Leaning into Leadership

In this episode of the Leaning Into Leadership podcast, Dr. Darrin Peppard takes on a challenge that quietly impacts even the strongest leadership teams: misalignment.You can have talented, committed leaders who care deeply about their work—and still feel like something is off. Conversations feel unclear. Decisions take longer than they should. Initiatives pile up without traction.That’s misalignment.And while it may not be loud or obvious, it comes at a cost.In this episode, Darrin breaks down:What misalignment really looks like in leadership teamsThe hidden costs, including decision fatigue, staff confusion, and lost timeA personal leadership story that reshaped his understanding of alignmentWhy alignment doesn’t happen during the work—it must be built intentionallyDarrin also shares a practical tool you can use immediately with your team:Start. Stop. Continue. Consider.This simple protocol helps leadership teams:Identify what needs to be addedEliminate what’s no longer alignedProtect what’s workingThink strategically about what’s nextWhether used in a leadership retreat or a focused team session, this process creates the clarity and shared direction teams need to move forward together.Key takeaway:Your team doesn’t need to work harder.They need to work together—on the right things, in the right way.🔗 Resources & LinksBlog: Start, Stop, Continue, Consider ProtocolConnect with Darrin: [email protected] more about leadership retreats and team developmentThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

In this episode, Darrin sits down with Brooke Dukes to explore a challenge that many leaders face—but often don’t recognize:Becoming the bottleneck.We talk about how this happens unintentionally, why it’s so common among high-performing leaders, and how it ultimately limits both team growth and organizational success.Brooke brings a powerful perspective to this conversation. As the founder of Success by Design Club and creator of OZ, an AI-powered leadership coach, she has spent over two decades working with leaders at the highest levels—including Fortune 500 organizations—helping them break free from burnout and lead with clarity and confidence.Together, we dig into the dangers of “superhero leadership,” the hidden cost of control, and why stepping in to help can actually hold your team back.Most importantly, we explore what it really takes to shift—from being the center of every decision to building systems and structures that allow your team to step up and thrive.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, or like everything depends on you… this conversation is for you.Key TakeawaysHow leaders unintentionally become the bottleneckThe danger of “superhero leadership”Why helping can actually hurt your teamThe role of systems in scaling leadershipHow to build trust, clarity, and accountabilityWhy burnout is often a systems issue—not a personal failureAbout Brooke DukesBrooke M. Dukes is the founder of the Success by Design Club and creator of OZ, an AI-powered leadership coach designed to help leaders grow without burning out.With over 20 years of experience in executive leadership, sales, and consulting—including work as a Fortune 500 executive and global strategist—Brooke helps CEOs, founders, and visionaries build businesses that actually work for them.Her work blends behavioral science, Human Design, and real-world strategy to restore clarity, confidence, and calm in leadership.She is also the creator of the GRACe™ Communication Framework and Culture Compass™ Diagnostic, a #1 best-selling author, host of the Burn On, Not Out podcast, and a sought-after speaker known for her honest and heart-forward approach.🔗 Connect with BrookeWebsite: brookmdukes.comPodcast: Burn On, Not OutSocial: @BrookMDukesGet Darrin's weekly blog hereThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

One of the most rewarding parts of hosting Leaning Into Leadership is hearing from listeners who are doing the work every day.In this episode, Darrin responds to a question from a first-year principal in upstate New York who asked a challenge many school leaders face:How do you stay responsive to parents while still leading the school effectively?Parent emails, phone calls, and concerns can quickly fill a leader’s day. Without systems in place, communication can pull leaders into a reactive cycle that leaves little time for the work that matters most.Drawing from his own experience as a principal and from insights shared on the podcast, Darrin explores how leaders can break free from the Cycle of CHAOS and build systems that protect their time while strengthening communication with their school community.Along the way, he shares practical strategies that help leaders communicate clearly, set expectations, and stay focused on their highest priorities.This episode also highlights an idea shared by Rae Hughart in Episode 199 and connects to leadership lessons from Darrin’s book Road to Awesome: The Journey of a Leader.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful reminder for every leader:"Stop sacrificing the important on the altar of the urgent."Resources Mentioned:Road to Awesome: The Journey of a LeaderSchool Leader Weekly PlannerEpisode 199 – Rae HughartThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Leadership today often feels like navigating constant change.Volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity are realities many leaders face daily. But resilience is not about simply pushing through the chaos — it’s about learning how to lead yourself and others through it.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Russell Harvey, The Resilience Coach, to explore how leaders can build resilience in themselves and their teams while navigating the modern leadership landscape.Russell shares powerful frameworks and practical strategies that help leaders move from overwhelm to clarity, from control to command, and from reactive leadership to intentional leadership.This conversation offers practical insights for leaders who want to strengthen their mindset, support their teams more effectively, and build sustainable leadership habits.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why resilience is one of the most important leadership skills todayThe difference between being in control and being in command as a leaderHow the VUCA framework explains the constant change leaders faceThe importance of developing personal resilience before leading othersWhy great leaders focus on delegating brilliantly and removing obstacles for their teamsHow identifying your purpose can strengthen resilience and confidenceA practical strengths and skills grid exercise leaders can use immediatelyKey leadership insight from Russell:A resilient leader focuses on three core responsibilities:Delegate brilliantly based on the strengths of your teamBuild and nurture a resilient team cultureDevelop your own personal resilienceWhen leaders invest in these three areas, they create the conditions for trust, clarity, and stronger team performance.About Russell HarveyRussell Harvey, known as The Resilience Coach, is a leadership coach, facilitator, speaker, and resilience expert with more than 20 years of experience in leadership and organizational development.His work focuses on helping leaders and organizations build resilience in the face of constant change and uncertainty.Russell works with leaders and organizations to develop practical strategies that improve leadership effectiveness, strengthen team relationships, and help individuals rediscover their energy and purpose.Connect with Russell HarveyWebsite: https://www.theresiliencecoach.co.ukLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russelltheresiliencecoach/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresiliencecoach/Connect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

One of the most common mistakes schools make is confusing a resource with a curriculum.A textbook gets adopted. A program is purchased. A shiny new initiative is rolled out.And suddenly everyone says, “Great… we have a curriculum.”But that’s not curriculum.In this episode, Darrin sits down with Emily Makelky from the Curriculum Leadership Institute (CLI) to unpack what curriculum actually means and why empowering teachers to lead curriculum development can transform how schools serve students.Drawing on years of classroom experience and consulting with districts across the country, Emily shares how leaders can move beyond resource adoption and build sustainable curriculum systems that reflect their community, their teachers, and their students.The conversation also explores how leadership teams can prioritize curriculum work, avoid overwhelming teachers, and create structures that support long-term improvement.If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like “What should we really be teaching?” or “How do we align instruction across classrooms?” this episode offers practical insight for school and district leaders.In This EpisodeWhy a textbook is not a curriculumThe difference between resources and true curriculum alignmentHow schools can build local curriculum that reflects their communityWhy teacher voice and teacher leadership are essential in curriculum developmentHow leaders can create systems and routines that support curriculum workWhy going slow to go fast matters when implementing curriculum changesHow districts can create a long-range plan for curriculum developmentAbout Emily MakelkyJust like when she was in the classroom, Emily loves it when the “lightbulb” comes on for teachers.Combining her teaching experience with a foundation in business management, Emily now works as a consultant with the Curriculum Leadership Institute, helping schools and districts take a systematic approach to curriculum development and alignment.Emily’s work focuses on helping educators clarify what should be taught, align instruction and assessment, and empower teachers to lead meaningful curriculum work within their schools.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeCurriculum Leadership Institutehttps://www.cliweb.orgFree tools and resources (including the Long Range Plan template)https://www.cliweb.org/toolsandinspirationFree Long Range Planning Sessionhttps://calendly.com/d/3sk-z55-pg2/develop-your-long-range-planConnect with DarrinIf this episode resonated with you and you're looking for support in developing stronger leadership teams, clearer systems, and healthier school cultures, connect with Darrin.Website: https://darrinpeppard.com/Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

This is Part 3 of a three-part series on leadership presence.In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust and psychological safety erode when leaders aren’t fully present.In Episode 263, we discussed how to engineer margin through calendar integrity, decision discipline, and clarity around your top priorities.Now we bring it home.Because presence isn’t performance.Presence is connection.In this episode, Darrin dives into the relational and interpersonal work that makes leadership presence genuine — not polished, not performative, but real.You’ll learn:Why presence is more than eye contact and good postureThe three foundations of genuine presence:AttentionCuriosityEmotional regulationWhy you cannot fake nervous system safetyThe danger of listening to fix instead of listening to understandFour practical signals of authentic presence you can use immediatelyWhy follow-up is one of the most powerful leadership moves you can makeDarrin also shares a story from his superintendent experience that highlights the difference between listening to correct and listening to comprehend.Reflection Question: Where do you need to replace fixing with listening?Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

In Episode 262, we explored the hidden cost of distraction and how trust, psychological safety, and connection erode when leaders aren’t fully present. This is Part 2 of our three-part series on leadership presence.In this episode, Darrin focuses on why distraction keeps happening — and how to intentionally break through the cycle of overwhelm.Chaos isn’t loud.It’s cumulative.It’s the stacking of interruptions, back-to-back meetings, unresolved conversations, decision fatigue, and carrying problems that aren’t yours to carry. When leaders operate in survival mode, presence becomes nearly impossible.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why overwhelm — not incompetence — is the real issueThe difference between chaos being loud vs. cumulativeHow to engineer margin into your leadershipThe importance of calendar integrityWhy decision discipline protects your leadership capacityHow to clarify your Top Three priorities each weekHow to use a simple 15-Minute Weekly Presence AuditPlus, Darrin shares a free resource:📥 The School Leaders Weekly Planner — a tool designed to help you schedule your priorities, build margin, and protect your presence. Download the free planner using the link here.Reflection Question:What on your calendar right now is stealing margin from the moments that matter most?Find one thing. Change one thing. Break the chaos. Build the margin. Protect the moments.Next up in Episode 264: The interpersonal work that makes leadership presence genuine and authentic.Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to digicoach.com and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

This episode kicks off a powerful three-part series on leadership presence.In Part 1, Darrin explores the hidden cost of distraction and how leaders unintentionally erode trust, psychological safety, and emotional connection when they are not fully present.Through personal stories from his time as a high school principal, Darrin shares moments of realization when distraction cost him relational depth — and what those experiences taught him about culture and leadership.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why presence is not “soft” — it’s culture workThe three things that erode when leaders aren’t fully presentThe difference between productivity and true leadership impactWhy leadership is about stabilizing people, not just solving problemsA simple 60-Second Reset you can use before your next important conversationReflection Question:Where this week does someone need the fully present version of you?This episode sets the foundation for Part 2, where we’ll explore how to intentionally create margin and break the patterns that keep leaders stuck in distraction.Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

In Episode 261, I’m coming to you on location from Edmond, Oklahoma, where I had the opportunity to sit down with my friend Joe Beckman at the OASSP conference.Joe has spent more than 20 years traveling the world with one simple mission: reclaim human connection.And if we’re honest, that mission has never been more urgent. Loneliness is at an all-time high. Belonging and self-worth feel fragile. Technology is louder than conversation. So what does that mean for school leaders?In this conversation, Joe challenges us to rethink where connection lives on our priority list. It’s not one more thing on the plate.It is the plate.We talk about:Why connection must be the foundation of leadershipThe powerful “Chinette plate” analogy and what it means for cultureHow storytelling builds trust and opens students’ mindsWhy vulnerability accelerates connection in classroomsThe Big Tobacco → Big Tech comparison and what leaders must understandHow adults must model healthy tech boundariesWhy conferences and networks matter in fighting leadership isolationThe courage required to lean into difficult conversationsJoe also shares how he is personally leaning into leadership right now by stepping into uncomfortable spaces and using his voice where it matters most.If you care about culture…If you care about your people… If you care about leading well in a distracted world…This episode is for you.Connect with Joe: www.joebeckman.comThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.This episode is also brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.com

In this episode of Leaning Into Leadership, I’m joined by George Couros, one of the most influential voices in education around innovation, culture, and human-centered leadership.George and I dig into his leadership journey — not from a place of “having it all figured out,” but from a place of learning out loud. We talk about how blogging helped him find his voice, not just share it, and why writing, reflection, and vulnerability matter more than ever for leaders.We also explore the ideas behind George’s newest book, Forward Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times, including:Why trying to “win” arguments often pushes people further awayThe reality that somebody hates you — and why that shouldn’t drive your leadershipThe balance between comfort and challenge in professional learning (the “warm bath / cold shower”)How leaders can move communities forward during polarized, emotionally charged timesWe close with a powerful reflection on leadership and self-care, as George shares how prioritizing his health has changed not only how he leads — but how he models leadership for his own kids.This is an honest, thoughtful, and deeply human conversation about what leadership really looks like right now.You can learn more about George at his websiteGrab his new book on AmazonHere is the link to the blogpost I referenced in the showThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Ever left a leadership team meeting feeling like it was so productive—then realized a week later nothing really changed?In this solo episode, Darrin unpacks why that gap between effort and impact is rarely about commitment—and almost always about clarity. Building on his “Cycle of Chaos” episode, he shares the ALIGN Framework, a practical system for strengthening team dynamics and keeping teams focused on what matters most.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why strong teams drift into reactivity when clarity is missingHow alignment breaks the Cycle of Chaos—not just “working harder”The ALIGN Framework for healthier team dynamics:A — Agree on the Vision and Goals: Ensure everyone can name the top priorities in the same languageL — Language and Communication: Teams don’t just make decisions—they carry the messageI — Intentional Role Clarity: Clear ownership prevents duplication, avoidance, and frustrationG — Growth Through Cross-Training: Build continuity and empathy without eroding rolesN — Navigate with Intention: Protect focus, pause before adding initiatives, and stay anchored to prioritiesReflection questions to take back to your team:If I asked each team member privately, would they name the same top three priorities?Are we clear on what gets communicated, who communicates it, and how it’s framed?Where might I be stepping in that’s keeping someone else from stepping up?Are we moving the goal forward—or just filling the calendar?Support for leaders and teamsIf you’re thinking, “This sounds like my team, but we’re struggling to get there,” Darrin invites you to reach out for coaching, team support, or a leadership team alignment retreat designed to reset vision, roles, and priorities.Connect with Darrin: darrinpeppard.com | roadtoawesome.net | @darrinmpeppardThank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at HeyTutor.comThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Weston Kieschnick has been in the work for a long time—as a classroom teacher, coach, author, and speaker—and this conversation feels like two colleagues reconnecting around what actually drives performance.We dig into Weston’s newest work and the idea that the gap between high performers and underachievers usually isn’t talent. It’s behavior—especially in the moments when adversity hits.In this episode, we explore:Why “hidden work” is the difference-maker when no one is watchingThe four performance pitfalls that derail people at every level:BlameExcusesSelf-deceptionGiving upThe flips that top performers lean into instead:OwnershipSolutionsTruthGritA Shark Tank green-room story with Barbara Corcoran that perfectly frames ownership vs. blameWhy feedback is the raw material for performance—and how self-deception blocks growthWeston’s take on “growability” and why self-awareness matters more than skill levelHow Weston is leaning into leadership right now: staying a learner, and learning from great leaders in every spaceKey takeawayWhen life gets hard, your default matters. You don’t rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your patterns. This episode is a gut-check and a playbook.Connect with WestonFind Weston at WestonKieschnick.com and connect with him on social media to follow his work (and his “10-second truth” videos).Thank you to our Amazing SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm. Connect with them at: https://heytutor.com/?utm_source=RTA&utm_medium=RTA&utm_campaign=RTAThis episode is also sponored by DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems. Go to https://www.digicoach.com/ and tell them you heard about them here on the Leaning into Leadership podcast for special partner pricing.

Leadership doesn’t fall apart overnight. More often, it slowly drifts into a pattern that feels overwhelming, exhausting, and reactive.In this solo episode, Darrin introduces The Cycle of Chaos—a framework that helps leaders name what they’re experiencing and begin interrupting the patterns that keep them stuck in survival mode.Rather than offering quick fixes or productivity hacks, this episode invites reflection, clarity, and intentional leadership.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why feeling busy doesn’t always mean you’re being effectiveHow constant reactivity increases cognitive load and erodes clarityThe five stages of the Cycle of Chaos:Constant ReactivityHigh Cognitive LoadAbsence of ClarityOverextensionSurvival Mode LeadershipWhy leaders stay stuck in the cycle—and why it’s not a failureHow clarity becomes the starting point for real changeThis conversation is a reminder that leaders don’t need to work harder—they need to lead clearer.SponsorsThis episode is brought to you by HeyTutor, delivering high-impact, research-based tutoring that supports students while reducing leadership overwhelm.Additional support comes from DigiCoach, helping leaders capture real-time instructional data, provide meaningful feedback, and build clarity through strong systems.