In anticipation of retiring from my superintendency and working with school boards, I informally polled my superintendent and board friends.

Warren Buffett, the American investor and philanthropist who built one of the world's most successful companies by investing in good people and then getting out of their way, has a simple view of leadership development. Buffett says, "find the .400 hitters and then don't tell them how to swing." For those unfamiliar with baseball, the analogy may not be obvious. In Full House: The Spread of Excellence from Plato to Darwin, S.J. Gould examines the extreme rarity of the .400 hi

This article is an update to my featured article in the September 2025 School Administrator edition of AASA: School Administrator Magazine. It draws on my three experiences as a superintendent addressing falling enrollment and school underutilization.

Why school districts should stop hiring people who think alike “Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who'll argue with you.” — John Wooden John Wooden knew a thing or two about assembling successful teams. Ten national championships at UCLA suggest he was pretty good at it. But his advice about surrounding yourself with people willing to argue with you might not go over so well in the executive offices of some school districts. Particularly those looki

This article is featured in the September 2025: School Administrator edition of AASA: School Administrator Magazine. It is drawn from my two experiences addressing falling enrollment and school underutilization.

This article is featured as the Board-Savvy Superintendent column for April, 2025 AASA School Superintendents professional trade publication.

School Boards can avoid common pitfalls by adopting a operating system for effective school district governance

Boards that invest in their team dynamics will be better positioned to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and drive positive outcomes

Understanding the dynamics of role conflict and finding ways to manage them is crucial for the smooth operation of school districts.

The annual School Superintendents Association (AASA) National Conference on Education was in San Diego this past week. Attendance was at...

Well, leaders usually never start with a blank canvas, a block of stone, or an un-scored composition. It's usually a little messy.

This article is featured in the November 2023 edition of AASA, The School Superintendents Association School Administrator Magazine

Superintendents who use Cabinet meetings to bond with their team build trusting relationships. Those who don't, don't.

The American Association of School Administrators recently found that about 25 percent of superintendents across the country have left their

Courage over comfort is a separator for authentic leaders.

Closing the ideological gap requires high levels of cognitive empathy.

This research article first appeared in the AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice (2023) and focuses on school boards and policymaking.

Leaders need to focus, and refocus, time and time again.

I have observed many leaders who have failed because they attempted to change the system with the system that created the need to change

An idea is like a theory. I want to be surrounded by people who will poke holes in it and make a case against it.