Have you ever wondered why some schools grow effortlessly? They never seem to stumble, and success comes easily to them: it’s as though they couldn’t fail if they wanted to.

Meanwhile, the remaining schools, like most, view success as somewhat distant and unreachable.

Their success is analysed and forensically investigated as though a single innovation has unlocked their growth trajectory. Is their STEM program more revolutionary than ours? If only we could construct buildings using the same mind-blowing composite materials!   

Naturally, leaders seek to emulate this success for their schools. Finding the key could save years of exertion and create an immediate breakthrough they desperately desire.

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts. It’s the result of the Flywheel Effect.

What Is the Flywheel Effect

Jim Collins first introduced the Flywheel Effect in his classic Good to Great. He used it to explain the “overnight” successes of companies that transformed from good to great. The concept is based on physics: effort is consistently - underline this word - input to gain momentum, but once it does, it requires very little to keep it going.

An example of the Flywheel Effect for schools is displayed below.

In this example, the school opts to invest in their teachers. They understand they can’t guarantee parents a quality education for their children without quality teachers.

The Flywheel Effect on Schools

So, they invest in them, recruit well, ensure their development is ongoing and of high quality, set elevated benchmarks, and help their teachers achieve them. They raise C-grade teachers to become B-graders and B-grade teachers to become A-graders. Successful schools set them up to succeed, and they actively demonstrate their value.

Then, they provide the resources their quality teachers need today and in the future. These schools don’t hesitate to equip those they’ve invested heavily.

Buildings are transformed for learning needs, not the other way around. Professional Learning is now rigorous and accountable - and less junket-like. Teachers are given authentic, difference-making time to contemplate, collaborate, and create.

They're honest with parents and students about the curriculum they’re offering. These schools understand they can’t please all, so there’s no room for Latin catering for three students. They don’t claim they’re all for individual learning when seeking to increase their average study scores. They tell it how it is and deride everything it’s not.

The Flywheel Gathers Momentum

These first three rotations of the flywheel excite current parents. They value the direction the school is taking and zealously communicate this with friends and family. Unsurprisingly, it piques interest within the community and increases parent enquiries.

Finally, the enrolment team is inundated with students. Waiting lists extend deeper into future years, and parents madly enrol their pre-born babies, hoping to secure a place.

And, if the flywheel continues, it becomes more effective with less effort.

The Opposite of the Flywheel Effect: The Doom Loop

There’s always an opposing side to the proverbial coin.

Many schools don’t enjoy the benefit of a perpetual flywheel. Instead, they succumb to Collin’s Doom Loop – the antithesis of the Flywheel Effect.

An example of the Doom Loop for schools is displayed below.

Doom Loops occur because the consistency of disciplined effort is not applied correctly. Leaders seek an immediate breakthrough, a quick fix. They are unprepared to comprehend the complexities required to succeed and then commit to plodding forward to achieve it.

School leaders who are not consciously building momentum through the Flywheel Effect tend to launch flashy new programs. They desperately hope this next [insert trendy fad program here] will circumvent the laborious build-up phase toward sustainable momentum. Maybe this is the edge they’ve been missing?

Fixes That Fail

Peter M. Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization, discusses the Fixes That Fail system archetype.

It’s a more concise depiction of a Doom Loop. It effectively highlights why Doom Loops exist and why schools get caught.

Leaders readily identify the problem (enrolment numbers are dropping) and then create an easy fix (reducing fees). The easy fix has unintended consequences (the community perceives the school is in trouble), and the same problem reappears, requiring another/different fix.

The Myth of Staying the Course

School leaders sometimes firmly believe that staying the course will ultimately lead to success – no matter the course. But if the direction is flawed, gaining momentum on the flywheel will only escalate the error.

Imagine a plane heading from Perth (Australia) to Heathrow (UK) deviating 1° south for the complete flight. Given the required fuel reserves onboard, landing at Heathrow might still be possible, but it would have flown 253km off its pre-determined path. Instead, landing at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (France) might be a safer bet.

If the airline's success is measured by the proximity of landing at the destination airport, their desired outcomes have been achieved. However, for passengers trying to reach the UK, it is a bit inconvenient.

How Does the Flywheel Effect Sync with Strategy

If strategy is defined as overcoming obstacles between where you are and what you want to achieve, then the Flywheel Effect can be defined as the process that executes that choice.

As highlighted by the airline's deviation, the Flywheel Effect can only be as successful as the vision and strategy that underpin it. A flawed vision expands to a flawed approach, resulting in a flawed flywheel.

A single misstep may seem innocuous until it's extrapolated over time.

This is why getting your school strategy right is critical. Taking shortcuts through the process creates doubt for leaders when the momentum seems challenging to attain and the breakthrough they desperately need appears impossible.

School leaders who ensure their strategy is correct can benefit from the Flywheel Effect. It assures them that each rotation is a step in the right direction – and if they keep going, the momentum from their team’s efforts will eventually result in success.