Thought Leaders

Fall is upon us. Football, fireplaces, sweater weather, crisp air, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and my favorite part of fall, the changing colors of the leaves. I recently saw a quote that resonated with me. It said, “The trees are about to show us how lovely it...

Thesis statement. “The Only Constant in Life Is Change.”- Heraclitus, c.540 BCE—c.480) I hope your morning was as beautiful as mine. Stepping outside into 63°F was a refreshing change, along with a walk and a hint of autumn in the air. Returning to the desktop, I...

Trying to force others to change is a fool’s game. (Ask me how I know.) I’ve worked for control freaks. They made me, and all the others they were trying to control, freak out. More importantly, those control freaks generated highly committed resistors. So, if change...

As student-centered advocates, we adhere to the adage, meet students where they are. But in terms of our teaching craft, do we meet ourselves where we are? Do we expect to reach the highest heights of rigor like a caped superhero atop a mountain having conquered the...

If you have spent any time in a small town, you have witnessed firsthand the challenge: rural areas struggle to keep families from moving away in search of economic opportunities. When a large business closes in a city, it is quickly replaced. In a small town,...

Tough times call for strong leadership. The very best leaders I know personally (and have studied) have not only survived tough times, they have emerged on the other side of them even stronger. Here are some commonalities in the way those impactful folks led (and...

I recently read The Obstacle is the WAY: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday (2014). I didn’t realize it until the very end of the book, but RH was really describing Stoicism. Interesting that I’ve never thought of myself as Stoic, but...

Building Communities from withinCollegiate Edu Nation (CEN) schools have opportunities to build their communities from within, and we encourage schools to lead from within by leveraging the creativity, innovation, and strength of their students, faculty and...

The best leaders I know are as much coaches as they are anything else. These wise folks commit huge portions of their time to the development of the folks around them. In that process, these astute leaders skillfully deploy some exceptional coaching up strategies:...

“Down on a Dirt road, where things don’t changeAnd everyone still knows your nameYou’ve got a place to call home, and you’ve got place to hideYou’ve got a land you love and a name to be proud ofAnd you’ve got the address to the Good Lord up aboveThere ain’t much more...