Adapting leadership across culture and context with Helen Olds, Director, The British International School of Jeddah (Ep. 184)

In this episode of The Independent School Podcast, Juliet Corbett is joined by Helen Olds, Director of the British International School Jeddah, with more than 20 years of leadership experience across international schools in Asia and the Middle East.In this thoughtful conversation, they explore how leadership needs to adapt across cultures and contexts without losing authenticity, and why understanding people is just as important as understanding systems when leading in international settings.Together they explore:How leadership needs to shift across different cultures and contextsThe balance between structure and freedom in complex school environmentsWhy values and purpose matter as anchors for decision makingHow leaders create the conditions for learning, growth and creativityThis episode is for you if you’re a senior leader working across cultures or systems, navigating complexity, or considering a move into the international school sector and reflecting on how your leadership style might need to adapt.Thank you so much for listening to The Independent School Podcast. I would be grateful if you could spare a couple of minutes to send me some feedback here. This helps me make the podcast as helpful as possible to listeners. Thank you!