Beyond Experience: Building a more evidence-led approach to leadership recruitment

For many years, leadership recruitment has relied heavily on experience, track record and instinct. While these factors remain important, the complexity of leadership today demands a more evidence-led approach.

We have been exploring how data can help uncover the competencies that truly differentiate successful leaders, not just today, but in the years ahead. Through extensive research, stakeholder engagement, and data analysis, they are developing a competency-based leadership framework designed to assess leadership capability in a more objective, consistent and future-focused way.

Our work has identified several recurring themes that define effective leadership across education settings. These include:

• Strategic future focus and leading through change – inspiring others with a clear vision, preparing young people for an evolving world of work, embracing innovation and technology, and navigating ambiguity with resilience.
• Relational leadership – balancing support and challenge, building trust, understanding the needs of pupils, parents and staff, and leading with empathy while maintaining accountability.
• Personal impact and values – demonstrating authenticity, humility, inclusivity and a visible commitment to the values that shape organisational culture.
• Quality and standards – maintaining high expectations, empowering others, championing best practice and ensuring excellence in education and operational delivery.
• Analysis and decision-making – using evidence to guide decisions, understanding commercial realities, assessing risk effectively and responding with pace when circumstances demand it.

The framework, AQ Insights, is in testing phase (due to launch in September) but has already proved value beyond recruitment; organisations are beginning to use it to support succession planning, leadership development, performance conversations, and targeted training programmes.

By creating a common language around leadership capability, it becomes easier to identify strengths, spot development opportunities and build leadership pipelines for the future. This evolving piece of work is a new innovative approach, and we are keen to hear from colleagues across the sector and gather their thoughts in the final stages of development.

We have already engaged with Heads and Chairs, from both MATs and independent schools, however we are looking to open this up further to ensure the final framework is robustly designed around the challenges you and your school are facing.

If you would like to contribute to the research please email schools@andersonquigley.com, or to learn more about the framework and how it could support your recruitment, succession planning or leadership development activity please contact Hayley Mintern.