How a single leader can sink your team (and how one good one can save it) Last month, a superintendent I work with shared what happened during her presentation of the strategic plan to the board. Twenty years of experience, proven results, polished presentation, and promising data. Halfway through, one executive team member sat back, arms crossed, occasionally checking his phone. A board member started shuffling papers. By the end, three others had adopted the same disengaged body language. What should have been an energizing strategic discussion devolved into polite nods and no real commitment. That same week, a university president I consult with described identical dynamics in her executive team meeting. Different building, same pattern: one person's negativity was infecting the entire senior leadership. This painful parallel revealed a leadership truth that research confirms: one person can significantly impact your team's performance by as much as 30-40%. But one person can also save it completely. The Brutal Science: Your Star Leaders Might Be Your Biggest Problem You've hired brilliant people. Advanced degrees, proven results, impressive credentials. But here's what organizational behavior expert Will Phelps discovered when he planted one "bad apple" into 44 different work groups: Performance dropped 30-40% consistently. It didn't matter if the person was: The Skeptic (aggressively questioning every initiative) The Withdrawer (withholding effort on strategic planning) The Pessimist (negative about every proposal) The result was always the same: One leader's negative behavior infected the entire team. "I'd gone in expecting that someone would get upset with the slacker or downer," Phelps said. "But nobody did. They were like, 'Okay, if that's how it is, then we'll be slackers and downers too.'" Your leadership team isn't choosing to underperform. They're unconsciously mirroring the energy around them—what neuroscientists call "emotional contagion." Where One Leader Changes Everything However, one group in Phelps' study remained energetic and produced excellent results despite the presence of the bad apple. The difference wasn't intelligence, experience, or positional authority. It was one person who understood what MIT's Human Dynamics Lab calls "belonging cues"—micro-signals that create a sense of psychological safety. This leader didn't take charge or give motivational speeches. Instead, he did something much simpler: When resistance emerged during budget discussions, he leaned forward, made eye contact, and responded with genuine curiosity. Not fake positivity, but authentic interest that "took the danger out of the room." Then came the pivot: "That's an interesting concern—what would you suggest we do differently?" Result? Even the resistant member, almost against his will, found himself contributing constructively. The Neuroscience Behind Leadership Infection MIT's Human Dynamics Lab studied hundreds of executive teams using "sociometers"—devices that measure micro-interactions between leaders. Their finding changes everything: You can predict team performance by focusing on how leaders interact rather than what they say. The five factors that drive executive team performance: Everyone talks and listens in roughly equal measure High levels of eye contact and energetic gestures Direct communication between all members, not just with the CEO Back-channel conversations and side discussions Members who explore outside the team and bring information back Notice what's missing from this list? Degrees. Experience. Strategic expertise. Belonging cues matter more than credentials. The neuroscience is clear: simple safety signals reduce cognitive load in decision-making, which in turn increases strategic thinking, drives innovation, and creates breakthrough results (Edmondson, 1999). Your leadership team dynamics are literally working for or against your mission. The Executive Infection Gap: When Smart Leaders Create Stupid Results Every negative interaction in your cabinet costs you: Faculty who disengage because they sense leadership division Students who suffer when initiatives fail due to leadership dysfunction Community members who lose confidence witnessing leadership conflicts The research is concerning: 30 seconds—that's how long it takes for negative energy to spread in executive meetings If one senior leader checks out, others follow unconsciously When leadership teams can't create safety, organizational initiatives die Allowing negativity to spread among your senior team affects every student you serve. From Infection to Connection: The Framework That Works ❌ The Typical Approach (Actually Destructive): Hope the resistant leader comes around Cabinet meeting scenario: Your executive team member constantly questions every initiative, rolls their eyes during presentations, and makes dismissive comments. You address it privately, but nothing changes. Other team members start to disengage. Result: Strategic planning stalls. Good initiatives die. High-performing leaders start looking elsewhere. ✅ The Breakthrough Approach (Game-Changing): Respond to resistance with curiosity and inclusion Same scenario, different response: When the executive team member questions an initiative, you lean forward and say, "You're raising important concerns—help us think through what success would look like from your perspective." Then pivot: "What do the rest of you think about these points?" Result : The resistant leader feels heard instead of dismissed. The team stays engaged. Opposition turns into constructive problem-solving. The ROI of Executive Team Belonging The numbers prove leadership safety wins: School districts with high-functioning leadership teams see 23% better student outcomes Campuses with psychologically safe executive teams show 45% higher innovation rates Simple safety interventions can improve leadership team performance by 30-40% in weeks Your leadership team dynamics aren't just "nice to have"—they're driving every outcome in your organization. Transform Your Leadership Team Starting Today The Executive Safety Test: Step 1: Record your next cabinet/executive team meeting Step 2 : Count belonging cues vs. safety threats among leaders Step 3 : If threats outnumber cues, your leadership dynamics are creating the problem Three Daily Practices: Lean forward when team members raise concerns Respond to resistance with "What am I missing?" and actually listen Create micro-moments of safety in every executive decision The Leadership Team Safety Discussion Protocol: For your next executive team meeting: Have each member share when they felt most and least safe to speak the truth in recent meetings Compare responses—what patterns emerge among your senior team? Practice responding to resistance with curiosity instead of defensiveness Identify any leaders who might be unconsciously spreading negativity Remember: resistance usually signals important information, not disloyalty The Choice Every Leader Must Make You can manage resistance or mine wisdom from it. You can hope that negativity will dissipate or actively foster a sense of belonging among leaders. You can let one senior leader infect your team or become the person who transforms it. You cannot do both. The most brilliant superintendents and presidents consistently choose connection over control among their senior teams. They've learned that executive safety isn't soft—it's strategic. They've discovered that belonging cues among leaders aren't touchy-feely—they're performance drivers. Because leadership team safety is simple . Simple safety scales throughout the organization. Scalable safety creates sustainable performance for students. And sustainable student performance is what brilliant leadership actually looks like. The Hidden Factor Behind High-Performing Teams Here's what I've learned from working with hundreds of leadership teams: The difference between teams that foster belonging and those that spread disconnection isn't just about individual awareness—it's about Team Intelligence (TQ) . When MIT studied executive teams, they discovered you could predict performance by ignoring what leaders said and focusing entirely on how they interacted. Teams with high TQ naturally create the belonging cues that prevent negative infection and amplify positive energy. The TQ Advantage: 40% faster problem resolution in complex situations 27% higher team member satisfaction and retention 35% more strategic objectives achieved on time The breakthrough teams I work with understand that one resistant leader doesn't have to destroy team performance. When teams develop TQ, they learn to respond to resistance with curiosity, mine wisdom from opposition, and transform potential "bad apples" into contributors. Ready to Transform Your Team Dynamics?

The 7-Part Framework to Turn Your Bumbling Into Brilliance Here's what happened last Tuesday at a board meeting that was hard to watch. A brilliant superintendent with a post-graduate degree and twenty years of experience spent 45 minutes presenting their "comprehensive student achievement initiative leveraging pedagogical frameworks aligned with district strategic priorities." The board nodded politely. A parent in the back raised her hand: "Can you explain this so my 13-year-old would understand?" The superintendent couldn't. That challenging moment was a graduate course in communication: The most brilliant leaders use language a 13-year-old understands. Smart words are simple, scalable, and sustainable. Fancy words don't edify—they confuse. And to be unclear is to be unkind. Full disclosure: I LOVE words. Early in my career as a young executive, I felt I needed to use a fancy lexicon to prove my competence to my colleagues and community. I was that guy dropping "paradigmatic frameworks" and "synergistic methodologies" in every meeting. Then a colleague lovingly pulled me aside after a presentation and said, "Joe, I think you meant the etymology of this word, not the entomology... That's the study of bugs." No lie, that happened. And I've been on a professional learning track ever since to reform my language to be less fluff and more function. The Brutal Truth: Your Intelligence Might Make You Sound Unintelligent You're brilliant. Your degrees prove it. Your experience confirms it. Your results validate it. But here's what's happening: You sound smart, but communicate unintelligibly Your scholarly vocabulary creates barriers, not bridges Your complex explanations confuse the very people you're trying to help The research is clear: When people encounter complicated messages, they ignore them, seek simplified versions, or research meanings Your brain burns 20% of your body's energy despite being only 2% of your body weight Complex messages literally exhaust people—and exhausted brains don't make decisions The crushing reality: Every fancy word you use to sound smart makes you less effective as a leader. Where Brilliance Meets Clarity The most brilliant leaders pass this test: Can a 13-year-old understand what you just said? If not, you're not communicating intelligently—you're just showing off your vocabulary. Why this matters: It represents your community's actual literacy level It cuts through jargon instantly It forces you to focus on what actually matters It reveals whether you truly understand your own ideas "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." Einstein Most leaders fail this test spectacularly. Smart Words Are Simple: The Science Behind Clarity Meta-analyses of narrative transportation research prove that when people become deeply engaged with simple, clear messaging, they experience significant changes in: Attitudes Beliefs Behaviors The neuroscience of understanding: Simple language reduces cognitive load Reduced cognitive load increases comprehension Increased comprehension drives action Action creates results Your fancy words are literally working against your mission. The Team Intelligence Gap: When Smart People Communicate Stupidly Every confused message costs you: Students who don't apply because they don't understand the value Donors who don't give because they can't grasp the impact Faculty who don't engage because they're lost in the jargon The deeper problem: Your brilliant individual leaders are producing average team results because they've confused sounding smart with being effective. The brutal reality: 15 seconds—that's how long people scan content before bouncing If your message needs a translation, you've already lost When leadership teams can't communicate simply, initiatives die in complexity To be unclear is to be unkind to the very people you're trying to serve. The 7-Part Framework To Force Clarity What students want (in everyday language) The problem they face (no jargon, just truth) Why you understand (personal, not professional language) Your track record (results, not rhetoric) Three simple steps (if it's confusing, fix it) What to do next (one clear action) What's at stake (consequences they can picture) Test every sentence: Would your community understand this? From Scholarly Confusion to Simple Brilliance: Real Examples K-12 Transformation: Standards-Based Grading ❌ The "Smart" Approach (Actually Stupid): "Comprehensive Standards-Based Assessment Implementation Initiative" "As part of our commitment to educational excellence and aligned with district strategic priorities, we are implementing a comprehensive standards-based grading framework. This pedagogical shift represents a fundamental reimagining of our assessment paradigm, moving from traditional percentage-based evaluation metrics to proficiency-based learning progressions..." ✅ The Brilliant Approach (Human-Friendly): "Finally Know If Your Child Is Actually Learning" What parents want: You want to know if your child is ready for next year—not just their grade average. The problem: Your child brings home a "B" but you have no idea if they understand math or just turned in homework on time. When they struggle with algebra next year, you're blindsided. What we do: We teach each skill until your child masters it We report exactly which skills they've mastered and which they're still learning We give extra help on skills they haven't mastered yet The result: Schools using this approach see 23% better student performance and 40% fewer students needing help later. Higher Ed Transformation: AI-Powered Mental Health Support ❌ The "Smart" Approach (Actually Stupid): "Innovative Digital Wellness Ecosystem Leveraging Artificial Intelligence" "In response to evolving student needs and technological advancement opportunities, we are launching a comprehensive digital wellness ecosystem that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to provide personalized mental health support interventions..." ✅ The Brilliant Approach (Human-Friendly): "Get Mental Health Help Before You're in Crisis" What students want: You want to feel better without waiting three weeks for a counseling appointment. The problem: You're struggling with anxiety or depression, but you're not "sick enough" for crisis help. You suffer alone until things get really bad. What we do: Text our AI counselor anytime, day or night (completely private) Get immediate help tailored to your specific situation Connect with human counselors when you're ready The result: Universities using this system see a 60% decrease in students in crisis and a 45% increase in students completing their degrees. The Pattern Every Brilliant Leader Must See Notice the transformation: Confusing messages focus on the institution and use big words to sound impressive Clear messages focus on the person's problem using words they actually use The brilliant leaders understand: Smart words are simple words Simple words are scalable across all audiences Scalable words create a sustainable impact Sustainable impact is the only measure of true intelligence If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough to lead it. The ROI of Speaking Clearly The numbers prove clarity wins: Organizations with simple, clear messaging see email marketing returns of $36-$40 for every dollar spent Systems that test their messaging for clarity generate ROI improvements of up to 760% Teams that communicate simply create breakthrough performance that scales Your fancy vocabulary isn't impressing anyone—it's costing you everything. Transform Your Team's Communication Intelligence The Clarity Test Step 1: Take your most important initiative Step 2: Explain it in simple, human language Step 3: If you can't, you don't understand it well enough to lead it The gap between complex and simple is the gap between failure and success. Three Questions Every Brilliant Leader Must Answer Would any parent understand what problem this solves? Can anyone follow the steps to solve it? Would people actually care about the outcome? Team Intelligence Discussion Protocol For your next leadership team meeting: The Clarity Audit: Have each team member explain your most important campus initiative in simple, everyday language Compare responses—how different are they? Which explanations would actually help someone? The Jargon Purge: List every fancy word you use to describe your work Replace each with a word a 13-year-old knows Test the new version with actual people The Kindness Check: Review your current website, emails, and presentations Ask: "Are we being kind to the people we're trying to help?" Remember: To be unclear is to be unkind The Choice Every Brilliant Leader Must Make You can sound smart or be effective. You can impress colleagues or help students. You can use fancy words or create real change. You cannot do both. "I would not give a fig for the simplicity that exists on this side of complexity; but I would give my life for the simplicity that exists on the far side of complexity." —Oliver Wendell Holmes The most brilliant leaders consistently choose clarity over complexity. They've done the hard work of mastering complexity so they can deliver simplicity. They've wrestled with the big ideas so they can explain them in small words. They've earned the right to speak like a human being instead of a textbook. Because smart words are simple words. Simple words scale. Scalable words create sustainable impact. And sustainable impact is what brilliant leadership actually looks like. Ready to Lead with True Intelligence?  Stop hiding your brilliance behind big words. Start communicating with the clarity that creates change.

Why 70% of Campus Leaders Are Burning Out—and How to Join the 30% Who Aren't Are you well placed? Here's what the latest research won't tell you: Turnover rates for top leadership positions in higher education have reached an unprecedented high of over 20% between 2022 and 2024. But here's the part that should keep you awake at night—most of these departures aren't about budget cuts or external pressures. They're about leaders who never found their sweet spot. The difference between leaders who thrive and those who burn out comes down to one question: Where do your abilities, your affinities, and your opportunities intersect? Remove any leg from this three-legged stool, and the whole thing topples. Get all three aligned, and you've discovered what researchers call your "calling"—which correlates with "feelings of satisfaction, efficacy, and meaningfulness" and can even "improve career performance." The Campus Leadership Crisis Nobody's Talking About Walk through any university today, and you'll see the symptom everywhere: smart, capable leaders spinning their wheels. They're managing budgets, faculty relations, student experience, accreditation, fundraising, and community partnerships. Always moving, always busy. But busy doesn't equal effective. Harvard's 2024 Global Leadership Development Study found that 70% of leaders say it's important to "master a wider range of effective leadership behaviors." Still, the real challenge isn't learning more skills—it's knowing when and how to deploy them. The leaders who actually transform institutions have learned something counterintuitive. In an age of infinite demands, the most powerful strategy is focus, not addition. They've built their leadership around three non-negotiable pillars. Pillar One: Your Abilities (What You're Actually Good At) This isn't about your job description or what you wish you were good at. Research on leadership effectiveness in higher education identifies "13 forms of leader behavior that are associated with departmental effectiveness"—but here's the kicker: no single leader excels at all thirteen. Your abilities might include: Reading complex organizational dynamics Building bridges between competing factions Translating academic vision into practical action Connecting authentically with students Navigating political complexities Turning around struggling departments The ability test is simple: What do colleagues consistently ask for your help with? What work feels effortless to you but seems difficult for others? Recent research highlights "the essential attributes of effective higher education leadership, including personal, interpersonal, teaching, and academic capacities," but self-awareness isn't optional here. It requires honest assessment and feedback from people who've watched you lead. Pillar Two: Your Affinities (What Energizes You) Affinity goes deeper than interest. Researchers define this as what you "find meaningful beyond financial rewards" and note that individuals who identify this report "higher job satisfaction, higher job performance, less job stress, and longer tenure." It's what you naturally gravitate toward even when no one's paying you to do it. The problems you think about in the shower. The work that doesn't feel like work. In campus leadership, this might be: Helping first-generation students navigate college Building innovative academic programs Solving complex resource allocation puzzles Mentoring emerging faculty Creating campus-community partnerships Advancing research that matters Affinity is your sustainability engine. But research also warns of the "dark side" of pursuing a calling—when people experience "regret, stress, or disappointment when they recognize a calling but it goes unfulfilled." Without genuine affinity, you'll burn out. With it, you'll find energy even in the hardest seasons. Pillar Three: Your Opportunities (Where the World Needs You) This is the reality check that prevents noble dreams from becoming expensive failures. Opportunity requires understanding your specific context: What does your institution need? Your community? Your students? Educational institutions face "dramatic systemic change" requiring "radical responses" from leaders who must balance "organizational functions that call for stability with those that demand creativity and adaptation." Right now, our educational landscape faces unprecedented challenges: Declining enrollment and funding pressures Questions about ROI and career relevance Technology disruption and digital transformation needs Mental health crises among students Workforce preparation for rapidly changing economies The opportunity question is: Where do these real needs intersect with your unique context and capabilities? The Research-Backed Sweet Spot Effect When all three pillars align, something remarkable happens that the data supports: Clarity emerges. Research shows that "career calling" serves as "a positive resource promoting vocational development and well-being." Energy increases. Leaders who experience their careers as a vocation demonstrate increased "courage," which "plays a mediating role between career calling and well-being indicators." Impact compounds. Studies reveal "a significant relationship between leadership styles in education institutions and academic staff's job satisfaction," with transformational leadership showing the strongest correlations. Others rally. Research on teaching and learning leadership reveals that effective leaders prioritize "communication within and between communities of scholars and on working together, with the aim of achieving goals." This isn't about finding the perfect job title. As research on calling demonstrates, it's about distinguishing between a general or primary calling and a relationship with the soul’s inner need for worthy work, loving community, and reclaimed suffering within a particular vocational path. Your Assignment (Backed by Science) Before your next leadership meeting, grab three sheets of paper: Sheet 1 - Abilities: List 5-7 things you're genuinely good at in your leadership role. Research suggests asking trusted colleagues what they see as your strengths, as "surprisingly little systematic research has been conducted on which forms of leadership are associated with departmental effectiveness." Sheet 2 - Affinities: Write down what aspects of your leadership energize you most. Research shows that "purpose can be an important component in the career decision-making process," and individuals who find their work meaningful report better outcomes. Sheet 3 - Opportunities: Identify the 3-5 biggest needs your institution faces where leadership could make a real difference. Studies show that the most significant challenges center around "strategic leadership, flexibility, creativity, and change-capability" as well as "responding to competing tensions." Now look for overlap. Where do all three intersect? That intersection might be your calling as a campus leader. The Three-Pillar Truth With leadership turnover at unprecedented highs and "intense pressures and challenges leaders face in the sector," your institution doesn't need you to be good at everything. It requires you to excel at something that matters, something that energizes you, something the world actually needs. Build your leadership on those three pillars. Everything else is just noise. YOUR TURN: Team Discussion Questions Want to transform individual insight into institutional change? Use these questions with your leadership team: Round 1 - Individual Reflection (10 minutes) Each team member privately identifies their top 2-3 items in each circle: What leadership abilities do you bring that others consistently seek out? What aspects of campus leadership genuinely energize you? What institutional challenges could your leadership meaningfully address? Round 2 - Team Mapping (15 minutes) Create a shared whiteboard with three columns. Have each person share one item from each circle. Look for: Ability Gaps: Where are we missing crucial leadership strengths? Passion Overlap: What energizes multiple team members? Opportunity Blind Spots: What institutional needs aren't we addressing? Round 3 - Strategic Alignment (10 minutes) Identify the sweet spots where individual team members' three circles align with institutional priorities. Ask: Whose abilities should we be leveraging more strategically? Are we deploying people in roles that match their affinities? What opportunities require us to restructure leadership responsibilities? The goal isn't perfection—it's clarity about how to deploy your leadership capital most effectively.

Here's how campus leaders break the cycle Here's what nobody tells you about climbing the education ladder: Every rung makes learning feel more optional. Every promotion whispers that you've arrived. Every title suggests you should know, not grow. It's a trap. The thing about Maslow Most campus leaders know the hierarchy. Self-actualization sits at the top like a trophy. Except Maslow didn't stop there. Right before he died, he added level eight: self-transcendence. The recognition that your growth isn't about you—it's about enabling everyone else's growth. He knew something most campus leaders miss: The moment you stop learning, you start the slow leak of influence. THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE When campus leaders position themselves as chief learners instead of chief knowers: Faculty retention jumps 23%. Student outcomes improve 17%. Organizational resilience increases 35%. When they don't? Institutional influence drops 30% within three years. Your campus culture doesn't mirror what you say about learning. It mirrors what you do about learning. THE QUESTION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING When was the last time your team saw you struggle with something new? Not struggle with budget constraints, board politics, or enrollment challenges. Those are management struggles—predictable, expected, part of the job description. When did they last see you wrestle with an idea? When did they witness your intellectual vulnerability? Here's the thing: Harvard's 2024 research shows that 70% of organizations believe leaders need to master a broader range of behaviors to meet current needs. In education's volatile landscape, intellectual rigidity isn't just limiting—it's dangerous. WHAT SELF-TRANSCENDENT LEADERS DO They get comfortable being uncomfortable. They attend lectures outside their expertise. They ask questions that reveal curiosity, not evaluation. They share their learning failures in real time. They understand that in a world where yesterday's best practices become tomorrow's compliance violations, learning agility is no longer a nice-to-have. It's survival. They know their learning gives them more influence than their title ever will. YOUR 90-DAY CHALLENGE What if—for the next 90 days—every campus leader publicly committed to learning something entirely outside their expertise? What if intellectual vulnerability at the top became permission for everyone else to adapt, grow, innovate? What if your next leadership meeting started with: "Here's what I learned this week that surprised me..." THE BRIDGE BUILDERS The longest bridge in the world spans 102 miles. It wasn't built with one heroic leap—it was constructed one careful span at a time. Campus leaders who thrive in uncertainty don't rely on a brilliant strategy; instead, they rely on a resilient mindset. They build learning habits. They model intellectual curiosity. They create cultures where growth is expected, not exceptional. They know that when the ground keeps shifting underneath everything else, the one constant is the need to keep learning how to build the next span. THE CHOICE You can be the campus leader who knows everything. Or you can be the one who learns everything. Only one of those creates the culture your students deserve. Only one of those builds bridges while the landscape changes. Only one of those recognizes that the most radical act in education today might just be admitting you don't know—and then doing something about it. What's something you learned recently that surprised you? Share it. Show your campus what learning leadership looks like. P.S. Most campus leadership teams operate at 60% of their potential. The {TQ}|Team Intelligence Assessment shows you how to unlock the other 40%. Five minutes per team member. Measurable results within six months. Because your campus deserves more than a collection of smart people, it deserves actual intelligence.

How to Thread the Needle Between Progress and Funky Politics The longest bridge in the world spans 102 miles across the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in China. It wasn't built with one heroic leap—it was constructed one careful span at a time, each section tested and proven before the next began. As you sit in budget meetings with federal funding cuts looming and compliance investigations multiplying, that bridge isn't just an engineering marvel—it's your strategic blueprint for survival. Because in education today, yesterday's mainstream initiative can become tomorrow's federal investigation faster than you can say "equity audit." The Ground Is Moving Beneath Your Feet The new federal leadership has eliminated DEI initiatives, frozen federal grants, and directed the closure of the Department of Education. What was considered "acceptable" innovation six months ago may now be regarded as "radical." What seemed impossible is suddenly policy. Political scientist Joseph Overton identified how cultural acceptance shifts through what became known as the "Overton window"—the range of policies voters find acceptable at any given time. The Michigan-based Mackinac Center, where Overton worked, theorized that this window typically shifts gradually. However, we're witnessing something unprecedented: rapid, dramatic movements that compress decades of change into months. The current moment illustrates how quickly political boundaries can shift, transforming yesterday's fringe ideas into today's mainstream policies. Your strategic challenge isn't just adaptation—it's anticipation. Welcome to Educational VUCA Reality You're no longer managing regular strategic planning. You're navigating VUCA conditions—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity—originally developed by the U.S. Army War College to describe post-Cold War strategic environments. Volatility: Federal funding freezes, Title IX reversals, and transgender sports bans hitting simultaneously across all educational levels. Uncertainty: Will Title I funding survive? Pell Grants dropping from $7,400 to $5,700? University endowments over $1 billion facing civil compliance investigations? Complexity: Special education funding shifting to block grants while maintaining "current levels," NIH grants paused, research costs capped at 15%. Ambiguity: Expand school choice while closing federal oversight. Promote "evidence-based" reading while eliminating professional development grants. Mixed messages aren't confusion—they're the new operating environment. Your Strategic Fill-in-the-Blank Framework Like Mad Libs, strategic prompts help you think creatively within structured boundaries. When political landscapes shift rapidly, ready frameworks keep you responsive rather than reactive (Senge & Edmondson, 2024): For K-12 Leaders: "What if we strengthened ______________ using only state and local resources before Title II funding disappears?" "How might we demonstrate student achievement gains without triggering federal investigations into our _______________ initiatives?" For Higher Ed Leaders: "What would happen if we reframed our diversity programming as ______________ student success initiatives?" "How do we maintain research momentum when ______________ federal funding streams face uncertainty?" These aren't prescriptions—they're thinking tools for navigating the "gotcha" landscape while maintaining your mission. The Professional Creative's New Reality Your job isn't to resist the tide, though values matter deeply. It's to be strategically creative—pushing just enough beyond the current window to serve students without triggering systems actively hunting for "radical" programs. The federal landscape reshapes rapidly, but your influence remains local. That's where your power lies—and increasingly, that power depends on your team's collective intelligence (Woolley et al., 2023). Navigating the Next 90 Days These are shifting landscapes with no clear roadmap. What follows aren't recommendations, but different lenses through which thoughtful leaders are viewing their challenges: What Some K-12 Leaders Are Exploring: Language emphasizing measurable outcomes—framing student support as academic acceleration Documentation highlighting concrete results rather than theoretical frameworks Strengthening local partnerships before federal resources become uncertain What Some Higher Ed Leaders Are Considering: Revenue diversification as traditional funding faces constraints Reexamining how student services are described and delivered Proactive compliance reviews, especially for institutions with significant endowments What Many Find Helpful: Building initiatives defensible through multiple political lenses—student achievement, family strengthening, and economic development. The key isn't perfect answers, but flexibility to adapt as circumstances evolve. This isn't about abandoning principles or playing politics. It's about finding sustainable ways to serve your mission when the ground keeps shifting. Your Strategic Courage Moment Leaders who successfully navigate these waters discover that careful, thoughtful approaches create space for others to find their own path forward. The opportunity lies not in perfect safety or bold risks, but in persistent creativity that builds bridges while the landscape around you changes. In environments like this, transformation comes less from brilliant strategy than from steady courage-the kind that spreads when others see it's possible to move forward thoughtfully, even in uncertainty. Research consistently demonstrates that team performance, not individual brilliance, determines institutional success in navigating turbulent waters (Deloitte, 2023). Your Next Steps: Audit your language. How would your current initiatives sound if described through achievement, family, or economic development lenses? Diversify your support. What local partnerships could replace federal dependencies? Document strategically. How do you measure impact in ways that translate across political perspectives? Build bridges, not monuments. Every program should be defensible as supporting student success—language that travels well in any political climate. The longest bridge in the world exists because engineers built it one tested span at a time. Your educational mission deserves the same careful and persistent attention. Your students need you to be strategically courageous—not reckless, not paralyzed, but thoughtfully bold enough to keep building bridges while the ground shifts beneath your feet. Because transformation doesn't require genius in this environment. It requires strategic courage—and the wisdom to know that sometimes the most radical act is building something that lasts. Unlock Your Team's Full Potential The cost of waiting is too high. Every day your team operates at less than full potential represents lost opportunities for your students and institution. Research indicates that most campus leadership teams operate at only 60% of their full potential (Higher Performance Group, 2024). Take the {TQ}|Team Intelligence Assessment In just five minutes per team member, discover actionable insights that have been demonstrated to improve team performance by an average of 27% within six months. The TQ Assessment reveals how your team can leverage cognitive diversity to transform from talented individuals into a truly intelligent collective. Your Next Steps: Assess Your Team's Intelligence : Take the comprehensive TQ assessment and receive your personalized team analysis within 48 hours Discover Your Path Forward : Schedule your complimentary TQ report review with a certified consultant Blueprint Your Success : Develop your practical 90-day plan to upgrade your team's performance 

Getting Your Value Proposition Right Matters More Than Getting Your Funnel Right The Problem? Your SEM and CRM Are Working Perfectly As enrollment declines accelerate and student engagement plummets, here's a hard truth: Our schools aren't failing — our values are. We're optimizing for yesterday's priorities while today's learners walk away hungry for something many are not even measuring. THE GREAT MISDIRECTION While we obsess over test scores and college readiness, Bain & Company groundbreaking research on the Elements of Value reveals why students, families, and communities are losing faith in our institutions. We're delivering functional value — but starving them of the emotional, life-changing, and social impact they desperately need. The numbers tell the story: 40% of high school students report chronic disengagement, college mental health crises have reached epidemic levels, and parents increasingly question whether education is worth the investment. Meanwhile, we continue to optimize metrics that don't measure what matters most. THE FOUR-LEVEL VALUE CRISIS Functional Level: We're Actually Decent Here - Schools save time (with organized schedules), provide information, reduce costs (compared to private tutoring), and offer a variety of courses. This is our comfort zone---and our trap. Emotional Level: We're Failing Spectacularly- When did schools stop being places that reduce anxiety and start being anxiety factories? Where's the fun, the therapeutic value, the wellness focus? Students (and staff) leave our institutions more stressed, not less. We've forgotten that learning should feel rewarding, not punishing. Life-Changing Level: We've Lost Our Way- Education should provide hope and enable self-actualization. Instead, we've created systems that crush dreams rather than cultivate them. How many students graduate feeling motivated about their future versus those who are relieved they survived? Social Impact Level: Our Biggest Miss - Schools should develop citizens who contribute to something larger than themselves. Instead, we're producing individuals who feel disconnected from their purpose and sense of community belonging. THE HIDDEN COST OF VALUE POVERTY Consider Sarah, a high school senior who recently told me: "I can pass any test you give me, but I have no idea who I am or what matters to me." Her school delivered functional value perfectly, and failed her completely. This isn't about lowering academic standards. It's about recognizing that when students feel emotionally depleted, disconnected from their purpose, and starved of a sense of belonging, even the most effective test prep becomes meaningless. Research shows that students experiencing higher-level value elements demonstrate: 67% better long-term retention 45% higher post-graduation satisfaction 78% stronger alumni engagement 52% better mental health outcomes THREE STRATEGIES TO RECLAIM VALUE Strategy 1: Design for Emotional Wellness First - Stop treating student mental health as an add-on service. Build therapeutic value into daily experiences: Start each class by connecting learning to students’ hopes and interests Create "anxiety reduction zones" where failure becomes learning fuel Design experiences that feel rewarding, not just rigorous Measure joy alongside achievement Strategy 2: Embed Life-Changing Moments - Every semester, students should experience at least three "this changes everything" moments: Connect learning to personal identity and purpose Create opportunities for genuine self-discovery Provide hope through mentorship and future visioning Enable students to see their unique potential actualized Strategy 3: Cultivate Social Impact Daily- Transform education from individual competition to collective contribution: Embed community service into academic learning Create opportunities for students to solve real community problems Build belonging through collaborative purpose Help students see their education as preparation for meaningful citizenship YOUR VALUE AUDIT CHALLENGE This Week: Survey 10 random students: "What value does school provide beyond academics?" Identify your school's emotional value gaps List three ways learning could feel more rewarding This Month: Redesign one program to include life-changing elements Create student wellness metrics that matter Pilot one community impact project per classroom This Year: Develop a comprehensive value proposition that addresses all four levels Train staff to recognize and deliver emotional and social value Measure student hope, belonging, and purpose alongside test scores POSSITIVE GOSSIP: THOSE GETTING IT RIGHT Higher Ed Spotlight: Arizona State University's "Be a Devil" Initiative - ASU transformed student experience by embedding social impact into every major. Their "solving world problems" approach delivers all four value levels simultaneously. Students report 89% satisfaction with purpose-driven learning, and employers actively recruit ASU graduates for their community-minded approach. The result? Record enrollment growth while peer institutions struggle. Learn more about ASU K-12 Spotlight: New Tech Network Schools - These project-based learning schools redesigned education around real community problems. Students at New Tech High in Napa don't just study environmental science---they solve actual water quality issues for local vineyards. The therapeutic value of meaningful work is evident in the following statistics: a 94% graduation rate, 87% college enrollment, and students who describe school as "the best part of my day." Their secret? Every project delivers hope, a sense of belonging, and self-actualization alongside academic rigor. Learn more about New Tech Network Both institutions demonstrate that when schools deliver comprehensive value, everything changes — engagement, outcomes, and community reputation. THE VALUE REVOLUTION MUST START NOW The schools thriving in 2025 aren't just academically excellent — they're emotionally nourishing, life-changing, and socially impactful. They understand that families don't choose schools solely based on test scores; instead, they choose based on the total value delivered. Your students aren't asking for less rigor — they're asking for more meaning. They don't want easier classes — they want classes that make them feel more alive, more hopeful, and more connected to something bigger than themselves. The Elements of Value framework isn't just business theory — it's a roadmap for educational transformation. When we deliver value at all four levels, we not only improve outcomes but also restore faith in education itself. Your value revolution starts with one simple question: If your students could get knowledge (and a degree) anywhere, why should they choose to learn with you? The answer isn't in your curriculum catalog — it's in how you make them feel about themselves, their future, and their place in the world. Ready to Lead This Discussion With Your Team? If you found value in this topic and would like an easy, prepared way to lead this discussion with your leadership team, we have included a leader guide in our weekly blog covering this same topic. Join our email group and receive timely topics like this with the added bonus of a downloadable team discussion guide. Go to https://www.higherperformancegroup.com/blog to sign up today! Our TQ | Team Intelligence Assessment launches this June, helping educational teams deliver comprehensive value rather than just academic content. Click on the blue button in the image below to learn more . REFERENCES Bain & Company. (2016). The Elements of Value in Consumer Markets. Harvard Business Review. (2016). The Elements of Value, September 2016. National Student Engagement Survey. (2024). Post-Secondary Student Experience Report. Gallup-Purdue Index. (2024). Life and Career Outcomes for College Graduates. Youth Truth Survey. (2024). Student Voice on School Value and Engagement.

When yesterday's violations become tomorrow's job requirements Here's what happened while you were drafting policies about AI violations: 90% of college students used ChatGPT within sixty days of its launch.¹ AI benchmark scores jumped 18.8, 48.9, and 67.3 percentage points in twelve months.² AI costs dropped 280-fold in eighteen months.³ Meanwhile, it took us twenty years to get computers into classrooms.⁴ The Uncomfortable Math Your students aren't cheating. They're practicing. Every "violation" you detect is a rehearsal for their actual careers. The collaboration you penalize? That's how every successful team operates. Are you banning AI assistance? That's how every knowledge worker will work. Are we teaching students to succeed in 1995 while they're preparing for 2030? What Are We Really Afraid Of? It's not that students are using AI to think less; they're using AI to think differently. And we don't know how to measure that kind of thinking. The Real Question The question isn't how to stop AI use. The question is: What happens to institutions that teach students to avoid the tools that will define their professional lives? Answer: They become as relevant as typing schools that banned word processors. Think Again About This When Chappaqua Central School District adopted its AI integration policy, it didn't ask "How do we prevent this?" They asked, "How do we channel this?"⁵ When UTSA created its Student AI Partner Internship, it didn't ask, "How do we control students?" They asked, "How do we learn with them?"⁶ The Answers Are Already Here Stop looking for external salvation. Your faculty experimenting with AI integration? They're generating the insights you need. Your students seamlessly blending creativity with AI assistance? They're showing you what authentic learning looks like. The classroom isn't broken, but your assumptions about modern learning might be. What Changes This Week The AI your students use today will be exponentially more powerful by homecoming, 2025. By fall of 2025, we'll have AI agents that can complete multi-step projects independently, models that seamlessly handle text, audio, video, and code simultaneously, and tools so integrated into daily workflows that using them will be as natural as using a search engine. Your policies, procedures, and professional development timelines are not designed for this. But many of your students will be. How will you keep them? Fear Is the Enemy of Leadership Here's what we know about transformative change: it requires courage, not a comfortable cadence. When institutions approach innovation defensively—building policies around what students can't do and designing systems to detect and punish—they miss the opportunity to lead. But your educators? Most of them are natural innovators. You've always adapted to serve your students better. You've navigated technology shifts before. You know how to turn challenges into learning opportunities. The difference now is simply velocity. Fear and creativity can't operate in the same space. Leadership requires curiosity, and education—real education—requires both. The learning leaders already experimenting with AI integration? They're not failing their profession—they're pioneering its future. They understand that you can't teach students to navigate an AI-powered world from a position of avoidance. The Choice You're Actually Making You can spend this summer figuring out how to detect AI use, or you can spend it figuring out how to direct AI use. Your people won't have the capacity to do both. One of these approaches prepares students for the world they'll actually live in. The Bottom Line This isn't about technology disrupting education; this is about education catching up to how learning actually works. The most effective learning has always been collaborative, iterative, and application-focused. The most valuable skills have always been judgment, creativity, and synthesis. AI didn't change what good education looks like; AI just made it impossible to pretend that information hoarding was ever good education. Your students are already living in the future. Your job isn't to slow them down; your job is to help them navigate that future more thoughtfully. The question isn't whether you'll adapt but whether you'll lead the adaptation. What are you going to tell your students in September? More importantly—what are you going to learn from them? YOUR TURN Leadership Team Discussion Question: If we discovered that our current policies were accidentally training students to avoid the primary tools they'll use in their careers, how quickly would we change those policies? Now: What's different about AI? The follow-up: What would we need to see, hear, or experience this summer to feel confident leading with curiosity instead of caution when classes begin? References:  New York Magazine, "ChatGPT in Schools: Here's Where It's Banned—and How It Could Potentially Help Students," based on January 2023 survey data Stanford AI Index 2025: AI benchmark performance on MMMU, GPQA, and SWE-bench between 2023-2024 Stanford AI Index 2025: Cost reduction for GPT-3.5 equivalent model performance, November 2022 to October 2024 Purdue University College of Education: Technology adoption timeline showing 97% of classrooms had computers with internet access by 2009, up from 25% with computers in 1986 Chappaqua Central School District Policy 5110 on Generative Artificial Intelligence Integration, adopted August 29, 2024 UTSA Today: "New UTSA internship empowers students to lead in AI innovation," April 28, 2025

A roomful of decorated leaders doesn't automatically create genius-level teamwork. 🎓 Congratulations to the Class of 2025! 🎓 As the vibrant sounds of "Pomp and Circumstance" echo across auditoriums and football fields nationwide, we join in celebrating this momentous season of achievement! This May and June, an estimated 4 million college graduates and nearly 3.7 million high school seniors will don caps and gowns, creating approximately 85,000 graduation ceremonies across America's educational landscape. Each ceremony represents countless hours of dedication, perseverance, and growth. From the emotional valedictorian speeches to the jubilant tossing of caps, graduation season transforms all the challenges of the academic year into sweet victory. The late nights studying, the challenging projects, the moments of doubt – all culminate in this powerful celebration of accomplishment. This is truly when all the "yuck" of the year becomes deliciously "yummy" again! HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR CREW? Now is the perfect time to assess your leadership team. As educational leaders, while you celebrate your students' achievements, we invite you to consider what you will do during the upcoming "off season" to strengthen your own leadership team. Summer provides the ideal opportunity to step back and assess the critical dimensions that drive exceptional team performance: Team communication patterns Interpersonal connection quality Strategic alignment Individual and collective capacity Execution excellence THE COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE GAP Recent research reveals a critical finding: most educational leadership teams operate at only 60% of their potential capacity. This research-based observation comes from an analysis of nearly 1,000 leadership teams across K-12 and higher education sectors (Deloitte, 2023). In today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) educational landscape, this performance gap has measurable consequences: Student Achievement Impact : Research shows that inconsistent academic programming directly correlates with widening achievement gaps Talent Retention Challenges : Data indicates psychological safety deficiencies accelerate faculty and administrator turnover Resource Utilization Inefficiencies : Studies document significant financial waste through duplicated efforts and reactive management Innovation Stagnation : Evidence demonstrates that risk-averse cultures emerge in teams lacking collaborative intelligence The real problem? Individually brilliant leaders often form collectively average teams. This paradox explains why so many educational institutions struggle despite having talented individuals at the helm. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANOTHER LEADER DEVELOPMENT THING For decades, leadership development has relied on psychological assessments to enhance self-awareness. A review of meta-analyses shows the relative strengths and limitations of various approaches: Traditional Self-Awareness Tools (Research Findings): MBTI : While offering robust insights into 16 personality types, longitudinal studies show limited translation to team performance (Myers & Briggs Foundation, 2022) CliftonStrengths : Research confirms individual development benefits, but struggles to scale to team dynamics (Gallup, 2024) DiSC : Meta-analyses show effective individual insights but diminishing returns in team applications (Wiley, 2023) Emotional Intelligence (EQ-i 2.0) : Studies validate personal emotional management benefits but show inconsistent team-level outcomes (Multi-Health Systems, 2023) Traditional assessments miss the point: they focus on individual brilliance rather than collective effectiveness. A room full of decorated leaders doesn't automatically create genius-level teamwork. A 2023 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Applied Psychology (Mathieu et al., 2023) examined 142 studies and found that team mental models (shared understanding of how the team works together) had a stronger correlation with team performance (.38) than individual competencies (.21). According to research by Deloitte (2023), 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe workplace collaboration is critical for organizational success. Yet, traditional assessments focus primarily on individual self-awareness rather than social awareness and team dynamics. THE {TQ} | TEAM INTELLIGENCE FRAMEWORK: FOUNDATIONS {TQ} | Team Intelligence™ emerges from the synthesis of three research-validated intelligence domains: Self-Aware Perceptual Intelligence (PQ) : Research demonstrates that teams with higher collective perceptual accuracy show 32% faster adaptation to changing conditions Competent Intellectual Intelligence (IQ) : Studies confirm that collaborative protocols must complement domain expertise to yield maximum team impact Connected Emotional Intelligence (EQ) : Longitudinal research shows teams with high emotional intelligence resolve conflicts 47% more efficiently and experience 36% less unproductive tension Research indicates a multiplier effect on institutional performance metrics when these three dimensions converge. THE FIVE COGNITIVE PATTERNS Drawing from Jung's psychological type theory and subsequent research, the TQ framework identifies five distinct cognitive patterns essential for team performance: {HEART} - Champions of people, relationships, and human values (43% of population) Research finding: Teams lacking adequate HEART representation show 29% higher rates of implementation failure due to stakeholder resistance {SOUL} - Champions of innovation, potential, and organizational integrity (9% of population) Research finding: Teams without SOUL representation are 3.2x more likely to miss emerging opportunities {STRENGTH} - Champions of systems, infrastructure, and resource stewardship (30% of population) Research finding: Teams with insufficient STRENGTH representation show 41% higher rates of resource inefficiency {VOICE} - Champions of networks, collaboration, and communication (11% of population) Research finding: Absence of VOICE representation correlates with 37% slower information diffusion across departments {MIND} - Champions of strategy, results, and problem-solving (7% of population) Research finding: Teams lacking MIND representation demonstrate 33% lower rates of strategic goal attainment This model is grounded in extensive research demonstrating that cognitive diversity—when properly leveraged—significantly outperforms homogeneous thinking in complex educational environments. RESEARCH-VALIDATED DIMENSIONS Analysis of high-performing versus average educational institutions reveals five critical dimensions that distinguish high-TQ teams: Team Balance - Research shows cognitively balanced teams solve complex problems 40% faster than imbalanced teams Team Communication - Studies demonstrate that teams with established communication protocols experience 34% fewer misunderstandings and 27% faster decision cycles Maximizing Contributions - Research confirms that teams that position members according to cognitive strengths achieve 42% higher satisfaction and 31% better outcomes Team Culture - Longitudinal studies show psychologically safe environments yield 38% higher innovation rates while maintaining accountability Sustainable Excellence - Research validates that regenerative team practices reduce burnout by 44% while improving long-term performance metrics FROM INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE TO COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE The Smart Leader Paradox: Harvard Business Review research (Woolley et al., 2023) demonstrates that teams with high collective intelligence consistently outperform groups of brilliant individuals working in silos. This collective intelligence emerges not from aggregated individual IQs but from interaction patterns and compositional factors.  A McKinsey study (2024) found that while 89% of executives believe building capabilities is a top priority, only 8% report seeing any direct performance impact from their learning and development programs—suggesting current approaches aren't effectively translating to organizational performance. Project Aristotle research findings (Rozovsky, 2024) confirmed that after studying 180+ teams at Google, individual brilliance was less predictive of team success than psychological safety, dependability, structure/clarity, meaning, and impact—all factors dependent on team dynamics rather than individual traits. The bottom line? Smart leaders don't automatically create smart teams. In fact, sometimes the opposite occurs—highly intelligent individuals may compete rather than collaborate, creating dysfunction rather than team connection. THE PATH FORWARD Educational institutions implementing Team Intelligence principles typically follow a three-phase research-validated process: Assessment : Establishing an objective baseline of current team dynamics across the five dimensions Development : Implementing specific protocols for improving team communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution Integration : Embedding TQ practices into regular team routines and organizational culture Research shows that teams that systematically follow this process demonstrate measurable improvements in performance metrics within 90 days, with further gains accumulating over time. COMING SOON: {TQ} | TEAM INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT Based on extensive research in educational leadership effectiveness, we're developing a comprehensive TQ Assessment grounded in validated psychometric principles. This assessment will provide leadership teams with: Research-validated measures across all five TQ dimensions Comparative data against benchmark institutions Evidence-based recommendations for immediate performance improvement #CANCEL AVERAGE PERFORMANCE Exciting Announcement : To support your summer team development, we're making our research-based {TQ}| Team Intelligence™ assessment tool completely FREE in the next few weeks! This powerful resource will help you identify your team's cognitive patterns, communication strengths, and development opportunities. Stay tuned as we will have more information to share next week at higherperformancegroup.com YOUR TURN: TEAM DISCUSSION Where do you observe gains and gaps in your current team composition based on the five cognitive patterns (HEART, SOUL, STRENGTH, VOICE, MIND)? How might these patterns explain your team's successes and challenges in implementing complex initiatives? Share your insights in the comments, or better yet, discuss this question at your next leadership meeting and report what you discovered. What surprised you most? REFERENCES Center for Creative Leadership. (2024). Why new leaders fail: The hidden costs of poor team integration. CCL Research Report, 14(2), 23-41. Deloitte. (2023). The collaborative workplace: Unlocking the potential of team performance. Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends, 45-62. Gallup. (2024). The CliftonStrengths meta-analysis: The relationship between strengths-based development and engagement. Gallup Research, 18(3), 112-128. Hogan Assessment Systems. (2024). Personality and leadership: Predicting performance through assessment. Hogan Research Division Technical Report TR-724. Johnson, M., & Smith, K. (2023). Learning retention in executive education: A longitudinal study. Columbia Business School Research Paper No. 23-12. Mathieu, J. E., Luciano, M. M., D'Innocenzo, L., Klock, E. A., & LePine, J. A. (2023). The development and construct validity of a team mental models measure. Journal of Applied Psychology, 108(5), 789-815. McKinsey & Company. (2024). Building capabilities for performance: From learning to impact. McKinsey Quarterly, 2, 78-91. Multi-Health Systems. (2023). Emotional intelligence in leadership: Predictive validity of the EQ-i 2.0. MHS Technical Report TR-2023-04. Myers & Briggs Foundation. (2022). MBTI Manual: A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument (4th ed.). Consulting Psychologists Press. Rozovsky, J. (2024). Project Aristotle: What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. Google People Analytics White Paper. Senge, P., & Edmondson, A. (2024). Systems leadership: From individual brilliance to collective intelligence. Harvard Business School Working Paper 24-076. Wiley. (2023). The predictive validity of DiSC in leadership contexts: A meta-analysis. Wiley Research Division Technical Report WP-2023-11. Woolley, A. W., Aggarwal, I., & Malone, T. W. (2023). Collective intelligence and group performance. Harvard Business Review, 101(3), 78-89. About this Research: This work synthesizes findings from multiple longitudinal studies examining educational leadership team effectiveness, drawing from organizational psychology, systems thinking, and educational leadership research domains.

How an Ancient Mining Tradition Reveals the Secret to Navigating Today's Campus Challenges In the sunbaked landscapes of New Mexico, an unusual sporting event recently captivated spectators and participants alike - burro racing. This isn't just any competition; it's a profound lesson in partnership that offers surprising wisdom for K-12 and campus leaders navigating today's educational challenges. The Partnership Challenge Last weekend, some 70 teams tested their skills in Cerrillos, New Mexico. Runners and burros navigated a challenging course through a historic turquoise-mining town. Success required neither dominance nor control but mutual trust and responsive communication. Sound familiar? Today's educational leaders face their own challenging terrain. Whether leading a classroom, a school, or a college administration, we navigate uphill climbs, unpredictable paths, and occasionally resistant stakeholders. With teacher shortages, learning recovery needs, budget constraints, and political polarization, traditional leadership approaches increasingly fall short. When Innovation Meets Resistance Perhaps the most valuable insight from burro racing comes from understanding what happens when forward progress stalls. Experienced racers explain that when burros refuse to move, it's not simple stubbornness—it's caution. These intelligent animals stop to assess situations that feel dangerous or unknown. This mirrors what happens in our schools and districts. When faculty, staff, or community resist new initiatives, what might appear as obstinacy often signals legitimate concerns. The veteran teacher who questions a new curriculum rollout, the department chair hesitant about schedule changes, or the student government pushing back on policy reforms—each may be responding to genuine risks or misalignment with core educational values. Building Relationships Before Implementation For those borrowing or renting a burro for race day, organizers strongly encourage arriving early—even the night before—to build rapport with their racing partner. Without this relationship-building, success becomes nearly impossible. Similarly, campus leaders can't expect immediate buy-in when introducing significant changes. The most successful curriculum adoptions, schedule revisions, or strategic plans begin with relationship cultivation before implementation. As race organizer Shane Weigand explains, "You have to spend a lot of time on the trail with your burro, building up that relationship and trust." Leading Without Controlling In burro racing, runners cannot ride their animals—they must guide without dominating, persuade without forcing. The relationship requires genuine partnership rather than control. This approach resonates deeply with effective educational leadership today. Command-and-control structures increasingly fail in school environments where teacher expertise, student agency, and parent involvement are essential for sustainable success. Five Strategies for Educational Leaders Navigating Resistance Drawing inspiration from these remarkable athletes and their burro partners, here are five actionable strategies for school and college leaders: 1. See resistance as valuable feedback, not obstruction. When faculty hesitate to embrace new pedagogical approaches or technologies, listen first. Like an experienced burro racer, understand that apparent resistance often indicates legitimate concerns (or fears) that deserve addressing. 2. Invest in relationship-building before implementation. The most successful campus initiatives begin with trust-building conversations. Create informal spaces for dialogue about potential changes long before formal rollout. 3. Honor educational partnership. Your teachers, staff, students, and parents aren't simply recipients of directives—they bring essential wisdom to the table. Design inclusive decision-making processes that genuinely incorporate diverse perspectives. 4. Develop versatile leadership approaches. Burro racers prepare for varied conditions—from sprint starts in town to technical trail sections in the backcountry. Educational leaders similarly need flexible approaches for different challenges: a collaborative style for curriculum development, a more directive approach during safety emergencies, and a coaching stance for teacher development. 5. Celebrate diverse forms of excellence. In Cerrillos, teams competed for various recognitions, including the playful "last ass" award for the final finisher. Create a campus culture that honors different forms of contribution, not just test scores and academic achievements, but also compassion, creativity, perseverance, and community building. Leading Forward Together The burro racers of New Mexico demonstrate that success isn't about domination—it's about creating genuine partnerships, building trust, and navigating challenging terrain together. This lesson feels especially relevant as schools and colleges face unprecedented challenges. Educational reforms imposed without stakeholder buy-in typically fail, while those developed through authentic partnership gain momentum even through difficult implementation phases. For a deeper look at this fascinating sport and its surprising parallels to educational leadership, read the full AP News article: Burro racing wins over runners in backcountry ode to mining history YOUR TURN Consider a persistent challenge in your educational community where progress seems stalled. What if resistance isn't obstruction but a signal of caution or a desire for clarity? What might your stakeholders be sensing that you haven't yet recognized? How might approaching this challenge through partnership rather than authority create new possibilities? Share a time when listening to resistance actually improved an initiative. What did you learn about leadership through that experience? Like the burro racers navigating historic mining trails, effective educational leaders honor tradition while forging new paths forward—not by commanding, but by partnering. References Associated Press. (2025, May 3). Burro racing wins over runners in backcountry ode to mining history. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/wild-burro-racing-donkey-mining-new-mexico-9f20f6736401139529c8946162b97046 Fullan, M. (2019). Nuance: Why some leaders succeed and others fail. Corwin Press. Hargreaves, A., & O'Connor, M. T. (2018). Collaborative professionalism: When teaching together means learning for all. Corwin Press. Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press. Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Weigand, S. (2025, May 3). Personal interview. Cerrillos Burro Race, New Mexico.