What happens when you ask an 11-year-old student, “Who do you want to be?” instead of “What do you want to be?” 🤔 In this episode of An Imperfect Leader, we sit down with Jennifer Tickle, former Head of School at the International School of Siena, Italy (now the Head of School in Monza), for a candid conversation about values, vulnerability, and the complex systems of international school leadership.
Here are some themes from our discussion:
1️⃣ Define the “Who” Before the “What” Rather than relying on inherited values, Jen led a collaborative appreciative inquiry process with students, parents, and teachers to discover who they wanted to be. This deep community alignment centered on three core anchors: Respect, Integrity, and Compassion.
2️⃣ The 9-Month Recruitment Reality Check (Systems Thinking) In an honest “After Action Review,” Jen shares the raw reality of trying to recruit a highly qualified, non-European physics teacher without fully anticipating the bilateral visa challenges of her host country.
3️⃣ Reframing AI as a “Library Assistant” How do we teach critical thinking when answers are just a click away? In her Grade 7 music class, Jen teaches students to use AI ethically (not to write the work, but to act as a digital “library assistant” guiding them to the right book on the shelf).
True leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about having the humility to admit mistakes, learn alongside your community, and lead relationally.
🎧 Tune in to the full episode (And yes, you’ll hear about Peter’s newfound obsession with padel!).
#AnImperfectLeader #InternationalEducation #SchoolLeadership #AISH #Podcasserole #ValuesDrivenLeadership #RestorativePractices #SystemsThinking #GlobalRecruitment #EdTechIntegrity
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Follow Host Peter Stiepleman on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-stiepleman-76004819a/ Website: https://imperfectleader.com/
Follow Co-host Jamie Almanzán on:
Connect with APC Leadership Collaborative for support in navigating complex leadership situations: https://www.apccollab.com
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An Imperfect Leader is sponsored by IXL. Boost learning with a platform proven to deliver results. IXL gives educators a complete K–12 curriculum and personalized learning plans that adapt to every student.
Trusted by over 1 million teachers and 96 of the top 100 school districts, IXL helps schools outperform on state tests, and helps teachers focus on what matters most.
IXL: Powerful data. Personalized learning. Real progress.
Discover what IXL can do for your school at IXL.com/imperfect
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American education is at a crossroads, and the fight for justice cannot wait. Ezekiel Dixon-Roman and Sonya Douglass of Teachers College present The Politics of Possibility, a powerful series confronting the rollback of civil rights and student erasure. Featuring global voices, the series offers real strategies to honor every student’s history. Watch Season 1 now.
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The Mosaic Project, one of our favorite organizations, has over 25 years of experience empowering students to celebrate differences, communicate assertively, and resolve conflicts peacefully at their outdoor school. Their innovative SEL curriculum is now available to An Imperfect Leader listeners at a 10% discount through their new documentary film-based Mosaic Classroom Project!
The Project’s ready-to-use lesson plans include film, original music, “gametivities”, and real conversations. We’re proud to partner with The Mosaic Project in helping educators build inclusive, peaceful learning communities! Just mention An Imperfect Leader during the onboarding process to receive the 10% discount.
Learn more about The Mosaic Classroom Project.
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Think differently. Think in systems. Reach out to The Waters Center for Systems Thinking to learn more about how systems thinking capacity building can strengthen your team and organization.
Homepage: www.waterscenterst.org
Thinking Tools Studio: https://thinkingtoolsstudio.waterscenterst.org
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An Imperfect Leader: Leadership in (After) Action is supported by ILAA, LLC, a firm dedicated to supporting aspiring, new, and established leaders. For more information, please find them at imperfectleader.com.
Music for An Imperfect Leader was written and arranged by Ian Varley.
Sam Falbo created our artwork, a wood-print inspired daruma doll butterfly.
