)

or

6 pm CAPE TOWN (12 pm US ET)

cost

$545 for the entire year for AAIE members.


 

Reflections from prior Mastermind participants

Dr. Michelle Kleiss, Head of School, The Overseas School of Colombo (Sri Lanka)

"I participated in the Mastermind cohort during one of the most intense and challenging periods of my professional career. The expert coaching from Homa and Will, and camaraderie with other school leaders, helped me navigate beyond immediate fires, consider new modes of thinking, and integrate different ideas and points of view to identify solutions that were even better than before."

Ben Thrash, Deputy Head of School, International School of Helsinki

"I admit that committing to the monthly sessions in the midst of everything else on my plate was not easy. But during and after each session, I was reminded of why I joined. These expertly moderated sessions provided a critical opportunity for me to lift my head up and connect with diverse colleagues managing unique leadership challenges. In both sharing with and supporting colleagues, I was reminded of what's important in leadership, routinely recommitting to the difficult work in front of us. This learning commitment helped me to keep moving forward."

Dr. Emmanuel Bonin, Head of School, French International School of Hong Kong (previously at Shanghai American School)

 “It is essential for school leaders to regularly take a step back from their immediate environment, seek perspective and reflect on their practice. In what has been a challenging year (what year has not been since 2020?), the once-a-month, Tuesday evening Mastermind cohort sessions with Homa, Will, and a group of like-minded colleagues from around the world provided a welcome respite and a lifeline of reflection and ideas. Regular meetings and a stable group foster a unique collegiality and a degree of solidarity that help sustain challenging and thought-provoking reflections. I recommend it to all aspiring and current leaders in search for a meaningful and enjoyable professional learning experience”.

Preston Emerton, Director General, American Nicaraguan School

"Masterminds allowed me to think out loud with other passionate school leaders to problem solve or troubleshoot relevant topics.  With this year being one crisis after another, it was comforting to know that I could collaborate with the Masterminds group to process what I was feeling and plan a course of action to make it all make sense."

Karrie Dietz, Head of School, Stamford American School Hong Kong

"Thank you for offering Masterminds. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the group, and perhaps a bigger take away for me was the coaching style Homa and Will modeled. I found it fascinating to observe their questioning and interactions to prompt further thinking, pull ideas together and include everyone. It has prompted me to reflect on my role when facilitating groups. Again, thank you!"

registRATION for masterminds 6.0 IS NOW CLOSED

 

Questions

Please contact Gerri-Ann Friedman at gerri-ann@aaie.org with questions. Space is limited in each cohort, and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.