“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.” — William Hutchison Murray There’s a story often told about a military commander who landed his troops on enemy shores and immediately ordered the boats burned. There would be no retreat. No reconsidering. No turning back. The only path forward was through. This idea, “burning the boats”, represents the moment when a leader fully commits

“The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying.” — Steven Pressfield There is a battle most leaders never name out loud. It doesn’t show up on a data dashboard. It doesn’t appear in an accountability rating. But it quietly shapes outcomes every day. It’s internal resistance. In The War of Art , author Steven Pressfield describes Resistance as the invisible force that rises up whenever we attempt to grow. He writ

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” — Phil Jackson Every spring, the same question echoes through schools across Texas: “How do we prepare our students for STAAR?”  Too often, the answer turns into packets, drills, countdowns, and a narrowing of instruction that disengages both students and teachers. But high-performing campuses know something different. The schools that consistently see growth don’t “prep for STAAR.”

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” — Benjamin Franklin On Saturday, January 24th, I woke up early, around 3:30 a.m., as I usually do on Saturdays, ready for a planned 22-mile run. Instead, I was greeted by a hard truth: 34 degrees, rapidly dropping temperatures from a major cold front, and steady, driving rain. About a half mile in, I turned back. The rain wasn’t just cold, it was painful. A true downpour. I quickly realized my gear plan was wrong and that I needed

“Mutual accountability means we give each other permission to tell the truth in service of the work.” - Jim Knight Over the past several years of facilitating work with principals and their Guiding Coalitions (teacher leadership teams), I have been intentional about collecting feedback and studying which strategies actually move the needle during school improvement efforts. Across academic and behavioral systems, school-wide structures, and campus culture work, a few consist

"We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." - John Dewey Once again, we have reached the midpoint of the school year. As I do with the leaders I serve, this moment offers a powerful opportunity to pause and reflect—on the work we are grateful to do, the successes from the fall, the adjustments that need to be made, and the intentional planning required for summer 2026 and the 2026–2027 school year. This can be a tempting time to coast. But tha

"Expectations are infinite. Time is finite. You are always choosing. Choose well." - Laura Vanderkam Every October, many of the leaders I partner with choose to administer a climate survey—not just to gather feedback on their leadership, but to gain an honest pulse on the overall health of their organization. When districts already have their own survey tools, we often borrow key questions so the data is comparable over time. It’s a vulnerable process and never an easy one,

“The one who does the work does the learning." - Terry Doyle AI, Leadership, and Learning: Who’s Doing the Thinking? Over the past few years, serving my clients has been nothing short of incredible. Watching them grow, reflect, and push toward their goals has inspired not only them—but me as well. What I love most about this work is the mutual learning that takes place. As my clients explore who they are and how to reach new heights, I’m continually learning more about human

" You can get knocked down, and it hurts and it leaves scars. But if you're a leader, the people you've counted on will help you up. And if you're a leader, the people who count on you need you on your feet ," - General Stanley McChrystal from 2011 TED Talk Active Recovery for Runners—and Leaders As my weekly mileage climbed (35–90 miles) and I trained for the Leadville 100 (DNF—going back next summer), I realized the hardest part isn’t the workout. It’s the recovery. The sa

"Always remember, your focus determines your reality" - George Lucas Over the past few years, our team has worked with well over a...

"Learning always occurs in a context of taking action, and they value engagement and experience as the most effective strategies for deep...

"I knew where I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come-if alive." - William...

“I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come if alive." -Sherman, in a letter to Grant.”...

“You can have data without information, but you cannot have information without data.” — Daniel Keys Moran Some time ago, I worked with a...

“If you choose to not deal with an issue, then you give up your right of control over the issue and it will select the path of least...

“Whether a mile or a marathon, you get there the same way… one step at a time. Such is life.” – Baylor Barbee Life is an odyssey rife...

"The people who are doing the work are the people who are doing the learning." - Rick Defour In 2012, my journey into administration...

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston S. Churchill You've landed that...

"Play to your strengths. If you aren’t great at something, do more of what you’re great at." -Jason Lemkin This week marked the beginning...

“Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire.” — Dan Brown Fear, a potent force that can steer...