The 1-in-60 Rule for Collective Improvement Journeys

30-Second Version

• In aviation, the 1-in-60 rule states that for every 1-degree deviation from course, a plane will be 1 mile off target for every 60 miles flown.
• Small misalignments early in the journey lead to significant gaps in the long run.
• The same applies to school improvement – if your team isn’t clear on what you aim to achieve and how you’ll get there, progress will drift.
• Many schools complete improvement plan templates, but true strategic clarity goes beyond a filled-out form.
• Before momentum picks up, check: Does your team share a precise understanding of the key improvements you’re working toward?

The Full Read

At this point in the year, most schools I work with have a completed improvement plan. It’s a system requirement. But when I ask leadership teams simple questions – What are you precisely trying to achieve? How do you plan to get there? – I often get vague or varied responses.

This is where the 1-in-60 rule from aviation becomes relevant. Pilots know that even a minor deviation at the start leads to substantial misalignment from their destination. The same holds for school improvement. Slight misalignments in your goals or strategies at the beginning of the year can compound into significant gaps in impact by year’s end.

Strategic drift doesn’t just happen because of external challenges – it occurs when a team lacks shared clarity on where they are headed and how they will get there. The risk of veering off course increases when improvement plans exist as compliance documents rather than lived roadmaps.

The solution? Keep working to create a shared strategic direction, and don’t settle for a completed template. Leaders who achieve significant, lasting change keep their teams tightly aligned on the what, why, how, and how we will know of their collective improvement work.