Search Is Only One Moment
BY Katherine Stuart - President of TEG & Search CONSULTANT
Last year a Board Chair told me that one of the reasons they hired The Education Group was simple: they sensed we would work harder. I have thought about that comment ever since. Not because working harder is a particularly sophisticated strategy, but because it says something important about how TEG has always approached this work: with an intentionally limited number of clients and a highly personalized approach. We have never believed that more searches necessarily mean better searches, or that the most familiar choice is always the right one. In fact, some of the things our industry has taught us to value may not actually produce the best outcomes.
One of those assumptions is that executive search is primarily a hiring process: a Head announced a departure, a Search Committee was formed, candidates were recruited and interviewed, and the Board selected the next leader. The more we do this work, the more convinced I am that search is only one moment in a much bigger leadership story.
A Search Committee naturally begins with the question, “Who should we hire?” But I think there is a bigger and ultimately more important question: “How do we prepare the school, select the right leader, and create the conditions for that person and the school to succeed?”
That last question changes the conversation.
The Search Begins Before the Announcement
Ideally, leadership transition planning begins long before a Head announces a departure. Boards should regularly talk about succession, emergency leadership plans, institutional priorities, and the qualities the school may need in its next leader. That should not be interpreted as dissatisfaction with the current Head; it is simply good governance.
A prepared Board understands the process it will follow, has considered whether an interim might be helpful, and knows how it will communicate with the community. Without that preparation, schools can find themselves beginning a search while simultaneously trying to resolve larger questions about strategy, governance, leadership structure, and institutional direction.
A Search Should Create Alignment
A strong search helps the Board and Search Committee develop a shared understanding of the school’s culture, priorities, challenges, and future.
Candidates listen carefully throughout the search. If trustees tell different stories, or the position profile does not reflect the realities of the job, candidates may not understand what they are actually being asked to lead. An honest, specific profile does not scare away strong candidates; it will help attract the right ones.
The search should also help a committee distinguish between what individuals may want and what the school truly needs. Evaluation tools are useful, but selecting a Head cannot be reduced to a point system. As the field narrows, thoughtful discussion and a willingness to ask harder questions matter most.
The Appointment Is Not the Finish Line
Recent NAIS research reinforces why this larger view matters. While overall Head of School turnover has declined, approximately one in five new Heads still leaves within the first three years. NAIS has also reported that 44% of Heads considered leaving their positions because of stress or burnout during the previous year.
An early departure does not necessarily mean the wrong person was selected. Sometimes the search was strong, but the transition was not. Expectations may have been unclear, or the new leader may have inherited challenges that were not fully disclosed or understood. At TEG we help search committees truly focus on discerning priorities and putting first things first. We help the search committee design the onboarding process and help establish the right transition.
Too often, everyone simply exhales once the contract is signed. The announcement goes out, the Board returns to business as usual, and the new Head is expected to take it from there. In reality, that is precisely when the next phase of the work should begin.
Transition Support Has to Be Intentional
A thoughtful transition connects an incoming Head to the people, history, relationships, and decisions that shape a school while establishing clear expectations around priorities, communication, the Board/Head partnership, and evaluation.
The first year should not become a test of how quickly a new Head can prove the Board made the right choice. Boards can help by establishing realistic goals and distinguishing between issues requiring immediate attention and those that should wait until the Head has had time to listen, build relationships, and understand the institution.
Executive coaching can be an important part of that support, and one of the best times to begin may actually be before the new Head officially starts. The period between appointment and arrival gives a leader valuable time to think through expectations, Board dynamics, communication, family transition, early decisions, and how to enter the community well. Coaching should not be reserved for a Head who is struggling, or who is in their first year of headship. A confidential thought partner who understands independent schools can be an investment in a leader’s effectiveness and longevity.
Leadership Continuity Is the Larger Goal
I think our sector is slowly moving away from viewing executive search as a single transaction, and that is a very good thing. A stronger model connects succession planning, search, transition, executive coaching, and governance as parts of the same leadership-continuity process. Each part strengthens the others, and each contributes to the long-term health of the school.
Finding the right leader matters enormously, but search is only one moment in a much longer leadership story. The true measure of success comes years later, when we can ask whether the Board and Head are working effectively together, the school is stronger, and whether its mission is advancing.
Maybe the standard we should challenge is how we measure a successful search.