If you’ve ever watched a team come from behind to win, you’ve witnessed the power of belief. I saw it firsthand last weekend as my Denver Broncos—yes, my Broncos—went on the road to face the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Trailing by 14 points as the fourth quarter began, it looked like a young, […]
Leadership isn’t a destination. It’s a journey. And like any worthwhile journey, growth requires more than good intentions—it requires intentional steps along the way. This past week, I had the privilege of spending three days in Florida at a keynote speaker retreat. It was an opportunity to step out of my day-to-day work and focus […]
It’s the end of September, and the energy of a new school year feels different now than it did just a few weeks ago. The excitement of the first days has faded, the shine has worn off, and for many leaders, the honeymoon is officially over. In conversations with leaders this week, I heard the […]
We’ve all heard them. We’ve all used them. Words that sound powerful in meetings or presentations but often mean very different things to different people. Collaboration. Accountability. Engagement. Professional Development. These are what I call leadership buzzwords. The problem isn’t the words themselves—it’s the lack of clarity behind them. Without definition, buzzwords can frustrate our […]
Early in my leadership career as a principal, I often engaged with teachers or staff members who made a poor choice or missed a deadline in a rather authoritative manner. My default was to open with questions like “Why did you do that?” or “Why isn’t this finished yet?” Those questions immediately put people on […]
As a building-level principal, I often felt like I was moving in and out of different roles and having to lead very situationally. I might find myself in classrooms one moment serving as a coach, a supporter, or even a cheerleader for my staff. At other times, simply by being present and visible, I was […]
When I look back on my time as a high school principal, I can clearly see the days when our culture was thriving—and the days when it wasn’t. What made the difference wasn’t a program or a new initiative. It was the way our people—teachers, staff, and students—felt about being part of the school community. […]
As a building-level leader, I found that the start of the school year often brought me incredible energy. During the first couple of weeks, I was in every classroom, greeting students in the hallways, and having conversations with staff that deepened our relationships. Those were the moments that mattered most — building trust, reinforcing expectations, […]
There’s nothing quite like the first days of school.The hallways are buzzing with conversation, classrooms hum with energy, and even the coffee tastes better. The start of a new year brings a wave of optimism, fresh ideas, and a sense that this is the year when everything clicks. But here’s the reality: momentum is fragile. […]
A few weeks ago, I asked a leadership team I was coaching a seemingly simple question: “What does success look like for your school this year?” Five people.Five very different answers. That moment—awkward, eye-opening, and important—reminded me of something I’ve seen again and again in schools across the country: we can’t assume clarity. We have […]
