S5. Establish Collective Goals – Coach and Practice
This behaviour develops a leader’s ability to align teams around a small number of shared priorities that drive real progress.
Behaviour focus
Helping leaders move from broad ambitions to focused, measurable goals that connect personal effort to collective impact.
Purpose
To build alignment, motivation, and accountability through clarity of shared purpose.
| Action Steps | Key Questions | Practice |
| Identify what truly matters. | Which few priorities would most improve student outcomes or culture? | Ask the leader to write three potential goals, then narrow to one that is both high-impact and achievable. |
| Translate vision into measurable outcomes. | How will you know when you’ve achieved it? What evidence will show progress? | Practise turning a broad aim into a measurable statement using the format: From X to Y by Z date. |
| Involve others in shaping the goal. | How can you ensure that staff feel ownership, not compliance? | Practise facilitating a team discussion where everyone contributes to defining success criteria. |
| Review and recommit regularly. | How will you keep the goal alive once it’s agreed? | Plan a short monthly check-in structure to review progress. Practise the opening of that meeting so it sounds motivating rather than mechanical. |