Leading an Independent School is Relational Work
The effectiveness of your leadership team, how they communicate, collaborate, and navigate challenges together, shapes everything from faculty culture to strategic execution. Yet even the most talented teams benefit from intentional investment in how they work together.
How can SAIS help develop my school’s leadership team?
Through a strengths-based approach grounded in the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment and facilitated by Gallup-certified facilitators who understand the independent school context, we help leadership teams move from functional to flourishing.
Each engagement follows a consistent four-phase implementation process from discovery through follow-up, ensuring that the work is tailored to your school’s specific mission and goals, and that insights gained extend well beyond the session itself.
Pricing
We offer four flexible service options: Partnership, Team Development, Leadership Workshops, and Hiring. Each is designed to meet your leadership journey and the school where it is. Click below to learn more.
Whether you’re navigating a leadership transition, preparing for strategic planning, or simply ready to deepen the trust and effectiveness of your team, there is a pathway here for you.
Partnership
Strengths-based coaching for key leadership pairs
Key leadership pairs in independent schools:
- Head of School + Board Chair
- Head of School + any member of the leadership team
- Division Head + Department Chairs or Deans
- Enrollment Director + Advancement Director
- And more
By the end of this engagement, each pair will be able to:
- Articulate each leader’s natural strengths
- Apply communication strategies tailored to their partner’s talents
- Navigate tension or misalignment constructively
- Use a shared relationship guide for ongoing collaboration
- 3 virtual facilitated strengths-based discussions to deepen mutual understanding
- A co-created custom relationship guide developed specifically for this partnership
- 1:1 assessment review + coaching for strengthening relationships
- Transition support for role changes or leadership advancement
None. This is a standalone service. It may be combined with Team Development for broader organizational impact. Available to member and non-member schools.
Virtual – up to three 1-hour facilitated sessions via video conference
| Members | Non-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitation Fee | $495 | $599 |
| CliftonStrengths Top 5 | $20 per person | $20 per person |
| Clifton Strengths Full 34 | $50 per person | $50 per person |
- Top 5 identifies each leader’s five most dominant strengths, with actionable strategies for applying them at work.
- Full 34 reveals the full ranking of all strengths, including blind spots, how your talents interact, and deeper personalization strategies. Recommended for pairs working through significant tension or transition.
Assessment costs are per participant. A pair completing the Top 5 would add $40 total; a pair completing the Full 34 would add $100 total.
Team Development
Strengths-based facilitation for teams ready to collaborate more effectively
- Leadership teams
- Administrative cabinets
- Department heads
- Grade level teams
- A school team engaged in strategic planning, culture building, or organizational development
- Ideal for teams of 4-12 participants
By the end of this engagement, your team will be able to:
- Identify collective strengths and blind spots
- Leverage diverse work styles to enhance problem-solving and collaboration
- Align team composition with strategic priorities and organizational goals
- Apply a shared framework for communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution
- Up to 4 hours of facilitated sessions with your team
- Team strength and blind spot identification
- Strengths-based team-building activities
- Strategy alignment with team composition
- Action planning for improved collaboration
Each team member completes the strengths assessment two weeks before the facilitation date.
| Virtual Facilitation | In-Person Facilitation | |
|---|---|---|
| Members | $1,495 | $1,995 + facilitator travel |
| Non-Members | $2,499 | $2,999 + facilitator travel |
| CliftonStrengths Top 5 | $20 per person | $20 per person |
| Clifton Strengths Full 34 | $50 per person | $50 per person |
* In-person sessions include the facilitator’s travel fees, invoiced separately. Assessment fees apply regardless of format.
- Top 5 identifies each person’s five most dominant strengths, with actionable strategies for applying them at work.
- 34 reveals the full ranking of all 34 strengths, including how team members’ talents interact, where blind spots may emerge, and deeper personalization strategies. Recommended for teams doing strategic planning or navigating significant change.
Assessment costs are per participant. A pair completing the Top 5 would add $40 total; a pair completing the Full 34 would add $100 total.
This service is designed for teams of 4-12. For larger teams, contact Elizabeth Maglio at elizabeth@sais.org to discuss options. Available to member and non-member schools. May be combined with Partnership for targeted support of key leadership pairs.
Strengths-Based Leadership Workshops
Built for conferences, summits, forums, or any learning event with 20 or more participants
Participants will be introduced to CliftonStrengths, a research-based framework used by high-performing leaders worldwide. Through facilitated discussion and activities guided by a Gallup Strengths-certified coach, each person will translate their unique strengths profile into a practical leadership strategy.
Any independent school leader, teacher, or staff member seeking greater self-awareness and looking to lead with more clarity and purpose
By the end of the workshop, participants will have:
- A clear understanding of their unique leadership strengths.
- Insight into how their strengths shape their leadership style.
- Practical strategies to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.
- Tools to better engage and develop the people around them.
- Up to 4 hours of facilitated sessions with your team
- Team strength and blind spot identification
- Strengths-based team-building activities
- Strategy alignment with team composition
- Action planning for improved collaboration
Available to SAIS members only. Each participant completes a CliftonStrengths assessment before arriving. After registering, participants receive a unique access code two weeks before the session. Two assessment options are available:
- CliftonStrengths Top 5 identifies each leader’s five most dominant strengths, with actionable strategies for applying them at work.
- CliftonStrengths Full 34 reveals the complete ranking of all strengths, including blind spots, how talents interact, and deeper personalization strategies. Recommended when leaders are navigating significant tension or transition.
In-Person – up to 2-hours; facilitator travel fees, invoiced separately
| Members | |
|---|---|
| Facilitation Fee | $3,500 + facilitator travel |
| CliftonStrengths Top 5 | $20 per person |
| Clifton Strengths Full 34 | $50 per person |
Hiring
Designed as an awareness tool
Schools and organizations working to build a diverse pipeline of future leaders need to understand a candidate’s strengths and natural talents. Recruiters and hiring leaders can make better decisions when empowered with a more holistic picture of each candidate, their knowledge, skills, experience, and talent potential.
Use it not to guide your school in selecting a final candidate, but to gain a better understanding of their unique strengths and talents that could help them feel fulfilled in a position. Additionally, it could be used for future professional learning opportunities to support each candidate, based on their unique strengths and talents.
Heads, Associate heads, division heads, and HR professionals
By the end of this engagement, your team will be able to:
- Make better decisions with a more holistic picture of each candidate, their knowledge, skills, experience, and talent potential.
- Understand a candidate’s natural talents and strengths.
- Understanding the strengths and talents profile for each candidate
- Building a strengths-based team
- Strategy alignment with team composition
- Onboarding strategy recommendations
None. This is a standalone service. This service is available to both member and non-member schools.
Virtual – 45 minutes with the hiring manager after a candidate has taken their assessment
| Members | Non-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Facilitation Fee | $495 | $599 |
| CliftonStrengths Top 5 (per person) | $20 per person | $20 per person |
| Clifton Strengths Full 34 (per person) | $50 per person | $50 per person |
- Top 5 identifies each leader’s five most dominant strengths, with actionable strategies for applying them at work.
- Full 34 reveals the full ranking of all strengths, including blind spots, how your talents interact, and deeper personalization strategies.
Ready to move your leadership teams from functional to flourishing?
Facilitators
Elizabeth Maglio