If you ask Brian Cooklin, and many have over the years, he will tell you that most educational partnerships usually take shape in the informal exchanges that reveal what people actually value. Cooklin’s career, which includes leadership roles across the UK, Hong Kong, India and several other international school systems, shows that collaboration only gains traction when both sides recognise the same underlying purpose. “Partnerships built on convenience rarely last,” he says. “The ones that work grow from a shared belief in what schools can achieve together.”
Starting with a Purpose Both Sides Recognise
The early moments of partnership, where both sides circle around an idea without yet knowing whether they see the same thing, are the most telling because they reveal whether a shared purpose genuinely exists. “Every successful partnership begins with a shared vision,” he says. “In education, that vision should always centre around improving student learning and development.” Rather than pushing agreements too quickly, he encourages leaders to spend time testing alignment. What does each side hope will actually change for students? What problems feel urgent? Which outcomes feel worth the effort? When these answers line up, conversations take on a different tone. People become clearer, more direct and more willing to invest. “That’s when a partnership shifts from idea to intention,” he says.
Honest and Ongoing Exchange
The everyday pressures of working together are often the moments that most clearly reveal whether the partnership can hold. In practice, he sees trust in the small, consistent exchanges where both sides feel they can speak plainly. Communication break downs or when partners discover that their assumptions were off, are the stress points when trust either solidifies or dissolves. “Trust is the foundation of any enduring collaboration,” he says. “Without it, even the most promising partnership can falter.” For him, transparency is the only way to build this trust. Instead of skirting discomfort, he encourages leaders to name issues early so the partnership does not buckle later under unspoken tension. “Regular dialogue and honest feedback build stronger bonds,” he says.
Value That Extends Beyond the Project
When it comes to assessing the value of a strategic partnership in education, Cooklin is less concerned with outputs and more interested in what enables shifts in the daily experience of students, teachers and communities. “A true partnership benefits everyone involved,” he says, though he emphasises that the benefits rarely look identical on each side. For example, he recalls partnerships where teachers discovered new methods through cross-school exchanges, or where students accessed opportunities that had previously felt out of reach. Sometimes the value appeared in more subtle ways, such as a community feeling more connected to its school or teachers gaining confidence to experiment in the classroom. These are the changes that signal real impact. For him, the benchmark of success comes down to one question: does the work continue to shape practice after the partnership’s formal end? If the answer is yes, then the collaboration has done its job.
A Leadership Perspective That Endures
Listening, Cooklin says, is the most underrated leadership skill in partnership work. “When both parties feel heard and respected,” he says, “they’re more likely to stay committed to shared success.” While communication styles shift with culture, the need to feel understood does not. Many collaborations face roadblocks because someone feels overlooked along the way. Cooklin’s solution is to create space for every voice before decisions are set. It’s a mindset that reflects a larger conviction that collaboration is neither tidy nor predictable; it requires patience and the willingness to stay open even when progress feels uneven. “I encourage every educational leader to look for opportunities to collaborate, share expertise and create partnerships that inspire lasting progress,” he says.
Connect with Brian Cooklin on LinkedIn or visit his website for more insights.
